Vegetable Basket of Cebu


We drove towards the hills from Dalaguete to visit Mantalongon, the vegetable basket of Cebu. The stunning Osmena Peak Trail start off point is along the same road. 

We turned off the air-conditioning and rolled down our windows as we drove along the winding roads lined with unusual fauna. The breeze started becoming cooler as we ascended. It reminded me of Benguet and jaw dropping cliffs of Kalinga. Some call it the summer capital of Cebu.  I begged to stop from time to time to take it all in. It is serenely captivating. 

Mantalongon is one of the 33 barangays of Dalaguete. It is a vegetable trading and wholesale destination.  The public market holds massive stocks of gigantic baskets filled with inexpensive fresh produce. Locals head here to shop especially during Sunday morning markets.

We drove further towards the private farms that filled every nook and cranny. We watched farmers tirelessly work on their plots. It's amazing to see corns planted following the mountain slope. 

Great use of space
Onions, pechay, corn, bananas, sugar cane, carrots, sayote, eggplants, cabbage and etc.
This photo was taken at 10AM.
Roads are smooth  but there were parts towards the end that were under repair .
Private lands farmed individually.

They used to cross these hills riding this tiny cable car. According to Manong Captain looking after this area, it doesn't work anymore. The cable is hanging low and is dangerous.  

I heard rumors of a scenic cable car -veggie tramline project on the back burner. This would be brilliant, if ever. Just imagine, riding a cable car with all these green! It would make you go  "Ohm..."

It would also help preserve the roads much longer. A great way to travel too, both for tourists and baskets of vegetables. Fingers crossed, I hope they do get this project up to speed. 

Old cable car
This is where the old cable car point is
The sea view towards the other side, Badian /Allegria
The view of the sea facing Bohol side from the hills of Dalaguete
Our rental car from Cebu Easy Rental.  
Captivating landscape and amazing use of space!
Unusual looking trees that we find beautiful
How to get there? 

Dalaguete is 2.5 hours drive southbound from Cebu City.  

We took a rental car for a week from Cebu Easy Rental which cost us approx. Php 9000. It was much easier traveling in a car with an infant.

Cheaper Mode of Transport:

You can also travel by bus at Cebu South Terminal for about 2 and a half hours going south towards Santander, Dalaguete or Oslob.Ceres bus is a  popular bus line traveling this route. 

Ask your bus driver to stop at Dalaguete junction. The road on the right ascends to Bgy. Mantalongon for another 30 minutes via a habal-habal for approximately Php 250-350. 

Registration at the Bgy. Mantalongon Hall is required if you're planning to hike the Osmena Trail. There are local trekking guides available that can assist you and your group.

We would recommend to hike early in the morning. 

Guess what?  We haven't done the trail yet.
We backed out from pursuing the trail for three reasons; we have a toddler with us, I was prohibited by my dental surgeon to exert physical effort after my implant,  and it was a crazy hot day. We made the mistake of arriving at 10AM.  Anyway, it's another reason to return.


Are you fond of Sunday morning vegetable markets?
Anyone interested in vegetable farming? 

Love & light,
Arni

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23 comments

  1. such lovely nature! I've always wanted to have a plantation in a tropical place :)

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    1. Would love to have you visit,Dezzy. I have a good feeling you would really like it.

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    2. only if you give me an air conditioned bubble in which you can push me around :)

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  2. I always love seeing your pictures! These are probably places I'll never see in person. They definitely make good use of space!

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    1. Wish you would see it in person. You will enjoy the dive. Not far from here is a town called Oslob where you can swim freely with whale sharks.

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  3. This looks amazing. All of the lush greenery totally feels out of the world! Too bad you couldn't take the hike though. I'm sure it's a great excuse to return!

    Stephanie ● Sartorial Diner

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    1. The good thing is we're most likely to stay long term in this region so we have plenty of time to return and visit.

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  4. A cable car would be brilliant! We would enjoy a visit to a farming area like this...seems tranquil and relaxing.

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    1. I am feeling optimistic, I really really wish the cable car project pushes through.

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  5. Never been to this part of Cebu. I think renting a car is a wise decision! Gives you so much freedom to explore. :)

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    1. Cheers to slow travel. My husband and I were glad to drive, even if the car was a manual one. It was a good opportunity to practice driving with the clutch and gears again. :)

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  6. I have never been to Cebu but we are planning to visit there before end of the year. We will definitely want to try a road trip around and check out its wonderful sceneries like this place.

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    1. Yay, that sounds exciting. Just like other places in the Philippines, it's quite easy to get around with a car, as long as you watch out for the 'fast and the furious bus drivers' and the tricycles that appear out of nowhere. :)

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  7. So much greenery all around. It would be great to cook with the fresh from the farms produce, a vegetarian delight.

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    1. I totally agree. I was fascinated by the amount of vegetables that were being traded. The accessibility and abundance of fresh produce is a big bonus for locals residing in Argao and Dalaguete.

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  8. Cebu sounds like a fascinating region. I have not heard of the vegetable growing area before but your pictures have made me really curious about it. Getting around the area via cable car would be really cool if the idea ever materializes!

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    1. We only have heard about it from the couple who owned the B&B we stayed in. They recommended that we visit the market and enjoy the scenic drive.

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  9. i like your new blog layout! and cebu sounds like a wonderful place. i love seeing all this green.

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  10. I can't believe of lush, gorgeous, and abundant the land is. Breathtaking.

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  11. I love these photos – so beautiful! I always wanted to have my own vegetable garden :)

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    1. Thank you Shari, same here, can't wait to start our own garden too.

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