Winding its way through Cebu’s mountainous heartland, the 33-kilometer Transcentral Highway, or TCH, is not only an all-important artery connecting east and west of the island but also offers a jam-packed trek that any visitor will enjoy. With Cebu fully open for business, this bustling long stretch of road is worth a visit.

by RYAN DANIEL DABLOphotography PABLO QUIZA

STARTING POINT FOR THUS FYN road trip is usually the iconic Marco Polo Hotel perched on top of Nivel Hills and still the city’s highest point hotel. The winding road passes through roadside stalls selling local produce and flowers. Traffic can be daunting specially on weekends when Cebuanos from all walks of life head up for a myriad of reasons — nature and fresh air, plants and vegetable shopping, or just for a leisurely drive on four or two wheels.

COFFEE BREAKS

Transcentral Highway is dotted with coffee shops

which serve local brews, each boasting its own vista. First off is Gaslamp District, a popular stopover for cyclists and families who appreciate its safe and ample parking. Sitting on a mountainside, this wide open space has lots of food stalls and offers weekend music entertainment with live bands and DJs.

Along the way, you can stop at Hapitanan Grill Restobar, Bayer’s Café, 21 Kilometers Coffee or Adventure Café with its own zip line park. Most restaurants have their own open-air patio,  perfect spots for observing the morning fog disperse over undulating views of hills and valleys. There are also humble stalls which bear no names for the budget-priced three-in-one mug. About an hour’s drive out along the cliffs of Balamban is Charlie’s Cup, a pet-friendly café that’s named after a corgi. Terraced viewing decks and lots of canopy shade covers give it a fun, treehouse vibe.

BLOOMING FLOWERS

Right next door to Charlie’s Cup is Lakeview Le Jardin with acres of tiered gardens. Its multi-level  bar and restaurant overlooks colorful blooms and botanical gardens that sprawl along ridges where you can catch a glimpse of Malubog Lake in the distance. Peeking through the trees are cottages and cliff-hugging viewing decks, a testament to the property’s steady expansion down the mountainside.

For a nature-filled jaunt there’s Buwakan ni Alejandra, another picturesque terraced garden bursting with vibrant colors. The backdrop of plants and flowers makes for quite the scenic location ideal for photoshoots or just plain sightseeing. Elevated walkways and decorative archways overgrown with plants complete the picture.

A little off the main road is the charming Sirao Garden Little Amsterdam, so named for its flower-filled promenades and a windmill. Around this area are several smaller gardens to visit if you have time to wander.

GARDENS

Locals make regular jaunts to TCH to buy fruits like mangoes, bananas, coconuts and even strawberries at a certain time of year. Vegetables and other produce are also abundant here — lettuce, cabbage, sweet corn and local herbs, ornamental plants and flowers. The highlands’ elevated terrain and temperate climate are ideal for growing crops. Gardens and Blooms by Jaime Chua is a favorite pick among the city’s well-heeled residents. Jaime’s landscaping talent can be seen in some exclusive resorts and also in homes in gated subdivisions. He is noted for his collection of orchids, both endemic to the area as well as from other Asian countries. He recently opened his garden as a venue for private events, and visitors can also book appointments to buy his prized phalaenopsis, waling-walings and variegated ferns.

IG-WORTHY STOPS

Tops Lookout, the most well-known observation point in Cebu, started it all. It was the brainchild of the late former governor of Cebu, Lito Osmena, who owned several hectares of land in the area encompassing the lookout. He built a stone fortress-like deck in the 1980s where young people would escape until the wee hours of the morning, and was the quintessential hangout for a bottle of beer or two. These days, Tops still attracts young and old alike. Dotting its periphery are several restaurants one of which is La Vie in the Sky, a stylish lounge with European aesthetics created by a French gentleman, that serves wine and pizza. La Vie is a choice spot for sunrises and enchanting sunsets, as well as city-gazing at night with the stars above and a tapestry of city lights below.

In contrast with the natural theme of most of the Transcentral Highway attractions, the Temple of Leah is a testimonial to human creativity. Throngs gather to marvel at the architecture of the stately edifice which is a shrine dedicated by the prominent Adarna family patriarch to his well-loved wife, Leah. Bronze sculptures, chandeliers, a tableau-filled pediment, a fountain, views of the city below, and haunting instrumental melodies create an other-wordly atmosphere inside the temple.

NATURE

There’s no better place to commune with nature than at the highlands of Cebu City. It doesn’t miss a beat when offering outdoor activities for

visitors of all ages. Two hiking trails take you up there: the first mountaintop attraction is Sirao Peak which can be traversed through the relatively easy Busay Trail in less than an hour, or the Budlaan Trail in Talamban which takes three to five hours passing through the Budlaan Falls, and onwards to the top of Mount Kan-irag.

Adventure travelers can also camp at the peak for the ultimate sundown and sunrise experience.

The second and more advanced trail takes you to Mount Manunggal, where the hike is made challenging with its cliffs and narrow paths of limestones. This mountain is better known as the plane crash site of the country’s most beloved president, Ramon Magsaysay, who perished in 1957. At 982 meters above sea level, it is one of the top 3 peaks on the island. At the end of the trail, Mount Manunggal Eco-Adventure offers more adventures like zip lines and donkey rides. Accessible through many routes, the trail from Tagba-o and Cantipla in Barangay Tabunan, are its two main tracks. Then there’s the Chasing Waterfalls trail in Barangay Tagba-o passing through three falls: Liki, Mangasang and Pasong Falls which takes 5 to 7 hours from start to finish depending on how long you want to soak in the refreshing pools. It is highly advised to book these activities through local tour agencies accredited by the Department of Tourism such as Southwind Travels (look up their FB page).

The Transcentral Highway also has off-the-beaten-track trails accessible only through DOT-

Accredited Cebu City Trail Guides and Community Tour Guides Association: Jeffrey Jero (+63995.844.2524), Kenneth Canada (+63 955.781.0862), William Radana (+63 998.207.1123), and Reymar Sano (+63 951.153.3014). The hikes can last from 3 to 5 hours.

For more sedate activities, there are several resort-like establishments with swimming pools and lookouts that offer respite from all the high energy of TCH, such as the Adlawon Vacation Farm, The Dales at Terracotta Manor, Sileo Bed and Breakfast, Pine Tree Mountain Resort, Mountain View Nature Park and Serenity Busay. Also found in the area are wellness sites offering a tranquil place for meditation and yoga sessions such as Soul Sierra and Lava Mountain River Farm.

WINDING DOWN

As you make your way back down, the airy openness of the Transcentral Highway recedes, admitting the rhythm of city life. If splurging is on your list, the impressive Chateu de Busay is a good stopover point. Their wine and cheese fondue makes a fine ending to a scenic road trip while you watch the twinkle of city lights at dusk. A nightcap at Marco Polo Hotel’s rooftop Blu Bar and Grill is also in order, before calling it a day.