Sirao Peak or Mt. Kan-Irag or Mt. Sibugay Hike
Sirao Peak has been famous among Cebu hikers all these years. We were told it's the most accessible and offers an easy trail to the mountain. The easy way is the Busay Trail which only takes less than an hour to reach the top from the jump-off site. Another way on a more challenging level is to hike the Budlaan Trail in Talamban, Cebu. This will take around 3-5 hrs, depending on your fitness level and stops. Let's go!
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How to get there: Sirao Peak via Busay
Meeting point: JY Square, Lahug, Cebu
Take Jeepney 04L from the Mazda Building near SM Mabolo to JY Square Lahug.
Fare: 7 PHP
Then across JY Square Mall take a motorbike/ habal-habal to the jump-off site for Sirao Peak near Ayala Heights.
Fare: 150 PHP.
What to bring checklist:
- Cash
- Hiking shoes
- Waterproof bag
- Cap and Sunglass
- Windbreaker Jacket
- Extra clothes for change
- Water (at least 2 liters, if you're like me and need plenty of water to survive)
- Sunblock (Apply an hour before the hike, reapply if needed, depending on SPF level)
- Snack and Lunch (Make sure to clean up your mess)
- Camera and your Smile
- Kindness to the Mountain
- Extra plastic bag (if you spot some trash along the way)
- Small first aid kit, whistle, and flashlight
Sirao Peak
We met up early in the morning, had our breakfast, and made our way to JY Square in Lahug. Our plan was to have lunch at the peak so we bought Lechon Manok/Roasted Chicken for 180 PHP and 15 pieces of puso/ hanging rice for 50 PHP. I thought that should be enough for three young-ish ladies but I was wrong, try to pack more to ensure you're well-fed on your hike.
I was so ready to take the motorbike up after we bought our supplies however my two companions decided why don't we try walking?! Well, I was down for anything so off we went on a dangerous path to our destination. We were actually doing good but the weather was not permitting. Rain showers started to pour and we were left with no choice but to take the motorbike. Little did we know the weather was actually guiding us in the right way. The hike to Ayala Heights was too far to walk, the small roads with not much space for hikers on the side made it a risky task too. We already walked a good one hour, so our motorbike fee to Ayala Heights was only 50 PHP.
The Landmark
There are no signs that show you the drop-off point or entryway to Sirao Peak. This Canada Drive was a standout sign for me, as this is the road that leads you to Barangay Sirao and the flower garden. My friend's friendly gesture got us a free ride on a soldier's truck a few meters away from the peak. The gateway to Sirao Peak is not that far from the army station, there's a small road along the paved road that leads you to an open field. It's unnoticeable as there is no sign and everyone seems like just heading to the Flower Farm.
Beautiful Mango Trees
Once you see the grassland and a few mango trees it only means you're on the right path. It's just a short distance from the road, don't go all the way to the flower farm. The moment you step on that small road it immediately transports you to a different world. There will be two mountains each on different sides, Sirao peak is the greener one, with mango trees lining up the way. The other mountain seemed more inhabited, houses and sort of like electric towers were visible from afar.
Field of Grassland
The trail starts with a wide field of grassland, and then everything else is all uphill, filled with stones and plants. It rained that day, and we expected the trail to be slippery thus our footing was slow and precise. I didn't wear my hiking shoes for some valid reason, however, please do wear proper hiking shoes as this will keep you safe - I did slip and that's not a good thing. We were lucky enough that it didn't rain that hard, it was a cool hike to the peak for us. My friend had an umbrella and I had my windbreaker jacket with me, so we were all good. When we arrived at the top it stopped raining for a while we then quickly had our lunch.
Unpredictable Weather
Another thing to keep in mind when hiking is to waterproof your stuff, I lost my hiking touch and totally forgot all about this - got way too excited ahahaa. The fog covered our whole view of the city for a few minutes as it drizzled, it didn't really bother us at that moment as we were busy with our roasted chicken. By the time we were almost done with lunch, the fog started to clear out and we got ourselves a beautiful sight of Cebu City. It was one of those simple hiking pleasures of seeing the fruits of your labor, sweet and memorable.
Going down the mountain was a piece of cake.. for my friend. I'm one of those hikers who takes their sweet time analyzing how far, how slippery, and the consequence of setting one's foot in the wrong place thus I am the slowpoke. My friend would always tease me about it. I just can't find myself going down the mountain fast and doing a cartwheel with my face.
Check out Sirao Garden
After visiting Sirao Peak you can check out Sirao Garden (Entrance fee: 50 PHP. According to my research, Celosia flowers bloom in the summer around April-May).
Anyways, he headed back down, took the same short path out to the main cemented road, and walked back to the main point where the motorbike dropped us off in Ayala Heights, Canada Drive point. We took a motorbike to Busay and then a jeepney from there to JY Square, saving us a few pennies instead of taking the motorbike/habal-habal all the way down to JY Square.
From JY Square we took refuge from a bakery and had some cornetto ice cream as we waited for the traffic to settle down a little bit. I love ending my hikes this way, relaxed and happy. It was a short and easy climb plus the rain spiced things up for our Sirao Peak Hike. This is definitely a great way to get away from the bustling city and immerse oneself in nature, and you don't need to travel far as it is right at the heart of Cebu City.
Have fun and be safe ^__^
Do you want more adventure?
If you still have one more day to spare why not go do something unique and fun like Wall climbing or a Zip-line adventure in Cebu.
Where am I going next?
My next adventure is to check out the Hidden Waterfalls on the Southside of Cebu. Related articles you may find interesting:
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