Nature and adventure. They were the main reasons we took our 5-day Central Visayas trip, spending one day in Bohol and four days in Cebu.
While Cebu City is totally different from the rest of our destinations, we still decided to add it to our itinerary during our pre-trip planning. It made perfect sense since we were catching our flight home from there, and it gave us the ideal opportunity to pick up some pasalubong for our family before heading back.
And since we’ve already agreed to be in Cebu City anyway, we figured we might as well visit its attractions. After all, there are so many great places to see and incredible foods you absolutely have to try. For example, in downtown Cebu, there are the iconic landmarks like Magellan’s Cross and the Basilica Minore del Santo Niño, which happens to be the oldest church in the country.
However, during our actual trip, plans changed. Rather than hitting downtown Cebu, we headed up to the Cebu City highlands.
The owner of our Moalboal homestay, our home base for three days before hitting the city, gave us a tip. He warned us that Sunday traffic downtown can get brutal. He said we could easily spend the whole day stuck in gridlock rather than actually exploring.
We trusted his advice and yeah, we ended up exploring the Cebu City highlands instead.
Summary
In a nutshell, Cebu City’s highlands refer to the massive, mountainous area sitting right above the busy downtown and residential districts. It spans across several rural mountain barangays, with Barangay Busay serving as the primary gateway.
Scenic cafes, restaurants, and viewpoints are scattered all over the place. The absolute highlights, which we made sure to visit, were Tops Lookout, the Temple of Leah, the Cebu Taoist Temple, and Sirao Flower Garden.
What made us excited to check out the Cebu City highlands was the view looking down at the city from some of those places. We felt it matched our goals for the whole trip nicely.
To get an idea of where the top spots in the Cebu City highlands and downtown are, check out the map I made for you in my other post. I also included photos and Google Maps links for them.
For more details, tips, photo inspiration, and my thoughts on visiting the Cebu City highlands, keep reading.
Hi reader! It’s Eljon, and before we continue, I want to welcome you to my blog, Explore to Thrive. Here, I share my experiences with traveling, reflections on spirituality, personal growth and insights on building an online business, all to make a difference. But my mission goes beyond that. You can learn more about what I do by visiting my homepage.
Getting There
If you’re coming from Cebu City to see the highlands, you can use ride hailing apps like Grab or Angkas to get around. Tricycles and habal-habal are everywhere, but ride hailing apps are your best bet for a comfortable trip with fair, regulated pricing.
Good to know: there are special shuttles going to TOPS that leaves from the Cebu IT Park Terminal starting at 7 AM.
Traveling as a group, however, having our own private vehicle was a major advantage for us.
It made it so much easier to maximize our time in South Cebu and hop around the different attractions across the island. Plus, it allowed us to get from Moalboal to Cebu City quickly and comfortably.
Honestly, I doubt we would have had enough time to explore the Cebu City highlands if we took public transportation that morning. The waiting times, the frequent bus stops in every town, and transferring from tricycles to buses to jeeps and back to tricycles can easily eat up six hours or more.
Even if we had woken up at the crack of dawn, we probably wouldn’t have any energy left to explore by the time we finally reached the highlands.
For more information about the public transportation you can check my important notes on my One Day Cebu Itinerary blog post, which also shows how we spent our day exploring the highlands and other attractions.
You will find links to public transportation routes and schedules in Cebu City right in that post.
What to Expect
If there’s something we did not regret that day visiting Cebu City, it’s waking up very early and arriving in Cebu Highlands ahead of the crowd.
We tried our best to drag ourselves out of bed around 3:30 in the morning so we could get to Sirao, our first destination, by 7 am. Thankfully, all that effort paid off. We got to enjoy the cool morning mountain breeze all to ourselves, which made the early wake up call completely worth it.
Sirao
What’s important to know is that Sirao actually has more than one flower farm. I think there are three in total.
Coming from Cebu City, you will pass by the Sirao Pictorial Garden first, followed by the Little Amsterdam of Cebu. Our driver also mentioned a place called Celosia Flower Farm, though I wasn’t entirely sure about its exact location in the area.
Anyway, before you enter each of these farms, you can already get a sneak peek of what is inside. If you are undecided about where to go, the photos printed on the tarps outside will help you choose.
Click the images below to enlarge
Honestly, these flower farms have a very similar vibe because of the structures built to decorate them. They recreate European landmarks, like the fake windmills designed to make you feel like you are visiting the Netherlands.
