Three-In-One Plus One in Busay

Let's start off with

Plus One
aka exercise

This little journey up the mountain in the city of Cebu was the result of cancelled out-of-town plans and the crazy idea to exercise. Crazy because I have very lazy bones which shows in my perfectly rotund physique.

But I found a way to be a little less crazy: we would take the jeepney (route 04H), which Google tells me stops just a little less than two kilometers before the turn off for Mountain View, then our exercise would just be a short 30–minute uphill hike.

Right. The jeepney we rode took us only up to Plaza Housing, which was three kilometers short of our expectations. And so we trudged uphill full of energy that slowly drained with the strengthening sun. One hour and 3.5 kilometers along, we must have looked so pitiful that a jeepney (of the same route number but was going straight to Bonbon, a little farther than Busay) stopped and asked where we were going. We happily hopped on, of course.

From the main road, where the jeepney had let us off, we walked uphill for some 250 meters. Our first stop was this trending, still under construction, gargantuan "temple" called Temple of Leah. Only to be greeted by this sign:

No amount of pleading could let us in. So, thank YOU, Temple of Leah, for making us exercise, with no reward, except a very big appetite. I am positive your neighbor, Lantaw Restaurant, would only be so happy to let us in.

Busay, Cebu City

(032) 511 0379 / 0933 950 5323 / 0927 315 1735 / 0999 850 2684

Daily 11AM to 11PM

Branches:

(032) 514 2959 / 0923 652 2270 / 0999 850 2707

Daily 10AM to 10PM

(032) 512 7745 / 0943 363 1862 / 0908 624 8711 / 0927 576 8711

Daily 11AM to 11PM

Yup, Lantaw sure welcomed us even if we were 30 minutes too early. It must have been our hungry looks that made them think we would be good customers. And good customers we were. We spent Php 345 each (x5 persons) for a heavy, yummy, Filipino lunch! Everything was palatable. Or were we just too hungry??? (As Carlo Collodi wrote in his book, Pinocchio: "Hunger is the best cook.") No, I think it was enjoyable, especially the sisig and the pancit canton. And the view and the slight breeze were a bonus.

After we have more than made up for all the calories we lost on the hike up, we decided to stretch our legs and climb over the wall to go to Mountain View Nature's Park (0917 631 2520 / (032) 316 5992 / (032) 316 4336 / 0923 484 9960). But we couldn't lift ourselves over the wall, our stomachs were too heavy. We had to go back down the steep Lantaw Restaurant driveway, go up the not-as-steep road to Mountain View admission booth, be honest citizens and pay the Php 50 entrance fee.

From the main entrance to the highest point of the park, where the huge cross is, we climbed the 400+ steps with stopping a few times in between to wipe the sweat off our brows. It was shaded by trees and plants along the way, and there were tables and chairs that visitors could use at no extra charge, fan and air-conditioned rooms for overnight stays (Php 600 to Php 2500), a rope course (9AM to 6PM; Php 150 per person; must wear closed shoes), an obstacle course, snack and refreshment stands, and clean toilets.

On the way down, we hiked along the road to see other areas of the park: more tables and chairs, toilets, rooms, a videoke room, a restaurant (Monday to Friday 6PM to 10PM, Saturday to Sunday and holidays 11AM to 10PM), a swimming pool (Monday to Friday 9AM to 6PM, Saturday to Sunday and holidays 8AM to 9PM; Php 75 for those below 3.5 ft in height / Php 100 for those 3.5 ft and above in height), and function rooms for events (Php 500 to Php 5000). Plus a refreshing breeze, tons of fresh air, and a view of the city from just about any point in the park.

I wanted to try the rope course but was too tired from all the uphill walking. (Excuses. Excuses.) The next time I'll go back, I'll skip the Plus One (aka 5 km uphill hike) and take a habalhabal (motorcycle) from JY Square (Php 50/pax if two passengers or Php 75 if only one passenger); or, if I can convince a bunch of my friends to go with me, book Mountain View's shuttle service (9AM to 8PM only; pickup point is McDonald's JY Square), which will cost Php 400 for up to 10 persons (add Php 40 for each additional person); or, if I'm lucky, catch a jeepney that goes straight to Bonbon (which doesn't come too often).