Mantalongon Trilogy: Osmeña Peak, Casino Peak, Kandungaw Peak

Where do can broken hearts go aside from Sagada?

I highly recommend Mantalongon in Dalaguete, Cebu. Pretty much like Sagada, the place is mountainous with weather just as cold as your ex hehe; exceptionally a good place to recover and eventually be whole again. But honestly, one need not be broken-hearted to relax, have fun and adventure in this charming countryside dubbed as the “Little Baguio” and “Summer Capital” of Cebu.

My main goal in visiting Mantalongon is to climb its three famous peaks – Osmeña, Casino, and Kandungaw - and spend the night in the mountains. Prior my climb, I was able to contact Kuya Ramil, a local habal-habal driver who agreed to take me to the jump-off points of the three peaks.

Coming from Manila, I arrived in Cebu via plane, past midnight; took a taxi to Southern Terminal and rode a bus bound for Southern Cebu. I arrived in Dalaguete at 4 am, such an ungodly hour, (after two hours of land travel (during daytime this could take three hours because of traffic). I texted Kuya Ramil that I was already in the highway waiting; syempre naalimpungatan sya sa sobrang aga ko. But in about 30 minutes, he arrived at nagsimula na ang one-day tour namin.

The three peaks are easy to scale – 20 to 30 minutes of leisurely walking nasa summit ka na. In my opinion, wala na dapat etong difficulty level. Guides are not mandatory but they are recommended because they could also serve as photographers.   

Osmeña Peak, the highest peak in the province (at 1,042 MASL)  and the most popular among the tourist spots in Mantalongon, is what catapulted to fame, this once sleepy town. Among the three peaks, eto lagi ang blockbuster every weekend sa dami ng tao – millennials, families, campers and foreigners. Its summit offers panoramic view of Badian’s Zaragoza Island, and silhouettes of the provinces of Bohol and Negros Oriental. The Peak was named after former President Sergio Osmeña, Sr., because the area was his favourite horse-riding destination.

Casino Peak, located in the neighboring Sitio Lugsangan rivals or even surpasses the view of Osmena. Its backdrop are lush mountains that look like Bohol’s Chocolate Hills and Hershey’s Kisses.

 

Kandungaw Peak, the farthest among the three peaks is another scenic ridge with stunning viewpoints and backdrops. It was foggy most of the time I was there. The peak got its name from “dungaw”, which means to “to look down”. The peak provided a vantage point for the occupants of the mountain during the Japanese occupation period, so they could immediately spot if the Japanese soldiers were advancing from below.

Kuya Ramil also suggested that I visit the nearby tourist attractions – the Sergio’s Strawberry Farm, where I had my snack of freshly picked strawberries and strawberry shake; and the Sunflower Graden, with different varieties of colourful and beautiful flowers.    

 

I spent the night camping at Osmeña Peak. Tents are available for rent at the jump-off point. It was a relaxing and rejuvenating experience from the sunset, sunrise and the fog that every now and then envelope the surroundings.

I should do this more often. Solitude is comforting; it could gradually restore you to whole.  

From Cebu City  (Southern Terminal), take a bus going to Southern Cebu and get off in Dalaguete. There are habal-habal for rent along the highway, that could take you around Mantalongon.