Our Adventure Chasing the Sea of Clouds in Mt. Kanlahing Peak

Early in the morning, around 3 am, my friends and I woke up thrilled. We were heading to one of the famous tourist spots in Southern Cebu, the Mt. Kanlahing Peak to chase the famous sea of clouds. We take the route from our town to Alegria and then to Alcoy. It’s one of the long and coldest road trips ever in my entire life. Riding our motorcycles under the street lights at dawn strangely gave us a sense of freedom and adrenaline.

Mt. Kanlahing Peak also known as the “Sea of Clouds of Alcoy, Cebu” is a famous mountain destination located in Barangay Nug-as, a highland area in the Municipality of Alcoy, Cebu. The iconic “sea of clouds” occurs when early morning fog fills the valley creating an illusion where the mountain seems to float above a blanket of clouds. It’s a combination of scenic landscapes; magical clouds make it a must visit for anyone looking to experience Cebu’s serene highlands.

As we passed through Alegria and finally reached Alcoy, the air felt more cooler and fresher. We could see little hints of fog in some areas, which gave us hope that the sea of clouds might be waiting for us at the top. By the time we arrived at the base of Mt. Kanlahing Peak, the sun was just starting to rise. We quickly prepared ourselves and started climbing, chatting and laughing along the way. The trail to Mt. Kanlahing Peak is not very difficult, so even beginners like us can enjoy it. From the base, the hike to the peak takes approximately 5 minutes. Along the trail we encountered native plants making the trek educational.

When we finally reached the top, we were full of excitement and anticipation. We look forward to taking a bunch of pictures but unfortunately, the clouds were nowhere to be seen. Due to weather conditions, the view was mostly gray fog instead of the phenomenal sea of clouds we had imagined. We felt disappointed, but then we realized that sometimes the adventure and our bonding is more important than the view. We take the moment to enjoy the cool breeze, the breathtaking view and each other’s company.

Looking around, there are many people like campers, photographers and vloggers here just to witness and catch a glimpse of the sea of clouds.
On the other hand, it helps the Municipality of Alcoy, Cebu as a travel destination. It boosts their tourism, attracting visitors who want to see the clouds themselves.

How to get here?
You can take a bus from the South Bus Terminal in Cebu City bound for Alcoy which takes three to four hours, then ride a motorcycle for around 30 minutes to Barangay Nug-as where the trail begins. For best experience, friendly advice starts your trek to the top before dawn and of course try to check the weather condition because it can be unpredictable.

On the way down, we kept laughing and joking around about our early morning wake-up, the bumpy ride and how determined we were to chase the clouds even if we didn’t see them. It was an adventure we will always remember.
Even though we didn’t catch the sea of clouds, we promised each other we would visit this place again. There’s always a next time and somehow that makes the adventure even more exciting.

The lead photo is edited using canva and all photos are mine.

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