Hello Hive!
For today's episode, I am bringing you to one of the most beautiful mountains in Cebu and my favorite camping spot. I can say that it isn't a major climb as the trail isn't that complicated but it's truly as majestic as its name sounds. We went to the southern part of Cebu just to explore and witness the beauty of Mt. Salamanca in Ginatilan Cebu.
Ginatilan is the 5th-class municipality of Cebu which is an almost 5-hour trip by public bus going South. This is where Mt. Hambubuyog and other popular tourist spots like waterfalls and rivers are located as well. Since we just had the weekend as our free time, we didn't have much time to go to Mt. Hambubuyog but had a side trip to Inambakan Falls instead.
In Filipinos, the word Salamanca means magic. However, the name isn't necessarily derived from the word magic but from the name of its barangay. You can just tell how magical the place is when you get there. The place is easy to find as there are transportations readily available at every destination point.
From Cebu City proper, you can take a bus at the South Bus terminal going to Moalboal. You can ask the driver to alight you at Ginatilan. There are available motorbikes for hire directly going to the Mt. Salamanca camping site which is very convenient. The one-way fare from South Bus Terminal to Ginatilan is around 400-500 pesos (7.00 US to 9.00 US Dollars) and the motorbike costs 100.00 pesos (2.00 US Dollars) per person. I know right, mountain climbing is a bit pricey compared to other hobbies, not to mention the hiking and camping gear and all the expenses that come with it.
Nothing to worry about as the motorbike riders will drop you off at the hiking start point at Salamanca. You need to hike for 10-15 minutes to go to the campsite. There are spots perfect for camping but we chose the bigger area with a picturesque view of the ocean so we went a bit further.
Please be guided that this is not a typical camping site as the temperature is low and it's an open hill with no trees in the surroundings so expect colder temperatures and strong winds at night. Indeed, we encountered expected trouble in the middle of the night as one of our tents gave up due to strong wind so we decided to share tents.
This is your reminder to always choose the best quality camping tents and gear as it's very helpful in times like this. You can go ultra lightweight style but do not compromise your essentials. Despite the adversary, everything was worth it as it had a perfect view at sunset and during the day.
The moment you arrive at the top of Mt. Salamanca, a breathtaking and picturesque nature view awaits you. I didn't stay that long at night as I couldn't stand the coldness and I didn't have enough sleep that time as I still came from work before the hike. However, I did catch up in the morning as I honestly enjoyed the sunrise, perhaps the most beautiful sunrise I've ever seen in my life. We then prepared our breakfast and took lots of photos and videos as a remembrance.
That's basically it, I hope you liked this episode and I hope to interact with you in the comment section below. Everyone's glad to hear the stories of yours! Just always remember that learning is a lifetime process. You can learn from your experiences, trips, and other people. The world is so vast. Explore and Learn! Traveling isn't as expensive as you think! There's a so-called traveling in a frugal way with a purpose!
DEUCES!
Regards,
@itinerantph