Lugsangan Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
Central Visayas

CEBU [Dalaguete]

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Osmeña Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
If Bohol has Chocolate Hills, Albay has Quitinday Green Hills and Negros has Hinakpan Hills, the province of Cebu also has its own version of these verdant limestone formations.
📍Osmeña Peak

🇵🇭DALAGUETE ADVENTURE PRIMER🇵🇭

✈️🛳🚌 How to get to Dalaguete, Cebu:
⏺ Take a plane from Metro Manila to Mactan-Cebu Airport (e.g. Philippine Airlines, Cebu Pacific and AirAsia).
⏺ Hail a taxi to get to South Bus Terminal.
⏺ Ride a bus with the signboard Bato via Dalaguete/Oslob and alight at 7-Eleven Dalaguete Junction (travel time: 3 – 3.5 hours).
⏺ Hire a motorcycle that will take you to the peaks of Dalaguete.
 
Osmeña Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
I first set foot in Dalaguete in 2015 as part of my Southern Cebu adventure. My friend and I just landed at the airport by midnight then we made our way to South Bus Terminal. The bus dropped us off at the junction going to our destination. It was still dark but there were already motorcycles waiting for passengers parked across Maria’s Batchoy and Restaurant. We negotiated with one of the drivers and he agreed to take us here at Osmeña Peak.
Osmeña Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
During that time, Osmeña Peak was already a mainstream hiking destination frequented by backpackers. I would never forget our mishap that morning on our way to the jump-off. It seemed like our motorcycle driver was still a newbie in maneuvering through the rough portions of the road. We fell off the motorcycle since he couldn’t balance well the vehicle due to the uneven parts of the path. Thank the gods we were okay(ish). My friend got burnt on her leg by the motorcycle’s exhaust pipe while I had bruises and sore thighs from the heavy weight of the vehicle when we were knocked down.
Osmeña Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
It felt as if the multiverse was trying to prevent us from continuing since we had this accident twice in a row as we traversed the winding road in darkness. Back then, there were parts of the road that were unpaved and were still under construction. But I knew that the show must go on.
Osmeña Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
The temperature dropped as we gained altitude. By the time we reached the jump-off, there were already tourists who had commenced their hike ahead of us.
Osmeña Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
We waited for the sunrise atop Osmeña Peak whilst the viewing deck got crowded by the minute. My friend and I quickly positioned ourselves on spots without photobombers in our frames.
Osmeña Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
Our guide then took us here at the other side of Osmeña Peak to get a different angle of the hills. We spent a few more minutes at the top before descent.
🏄🏝🚴 Sites to Explore/Activities:
 
⏺ Osmeña Peak
📌Secure guide/s then trek for about 15 – 20 minutes depending on your pace.
📌The registration area has an available toilet for visitors. There are also nearby stores where you can buy refreshments.
 
⏺ Lugsangan Peak
📌This is also known as Casino Peak among backpackers.
📌The motorcycle ride to reach the jump-off takes only about a few minutes from Osmeña Peak.
📌Upon paying the registration fee, secure guide/s then hike for about 20 – 40 minutes to reach the top.
 
⏺ Kandungaw Peak, Lovers’ Peak and Sunset Peak
📌The jump-off to Kandungaw is a bit far from Osmeña and Lugsangan.
📌Hike for roughly 45 minutes – 1 hour to reach these three peaks.
Lugsangan Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
Fast forward to 2018, I included the municipality of Dalaguete in my itinerary during my fourth visit. Thanks to the internet, other hiking attractions were popularized by blogs and social networking sites. It turned out that Dalaguete has other spots and viewing decks aside from Osmeña Peak so I decided to visit them as well.
📍Lugsangan Peak
Osmeña Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
It was past midnight when I hopped on a bus bound for Dalaguete. I alighted at 7-Eleven and walked towards Maria’s Batchoy across the convenience store. I didn’t have the appetite yet to eat breakfast since it was way too early so I just bought bottled water and waited for my motorcycle driver. I contacted him the day before so he could pick me up at the agreed time.
📍Osmeña Peak
Osmeña Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
My contact arrived by 4:00 AM and we made our way to our first stop. The pitch-black sky, cold weather as we gained elevation on board the motorbike and absence of street lights created a creepy atmosphere but I didn’t mind. It actually felt good as the breeze touched my still-sleepy soul.
Osmeña Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
The early morning feels reminded me of the time when my friend and I traveled to the jump-off to Osmeña Peak in 2015 at 4:00 in the morning as well. I noticed the now concrete roads. After all, it’s been almost three years.
Osmeña Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
It was still dark when we reached the jump-off. Another change I saw was the newly constructed registration area with available toilets for guests. It was past 4:30 AM and I was the first visitor to log in that day. I was assigned a guide to accompany me to the top.
Osmeña Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
I rested for a while before we began our trek. We reached Osmeña Peak in less than half an hour. The trail was relatively easy anyway.
Osmeña Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
I noticed some tents pitched at the campsite. I started taking pictures by the time the faint light off the rising sun started to appear by the horizon.
Osmeña Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
Unfortunately, I didn’t get the chance to take lots of photos because the foggy weather proved to be a huge challenge. The peak would give us a clearing for a while then another blanket of fog would be carried by strong winds to eventually envelop us completely. It was the end of May but a low pressure area was preventing me to enjoy a supposedly clear sky.
Osmeña Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
Other tourists started arriving. The visitors were quite lesser in number compared to when I first visited Osmeña Peak because it was a weekday.
Osmeña Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
When the sun finally came out, my guide and I waited for an hour or so for the clouds to clear up. But I had to give up. I can’t afford to wait for so long knowing that I had to be back in the city in the afternoon.
⏰⏳ SAMPLE ITINERARY (Southern Cebu):
 
