The Kandungaw Peak, situated within the towns of Badian and Dalaguete, is a favorite day hike destination for both newbie hikers and seasoned mountaineers. CDND PHOTO / Immae Lachica
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Leave the city and explore a different side of Cebu sans the busy metropolis and the cosmopolitan vibe.
On your next trip, skip the beach and turn to the mountains to discover Cebu’s many peaks.
For this edition, we explored southern Cebu and packed up our gears for a day hike to… Kandungaw Peak!
Kandungaw Peak is one of the most visited peaks in Cebu that offers not just endless green view of what lies ahead in the horizon. It also blessed us with a good surge of adrenaline that can definitely be managed by any outdoor enthusiast, whether you are a newbie hiker or a seasoned mountaineer.
The journey to reach the summit of Kandungaw Peak begin in either Badian or Dalaguete, after all this peak is situated at the boundary of these southern Cebu towns.
Gerardo Espíritu, one of the community guides, said new hikers tend to start off in Dalaguete for an easier trek, while the seasoned ones begin the journey in Badian.
When you’ve reached Kandungaw Peak, you get this view:
How to get there
From the Cebu City South Bus Terminal (CSBT), take the bus and alight at the Dalaguete town proper. The bus ride takes two to three hours. Fare: P145/person for an air-conditioned bus.
From the town proper, arrange your trip with any of the motorcycle-for-hires for a 30-minute ride to Barangay Maloray, this journey’s jump-off point. Fare P150/person
Remember to pay an environmental fee of P30/person. We also advise taking a guide to be with you as you scale the peak. They charge P200 for their services.
Enduring the peak
There are two ways to reach the peak:
- By following the cemented pathway complete with stairs; or
- By following the natural trail.
The stair-equipped, cemented pathway is 1.6 kilometers long.
It’s not a difficult hike/trek for it will only take you between 45 minutes to one hour to reach the peak. However, going up would require short rests as you would need to catch your breath. Use this chance to take in the beauty of nature.
The natural trail is “shorter” at 957 meters but don’t let that fool you. Especially to the uninitiated or the non-frequent hikers, you would need to use a lot of your body strength to get your way up as there are steep areas to conquer that will require you to literally “lift” your body to get to the top.
No worries though, there are ropes that you can use as support.
After the climb, get ready to feast on a view of Cebu that you will never get to appreciate if you just stayed in the city. Trust us when we say that the view from the top will make the climb all worth it!
Up there, try not to play any music.
Enjoy the cool breeze, soak in the calmness of nature and take in that serene feeling of being on top of Cebu’s peaks.
From Kandungaw Peak, you will see picturesque Cebu and its neighboring islands.
It is truly an experience that you will hold close to your heart for a long time.
The picture-perfect peak is also popular for the Philippine flag that is installed at the area itself. Don’t forget to take a post with the it!
While you are at Kandungaw peak, grab the chance to explore two of its sister peaks: Sunset Peak and Titanic Peak.
Sunset Peak is a great camping site that can accommodate 10 to 20 tents.
The Titanic Peak, named as such because of its resemblance to the iceberg that destroyed the Titanic ship in 1912, is the daredevils favourite spot as you can sit down on the edge of the peak for posterity’s sake.
A day trek to Kandungaw Peak may just be the recharge that you need after a weeklong battle with corporate jargons and office politics. Try it! Get out of the city and let nature breathe its life on you.
You’ll be happy that you did! / celr
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