And I gotta tell you, the first impression was a bit strange for me.
True, these farms grow tulips just like the Netherlands, but trying to make people feel like they are visiting the Netherlands while surrounded by mountain views is pretty ironic. The Netherlands is actually famously flat and stands out as one of the lowest countries in Europe.
During our visit, we ended up at the Sirao Pictorial Garden. I am not really sure why my friends picked it over the Little Amsterdam of Cebu, which is the original flower garden that put Sirao on the tourist map.
Either way, we still had a great time. Wandering around the farm before the day-trippers arrived allowed us to take as many pictures as we wanted that morning. It was only people from our own group who waited for each other to finish and take a turn.
For Sirao Pictoral Garden, the main attraction is this massive Giant Hand that feels like a copy of those famous landmarks you see in China or Vietnam. I was honestly underwhelmed. Also, it felt like a missed opportunity to showcase something uniquely Cebuano instead of just another imitation.
But the view was nice, especially looking out over the lush valley below. Super refreshing.
Click the images below to enlarge
We could have visited both flower farms that day. But we figured we did not want to pay another 100 pesos for a super similar experience. So after an hour in Sirao Pictorial Garden, we moved on to our next destination, Cebu Tops.
Tops
Coming from the Sirao flower farm, it took us like 20 minutes to get to Tops.
In a nutshell, Cebu Tops, or simply Tops, is an observation deck with panoramic views of Metro Cebu, including Mactan Island. On a clear day, you can even see all the way to Bohol.
Click the images below to enlarge
The thing is, Tops has undergone serious improvements over the years. It used to be a basic view deck with a couple of shops and that massive circular plaza where we saw people doing yoga.
Click the images below to enlarge
Now, looking at their website, the transformation is incredible. There is a whole five-story building wrapping halfway around the grounds to pack in way more amenities. You can find coffee shops, burger joints, and grill restaurants up there. I was honestly surprised to find out that Tops is a hotel now too.
All the latest travel details like how to get there, ticket prices, and opening hours are right on their website.
Temple of Leah
Among the tourist attractions in Cebu City Highlands, I found the Temple of Leah most interesting. Mainly because the architecture is modeled after the famous Parthenon in Greece.
Click the images below to enlarge
What’s more interesting is that the Temple of Leah is called the Taj Mahal of Cebu. Both monuments were built by grieving husbands to immortalize their late wives. In the case of the Temple of Leah, Teodorico Soriano Adarna built this grand structure for his wife, Leah Villa Albino-Adarna.
This backstory explains why you will see a massive bronze statue of Leah sitting in the center of the temple like the goddess Athena.
Click the images below to enlarge
The Temple of Leah is located just below Cebu Tops, but you still needed wheels to get from one to the other. It took about 10 minutes in our rented van to navigate the winding road. By the time we pulled up, it was almost 9:00 AM and other tourists from Cebu City had already arrived at the place.
Parking was incredibly tight and the tiny lot was packed, so our driver dropped us off right at the gates and went to find a space further down the hills of Busay.
That was the exact moment I felt so grateful we hired a driver for the day. If one of us had been stuck behind the wheel searching for a place to park, they would have missed out on exploring the whole temple with the rest of the group.
Although the parking lot was full, the temple itself did not feel crowded at all during our visit. There was a short queue to snap a picture with the massive statue of Leah inside the temple.
Honestly, the wait time was only a couple of minutes, which flew by because you could admire the stunning architecture while waiting your turn.
Speaking of photos, the temple was the most photogenic place we visited that day. Apart from the European architecture that made us feel like we were completely out of the country, the high elevation gave us the feeling of standing on Mount Olympus. The clouds felt close enough to touch.
We took so many pictures, so here are a few more for inspiration:
If we were not quite in a hurry to explore more of Cebu City that day, we could have hung out on the temple grounds.
There is a cafe with outdoor seating where you can enjoy the view overlooking the city while sipping on an iced drink. I could only imagine how romantic the temple feels at night.
One part of the temple we missed that day was Leah’s impressive collection of antiques, books, and memorabilia. Word is she collected most of these treasures during her travels all over the world.
Click the images below to enlarge
Visitors are not allowed inside the actual rooms where everything is stored, but you can still peer at the collections through the massive glass windows.
Definitely worth a quick peek to make the most of your entrance fee.
Taoist Temple
From the Temple of Leah, we went to the Taoist Temple next. It was the last stop on our highland itinerary because any further down and you are already in the city center.
