With its rugged 250-kilometer mountain range that spans the entire length of the island, Cebu is a haven for mountaineers. For some hard-core adventurers (like me), Cebu’s mountains act as training grounds for major climbs at taller and bigger mountains such as Mt. Kanlaon in Negros or Mt. Apo in Mindanao.

But even if I have an intimate relationship with the mountains and the great outdoors, I am a city boy at heart. Good thing that here in Cebu, many mountains are not that far. In fact, there is a mountain right around Cebu’s back door! That mountain is called Mt. Babag. You can actually see its peak from the city or from the bridge; it is a high point marked by a network of broadcast antennas. Because of its close proximity to the metropolis, you can actually summit the mountain then set foot in the city in just one day.

Since Mt. Babag can be summited through a day trek, you do not need to carry a lot of stuff with you, which is a relief. Just fill your backpack with an extra set of clothes, a water bottle, and eating utensils. Wear a good pair of trekking sandals or shoes; the trail is extremely rough, and your footwear will have to withstand a good beating. Wear long trekking pants to protect your legs from sharp thickets and a technical shirt that wicks away sweat instead of absorbing it. Bringing a trekking pole is also a good idea so you can maintain your balance on the trail.

To get to Mt. Babag, ride a jeepney or taxi and ask the driver to drop you off at the Guadalupe Church. From there, you can buy home-cooked meal from carenderias surrounding the church (or if you have a classier taste, you can buy a pack lunch from the many restaurants in the city). In addition, be sure to bring at least 1.5 liters of water, soda, or juice. That’s because the climb to Mt. Babag’s summit is grueling compounded with the heat of the sun, and there are only two water sources on the mountain.

Once you are loaded, take a short 15-minute habal-habal (motorcycle) ride to Napo, a small barangay at the foot of Mt. Babag, which serves as your jump-off point. Go behind the largest store where you can find a trail that traverses the river.

The dirt trail, which follows the river, is pretty straightforward, cutting across rolling terrain. Take photos of the vast farms and interesting fauna along the way. You might even spot certain creatures such as a snake or the rare Cebuano oriole.

After an hour or so, the trail crosses a narrow point of the river. You can stop here and fill your water bottle at the spring-flowed water source nearby. After a short rest, you can start the assault proper, a challenging, non-stop climb that spans an hour. Yes, even hardy mountaineers heavily gasp for breath, massage cramped legs, wipe liters of sweat, and drop down on the ground as they scramble up the slope of the mountain. I tell you, it is no easy task even if the Mt. Babag, at 780 meters above sea level, is not particularly high.

After an hour of climbing, you will arrive at a small house perched on top of a ridge. This is the house of Manwel Roble and his family, caretakers and guides of Mt. Babag. Several years ago, the family engaged in kaingin, the destructive practice of burning trees for coal. Through the advocacy program initiated by my bushcrafter friend Sir Jing and his team Camp Red, they were able to convince the Robles as well as other residents to look for non-destructive means of living. Today, the family earns a living by guiding tourists in exploring Mt. Babag and supplying them with meals.

You can stop by Manwel’s house to take your lunch. A must-try is to ask Manwel to get you some coconuts fresh from the tree! The young coconuts are definitely delicious, filling, and nutritious. The water inside the husk refreshes you completely (it is dubbed as nature’s Gatorade), and the tasty meat is so soft that you can scrape it like jelly! The family does not have a fixed price for the coconuts, but I usually give them P20 per coconut. You can also ask them to cook you a nutritious vegetable soup.

Once you are ready to go, just follow the trail up Manwel’s house. The trail goes up nonstop for 30 minutes and levels off before a steep, barren cliff. After carefully traversing the cliff, the trail goes up again for an hour. You can fill your water bottle with spring-fed water at the second water source which flows from a rubber hose at the side of the mountain. From here, it is just a matter of following the trail until you exit the wooded area (rather unexpectedly) and enter the summit where you can find massive communication towers in a fenced compound.  

The summit of Mt. Babag offers you an unobstructed view of the majestic city of Cebu. On a clear day, you can see the neighboring islands of Mactan, Olanggo, and Bohol. If you turn around, you will be mesmerized at the beauty of Cebu’s midlands and valleys.

If going up the mountain required your best efforts, then get ready to be surprised when you are ready to go down. Going down is extremely easy that it is almost anti-climactic. Just follow the dirt road behind the summit, which leads you to Barangay Babag where you can refuel yourself with ice-cold soda, biscuits, crackers, and other snacks. Just follow the road until you exit to the Cebu Transcentral Highway just beside Mountain View Resort. From there, simply flag a passing habal-habal, V-hire, or jeep to get to JY Square in Lahug. Personally, I try my luck at hitch-hiking to Cebu when I arrive at the exit point. Hitch-hiking adds to the adventure and saves me some money.