Osmeña Peak

Moalboal, Cebu, Philippines

Osmeña Peak is the highest point in Cebu, attracting more locals than foreign tourists as a hidden gem. Due to its location being quite far away from the main touristy areas of Moalboal, its trails are still quiet and peaceful, and the scenery is simply breathtaking. If you are a hiker or just a tourist who is up for a quick workout, Osmeña Peak is the place to visit!

Transportation

As mentioned in my Kawasan Falls post, habal habal (renting a bike with a driver) was my mode of transportation from Kawasan to Osmeña. Not going to lie, it was one bumpy ride! But the jaw dropping views made up for it. We encountered several small villages with local kids coming back from the school in groups and a couple of busy local markets. It took an hour and half from Kawasan Falls to Osmeña Peak and our entire bike ride from Panagsama Beach to Kawasan, then to Osmeña, back to Panagsama and to Moalboal bus terminal was 2000PHP (40USD) for two. If you are only biking from Kawasan Falls to Osmeña Peak, you might be able to find drivers in front of Kawasan Falls entrance and negotiate the price under 500PHP per person if you are lucky! It’s a 30km ride and with rocky roads.

If you are staying in Panagsama Beach, I’d recommend doing Kawasan and Osmeña on the same day. If you can drive a bike, you can rent one for as cheap as 300PHP per day, which is roughly 6USD. There’s a small parking lot in front of Shaka, a breakfast smoothie place in Panagsama Beach, and you can rent directly from there. Do wear a helmet, it’s a long and a tricky drive with narrow roads and sudden turns. Because of this, you cannot rent a tricycle if you are going all the way to Osmeña. However, if you are only going to Kawasan Falls, you can do a tricycle. For more information, please check my Kawasan Falls post 🙂

Unfortunately there are no public buses that run between Moalboal/Cebu city bus terminal and Osmeña Peak. If you are doing a private day trip to Kawasan Falls from Cebu city, better ask your driver to make a stop at Osmeña after Kawasan as it is located further away from Cebu city. But since the roads are extremely narrow, make sure to check if your driver can make his way safely. The easier route here would be hiring habal habal from Kawasan to Osmeña and meeting up with your driver back at the waterfall. But again, the best option is to just bike from Panagsama if you are staying in Moalboal.

Hiking

Your driver will drop you off right in front of the stairway that leads to the entrance. It only takes a minute to get to the ticket office and the entrance fee is 30PHP per person, which is less than 1USD. From there it was a quick, give or take 20 minutes of a decent hike. It was not difficult for a beginner like me (yes I do not hike regularly) but was a little bit steep. The lady at the entrance asked if I need a guide and I said no, which I do not regret. There’s only one way up and it is literally a striaght trail to the top, so anyone can reach the top on their own without a guide. The view on the top is absolutely unforgettable so definitely be prepared for saying ‘oh my gosh’ too many times.

One memorable thing from the hike was making a new friend. We coincidentally met a fellow Korean tourist who spotted us in Kawasan Falls and again at the peak which was super interesting! He kindly approached us first and we chatted along the trail which made me forget about the steepness of the hill while getting to know him. Definitely one of the best perks of backpacking is meeting new people and becoming friends so quickly!

What to bring

I brought the same light waterproof backpack from Kawasan Falls and wore a pair of sports leggings, sports top, running shoes and a pair of sunglasses. Shoes wise you could hike with sandals if you had to. But I would recommend running shoes or any type of sports shoes. What I forgot to pack was sunscreen. Little did I know my nose would turn strawberry red the next day… Definitely apply sunscreen before the hike and make sure you stay hydrated! It’s only 20PHP to get water at the entrance but if you want to reduce single used plastic, do bring a water bottle. However, there isn’t a drinking fountain nearby so you might want to fill it up before you head out.

Summary

Osmeña Peak offers something different from all the other touristy spots in Cebu. I went at 1PM when the sun was at its peak, but the locals say sunset time is the best time to visit. No matter the time of the day, the bespoken view is worth a visit!

-Transportation
Bike from Kawasan: approximately 500PHP per person, 1.5 hours
Bike from Moalboal (Panagsama Beach): approximately 1000PHP per person (including a stop at Kawasan Falls), 2 hours (if non-stop)
Private car from Cebu City: depends on the availability, takes A LOT of time maybe 5 hours?

-Other Expenses
Entrance fee: 30PHP
Water: 20PHP
No Locker available but free bathroom for changing at the entrance

*conversion rate: 50PHP to 1USD approximately