It took about 20 to 25 minutes to drive there. The temple has around 20 parking spaces, and luckily we managed to grab one during our visit.
About the experience, while the temple looks charming with its pointy roofs, pagodas, and dragon sculptures, the overall appearance was not completely mind-blowing.
And if you have been to traditional temples in China or Taiwan, you will probably feel the same way. There might be nothing new to see as well, so you might only need a few minutes like we did to snap some pictures.
Anyhow, anyone looking for a great photo will definitely want to take a picture on the 81-step staircase of the temple. Interestingly, there are exactly 81 steps because the Tao Te Ching, the foundational book of Taoism, has 81 chapters.
We could have spent longer exploring further. But since it was Sunday and already midday, crowds of tourists started pouring in, which convinced us to leave and head to our next destination: House of Lechon.
After all, we needed to get there early to secure a table and get our food ordered before the lunch rush. It is a super popular restaurant, famous for its Cebu lechon, so arriving early was a smart move to avoid a long wait in line and face total starvation. LOL.
After our lunch at the House of Lechon, we headed straight to the Cebu Skywalk at Crown Regency, which is located right in the heart of the city. It’s a thrilling urban adventure, and much like the Cebu Highlands, it’s an incredible place to take in those sweeping views.
Conclusion
So, that’s how our visit to the Cebu highlands turned out, and all in all, it took us about 3 to 3.5 hours to see all four attractions.
Now for the big question: is visiting the Cebu highlands worth it?
Real talk, these spots are not as jaw-dropping as major international destinations, and they do not hold huge historical or cultural importance. Still, they are nice, scenic, and absolutely picture-perfect.
And based on our experience, hitting them all in one go like we did makes the highlands an okay choice if you have extra time to spare in Cebu. It is a great quick escape from the heavy city traffic to help you make the most of your day.
That said, looking at the individual attraction in the highlands, there is a specific reason you might want to check them out. Like, Tops is great for grabbing a bite with a view of Cebu City, and the Temple of Leah is perfect for some romantic vibes on your trip.
Lastly, if you’re a Filipino, the Cebu highlands can be a good addition to your trip since you get to support the locals and appreciate another side of our country’s second largest city.
However, truth be told, if you’re a foreigner, it might be better to spend your time elsewhere, especially in downtown Cebu City or South Cebu.
Downtown is where you will really find the cultural value of the city, and South Cebu is where you will actually have fun and find all the amazing adventures the island offers.
I mean, you have to see the whale sharks and the sardine run or go canyoneering at Kawasan Falls. They belong to my most memorable travel experiences yet and they are my unmissable highlights whenever someone asks for Cebu tips.
Need help exploring Cebu City? Tours covering local landmarks, history, views, and amazing cuisine can make your planning a breeze, helping you catch all the unmissable highlights.
Staying for a night or a few days in Cebu City?
Wondering how to find the perfect home away from home for your South Cebu trip?
Planning to Visit Cebu?
I am here to help you plan your journey and ensure you have an incredible time. You should check out my travel maps, planning tools, itineraries and tips, which are all derived from my own adventures in Cebu.
Click the maps below to view or download them:
Cebu City
South Cebu
Central Visayas
My travel planning resources page contains everything you need. Find the best hotels, cheap car rentals, affordable flights, and travel insurance.
From this page, you can also book the top 3 unmissable activities in Cebu. You can find alternative experiences in Oslob, Badian, Sibonga, Moalboal, Bantayan, and Malapascua as well.
Of course, if you’re visiting Cebu City, I also have tips for you. And if you want to go beyond Cebu, you can discover nearby destinations like Bohol, Siquijor, and Dumaguete.
Thank you for reading
I hope my trip and experiences spark ideas for your travels and help you plan your next trip. But before you go, if you haven’t checked it out yet, drop by my homepage so I can give myself a proper introduction. Catch you there!
Check Out My Newsletter
For new posts and updates on how I am growing this blog, subscribe to my newsletter.
Support Explore to Thrive
If this post brought you value, please help me keep this blog growing by checking out the services I recommend below. They are affiliate links, meaning that if you purchase a ticket or book a service through them, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Your support makes a real difference in helping me continue creating helpful content for you.
Hotels & Stays
Guide & Tours
Car Rentals
Public Transport
Flights
SIM & VPNs
Insurance
You must be logged in to post a comment.