OSMEÑA PEAK

Osmeña Peak is in Dalaguete, Cebu, and it is the highest point in Cebu that consists of 1,013 MASL (Meters Above Sea Level). It is also known to be the "Little Baguio" in the Visayas region. The weather there is cool and windy. Climbing Osmeña Peak will reward you with an exhilarating view of the nearby Islands of Negros and Bohol. This mountain can get pretty cold, especially during the rainy season. It is recommended to wear something warm and a raincoat in case of rain. The climb to Osmeña Peak can be considered as a straightforward hike, but the path going up to the peak can be quite challenging as it can be slippery, muddy and windy as well especially on a rainy season. 

This blog is a compilation of our two attempts to Osmeña Peak, morning time hike (in September 2015) and night/ sunset hike (in October 2016). 

HOW TO GET THERE

BY BUS

Take a Ceres Bus Liner from South Bus Terminal in Cebu City bound to Dalaguete / Oslob / Bato and drop off at Barangay Mantalongon.

The travel time is roughly 2.5 - 3 hours and the bus fare will be around P120-P150 per person.

After that you may take a habal-habal (motorbike) ride to the wet market for about 20-30 minutes spin, and you may take another motorbike ride to get to the base camp for 20 minutes, and the drivers typically charge P200-P300 per person (roundtrip), but you may try to bargain or make a reasonable deal with the local drivers.

BY CAR/ VAN

Travelling by car will save you more money as a group of people will share all travel expenses. The gas that we paid for was around P1,000 (full tank) from Cebu City.

To get to Dalaguete, you must follow the route to Mantalongon road and drive up to the wet market. You may ask the local for the direction to the base camp or follow the WAZE app for the route.

OSMEÑA PEAK BASE CAMP

To get to the base camp of Osmeña Peak, you must take a habal-habal (motorbike) ride for about 20 minutes. If you're travelling by car, you may drive up to the base camp, which can be quite a challenge as the roads are quite tight and only smaller cars are bound to fit. Big vehicles are a big no-no. Once you reach the base camp, you need to pay a fee of P20 per person. There is a toilet for you to use and a mini store for you to buy some snacks and water before heading up to the peak. The hike will approximately take around 45 minutes to 1 hour (depending on speed).

FRESH CABBAGES & COWS

While hiking up to the peak, take some time to check out the freshly planted vegetables in the field by the local farmers. For those who live in a city, well this is something you don't see in your daily life. You may also encounter some cows on your way up. Beware not to touch them as they can get pretty aggressive.

MUDDY & SLIPPERY TERRAIN

The downside of Osmeña Peak is that it can get very slippery, especially during the rainy season. The chances of falling are quite high, especially when you step on a pile of wet mud. Both of our two attempts hike are both windy and a bit of shower. However, our second hike was not super slippery as most of the mud has been dried up. A little heads up to the beginner hikers, remember to wear proper shoes or trekking sandals to protect yourself from any possible injuries. Although we have seen some people wearing converse and flip flops over there, only because they are used to it or they are good at balancing but it's always good to stay safe to avoid any possible obstacles.

OSMEÑA PEAK

Finally, we reached the peak! Our first attempt was in the morning time in September 2015. It was very foggy and windy. However, the fogs did not stay for a long time; it comes and goes. So we still got the chance to take a glimpse of the view. On our second attempt, it was night time (sunset) in October 2016. We reached the peak at 6:05 pm, just in time for sunset. However, we barely see any view as it is already dark. The best time to hike up to Osmeña Peak is during the afternoon time, where you can have a breathtaking and proper view. Despite the fogs and windy weather, we still manage to see the view, but we're not able to capture them on our camera as we were overjoyed with the view and was too late to capture the moment, well we did capture some of it on time though. On the other side of the mountain, you will see some camping tents. That area is where the campers stay overnight.

Overall, the experience was great. Although we didn't get to see the evident beauty of Osmeña Peak after our two attempts, we're glad that we get to experience the sunset in the peak. Hopefully our 3rd attempt would be less windy, but instead, it will be a bit sunny, and we probably will stay overnight at their camping site. I can't wait for my next visit to Cebu!

WHAT TO BRING

• Water for hydration

• Snacks (energy bars, bread, biscuits, chocolates, chips)

• Towel for cleaning after the hike (It will be muddy)

• Extra shoes/ slippers

• Extra clothing (optional)

• Sunblock cream

• Raincoat (in case of rain)

• Camera for photo taking

• Sunglasses

• Toiletries such as tissue, wet tissue and hand gel

• Flashlights or headlamp (when hiking at night time or till sunset)

WHAT TO WEAR

• Warm clothes such as sweater or long sleeves and sports leggings or jogging pants

• Trekking shoes or trekking sandals (rubber shoes are not highly recommended as it can be really muddy and slippery)

• Jacket

BUDGET (by private car)

Car gas (roundtrip, full tank) - P1,000 (divided by 4 people - P250 each)

Snacks (Siopao and bread) - P10

Osmeña Peak entrance - P20

Total spending: P280

Yours Truly,

Michelle Chan