DAY 1
5:00 PM ETA Mactan-Cebu Airport
7:00 PM ETA accommodation
 
DAY 2
4:00 AM Check-out / ETD for South Bus Terminal
5:00 AM ETD for Sibonga
7:00 AM ETA Simala Church
9:00 AM ETD for Dalaguete
10:30 AM ETA Dalaguete / check-in
11:30 PM Osmeña Peak
1:00 PM Lugsangan Peak
3:00 PM Kandungaw Peak
5:00 PM Head back to accommodation
 
DAY 3
5:00 AM ETD for Oslob
7:00 AM ETA Tumalog Falls
9:00 AM ETD for Bato Terminal, Santander
10:30 AM ETD for Samboan
12:00 PM ETA Samboan / check-in
1:00 PM Explore Samboan’s waterfalls
6:00 PM Head back to accommodation
 
DAY 4
5:00 AM Wake-up call
6:00 AM Explore Ginatilan’s waterfalls
8:00 AM Check-out / ETD for Alegria
9:30 AM ETA Alegria / check-in
11:00 AM Explore Alegria’s waterfalls
5:00 PM Head back to accommodation
 
DAY 5
5:00 AM Wake-up call / check-out / ETD for Badian
7:00 AM Kawasan Falls
8:00 AM Kabukalan Spring
10:00 AM ETD for Moalboal
11:30 AM ETA Panagsama Beach / check-in
1:00 PM Pescador Island
5:00 PM Head back to accommodation
 
DAY 6
5:00 AM Wake-up call
6:00 AM ETD for Basdaku Beach
7:00 AM ETA Basdaku Beach
11:00 AM Check-out / ETD for Barili
1:00 PM ETA Mantayupan Falls
3:00 PM ETD for Cebu City
5:00 PM ETD for Mactan-Cebu Airport
 
💰💶 ESTIMATED BUDGET (for a solo traveler exploring Southern Cebu): Php 10,000 – Php 12,000 (exclusive of airfare)
***Expenses may vary depending on the type of accommodation you will avail and personal consumption of food and other necessities. If traveling alone, you will solely shoulder the guide fees, tricycle/motorcycle transfer and tour rates and boat rental fees.
Lugsangan Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
Feeling disappointed and heartbroken at the thought of not being able to fully enjoy the view due to the crappy weather, my guide and I walked back to the jump-off.
📍Lugsangan Peak
Lugsangan Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
I bid goodbye to my guide and thought about his suggestion to go back so he could accompany me to do the Dalaguete-Kawasan Falls traverse. I hopped on my motorcycle service and asked the driver if we could stop by an eatery to have breakfast first.
📍Lugsangan Peak
Lugsangan Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
I was still hoping that the sky would clear up and give me the perfect sunshine I badly needed. Unfortunately, the weather disturbance was obviously too strong because of the thick cloud cover. Moreover, the high elevation of Dalaguete’s mountains was also an additional factor for this overcast weather.
📍Lugsangan Peak
Lugsangan Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
After breakfast, we proceeded to the jump-off to our next stop. It was my first time to visit Lugsangan Peak so I was not familiar of its location.
Lugsangan Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
We passed by some of these hills of Lugsangan on our way to the trailhead. Surprisingly, it’s just a few minutes away via motorcycle from Osmeña Peak.
Lugsangan Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
We parked outside a house with a small store at the foot of Lugsangan Peak. A young boy went out of the house with a logbook in his hands. I registered my name and the boy volunteered to be my guide. It turned out that I was the sole visitor at that time.
Lugsangan Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
We began our trek towards Lugsangan. The clouds covering us would be swept away by strong winds but another batch would replace the old ones and cover us again.
Lugsangan Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
Conquering Lugsangan’s trail may be relatively quicker than Osmeña’s easy walk-in-the-park path but the challenge you’ll encounter here at Lugsangan is the steep assault to get to the summit.
Lugsangan Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
My young guide and I hastily braved the steep portions as dark clouds loomed over us. It seemed as if a heavy downpour was imminent.
Lugsangan Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
You have to be extra careful during your photo session to capture every angle of Lugsangan on both sides as scrambling to get to the rocks are extremely dangerous. One wrong move and you’ll fall off the cliffs.
Lugsangan Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
You also have to consider your footing as you might lose your balance due to sudden blows of strong winds.
Lugsangan Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
I’ve read blogs online and this place is also named as Casino Peak. However, it’s locally known as Lugsangan since it is located in Sitio Lugsangan.
Lugsangan Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
Under this overcast weather and drizzling in between, I took tons of photos as the panoramic views proved to be captivating. I actually love this place more than Osmeña Peak.
Lugsangan Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
Osmeña Peak may have a wider space at its summit for hikers but the 360-degree view of the towering hills from the view deck of Lugsangan looks much more breathtaking.
Lugsangan Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
Boy was it ironic that amidst the crowded Osmeña Peak that day, here I was solely enjoying these views all to myself.
Lugsangan Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
Some nimbus clouds enveloped the skies but we were lucky to just experience only a drizzle. A few more minutes passed until the winds finally carried these black clouds away and again were replaced by whiter ones.
Lugsangan Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
As we descended towards the jump-off, I didn’t miss the chance of capturing more photos along the way. It’s not just the summit that is picturesque. The trail also proved to be scenic.
Lugsangan Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
We would rest every now and then as we headed towards the registration area. I was on cloud nine while taking pictures of views along the trail. I’m glad that I included Lugsangan Peak in my Dalaguete itinerary.
Lugsangan Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
I took a breather upon reaching the jump-off. Thanks to Mum Nature that even though the low pressure area hid the sun from me, at least there was no rain which would make the trails muddy and slippery.
📜✏️ Tips/Reminders:
📌Please keep in mind that buses with “Bato via Oslob” signboard will pass by Sibonga, Dalaguete and Oslob while buses with “Bato via Barili” signboard will pass by Barili, Moalboal, Badian, Alegria, Ginatilan and Samboan. Both routes meet at Bato Terminal in Santander.
📌You can hire a van if you are traveling with a group to save on time.
📌Expect rain and muddy roads/trails during monsoon season (June-February).
📌Always observe the LNT principles.
 
☎️ Contacts:
📌Van for hire: Kuya Tata (09776350200)
📌Tour Guide in Osmeña Peak: Kuya Joy Gamboa (09566020882)
📌Motorcycle Driver: Kuya Donato Amansio (09288541200)
Kandungaw Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
Although it was almost lunch time, I told my motorcycle driver that I wanted to finally finish the last stop in my itinerary so we drove from Sitio Lugsangan all the way to the jump-off to another awesome viewpoint in Dalaguete.
📍Kandungaw Peak
Kandungaw Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
I was again lucky to be the only visitor when we reached the registration area. I was assigned a local guide who would accompany me here at Kandungaw Peak.
Kandungaw Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
If you check online, another variation of the name Kandungaw is Candongao. Its name originated from “dungaw” which means “take a peep” or “look out”.
Kandungaw Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
The ascent towards Kandungaw proved to be fun yet challenging. It was not technical but I was already sweating by the time I arrived at this portion with the highest point of Kandungaw Peak as my backdrop.
Kandungaw Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
After almost an hour of enduring the assault portions of the trail, we finally arrived here at one of the most photographed parts of Kandungaw Peak where hikers would pose by the edge of this rock. My guide repetitively shouted from the other side reminding me to be extra careful.
Kandungaw Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
Standing on the edge of cliffs is like fuel for adrenaline junkies like me. But always remember, pose at your own risk. It may all be about bragging rights and all that jazz but if you’re not confident with your footing and balance, it’s definitely okay to pass. Refraining from doing such will not make you less of a person.
Kandungaw Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
It felt like we were in a race against the clouds. I was the protagonist in this adventure story and the clouds and fog would antagonize my dream shots of a clearing atop the summit.
Kandungaw Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
We continued walking towards the view deck and passed by these rounded contours of Lovers’ Peak and Sunset Peak. Together with Kandungaw Peak, these view decks are found in this same area. Unfortunately, we couldn’t explore more as the clouds obstructed the view of these hills.
Kandungaw Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
This was my last photo taken on the other side of Kandungaw Peak. We patiently waited out the evil clouds to clear up for about half an hour, but to no avail. It seemed like they’re never going away until afternoon. It felt as if I were in a studio to have my 1×1 picture taken all wrapped up in this white background. The weather just totally ruined my mood. I gave up and resigned myself to this unfavorable situation. It was time to bid farewell to Dalaguete.
Kandungaw Peak, Dalaguete, Cebu, Philippines
It was scorching hot when we got back at 7-Eleven but considering Dalaguete sits at higher altitude, it was totally enclosed in clouds because of the LPA. I had my late lunch at Maria’s Batchoy before getting on a bus en route to Cebu City that afternoon to catch my flight back to Manila in the evening. When I checked my photos, my disappointment actually waned. Amidst all the cloudiness that day, I began to appreciate the feels my photos radiated with all the fog covering me just like in this picture. I also promised myself that I would return to camp out or catch the sunset at Osmeña Peak. I am also looking forward to doing a traverse of Dalaguete to Kawasan Falls in the future.

***For other destinations in Cebu and Central Visayas, you may visit this link.

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