Hermit's Cove (Aloguinsan, Cebu)
We needed to think of a quick getaway for Saturday. We read on the news the week before that a blackout will happen for almost the entire day on Saturday at the city where my boyfriend lives. Now, being the caring girlfriend that I naturally am (I can already sense a quiet protest from my partner), I suggested to my boyfriend that we go out on that day so he doesn't have to suffer the temporary non-existence of civilization.
Since there were no good movies to watch, he thought that it would be a good idea to go to the beach. Beach. Sand. Sea. Yes! He let me choose the place and I was already running through my head the possible destination of our mini-escapade. I recently had a team outing with my workmates and I thought he would really enjoy the beach where we went. It's a going to be a 2-3 hour ride, which is the least of our worries, since it was Black Saturday, hence sin trafico mi amigo!
So where did we go for our quick getaway?...
Hermit's Cove
This treasured white sand beach is located at Brgy. Kantabagon, Aloguinsan. It's a 2-3 hour ride from Cebu City depending on the traffic. When my team proposed that we go here for our outing, I was quite hesitant because I've never heard of the place. I did a quick search in Google to check out pictures of the beach and saw that it was beautiful. But I was very cautious of expectations vs. reality so I checked several more pictures and it seemed like there was not a bad shot. Also, since my workmate had a first-hand testimonial of how nice the place was, I was somehow reassured.
Getting There
You can get to Hermit's Cove by riding a bus to Aloguinsan. If you're going there as a group and would like to be comfortable during the trip, I recommend hiring a private van. It's hassle-free and saves time since you don't have to wait for the bus to depart or transfer to another vehicle to get to Aloguinsan in case you miss the bus that has a direct route to Aloguinsan. Here are the transportation details:
- By bus - go to Cebu South Bus Terminal.
Option 2: If you miss the trip and can't wait for the next one. You can try a bus going to Toledo and they'll drop you at the Toledo Land Transportation Terminal. You can then take a jeepney to Aloguinsan.
Option 3: You can also take the bus going to Pinamungajan then from its town proper, take a "habal-habal"/tricycle to go to Aloguinsan. From Aloguinsan market, take a "habal-habal" going to Hermit's Cove.
Option 3: You can also take the bus going to Pinamungajan then from its town proper, take a "habal-habal"/tricycle to go to Aloguinsan. From Aloguinsan market, take a "habal-habal" going to Hermit's Cove.
- Fare: I don't have the personal experience of commuting by bus but based on the other blogs that provide details on fare and taking note that they were made back in 2015 or 2016, I'd say prepare around P 200.00 for the bus and jeep fare, which is a conservative estimate taking into account the yearly price inflation.
- By private van - here's our contact for the van that we used going to and from Aloguinsan: 09234817108. We paid P 6000.00 for the whole trip, but if you can haggle you can probably drop it to P 5000.00. The price might also vary depending on where you want to be fetched and dropped. We were fetched at IT Park, Lahug on the day of our trip and dropped at SM City Cebu the following day when we went home.
- By car - you can either take the Toledo or Carcar route. Thanks to technology, we got our directions through Google Map. See links below:
Once you arrive in Aloguinsan, ride a motorcycle and tell the driver to take you to Hermit's Cove. It will cost you P 50.00/person and since the motorcycle is good for two persons, you might have to pay for a two-person fare if you're going there on your own.
Travel Tip:
The travel to Hermit's Cove is a bumpy ride so fasten your seatbelts! While some parts of the road are concrete, most of it are still dirt road. I've had the experience of going there on both "habal-habal" and on our car. "Habal-habal" drivers already know the way like the back of their hands so even when the driver warned us that the road is quite rough, I wasn't worried as much.
If you're going there by car, drive slowly since the dirt road has lots of loose, sharp stones that can damage your wheel. Take extra precaution if the road is wet as I can imagine how slippery the road can get and how it just won't do well with those high slopes of the road. And lastly, because of the high slopes, I'll discourage anybody with small vehicles to go there if you're overloaded. Take heed of a local's story that a "multicab" once attempted to go to Hermit's Cove carrying several people beyond the vehicle's capacity but the small cab did not stand a chance against the rough, high-sloped road and gave up.
The Beach
When you get there, go to their registration area to pay for the entrance fee of P 100.00/adult. The entrance fee is inclusive of the cottage and access to the grilling stations. Expect a 5-minute mandatory orientation prior to entering the beach. Hermit's Cove is an eco-tourism spot and the local's livelihood, so the staff gives importance on educating the people of responsible travel in their natural area.
There will be a brief educational discussion on the corals that can be found on the beach. These people, in cooperation with the local government, have been trained and are well-educated on the eco-tourism of their place so don't be surprised if they start blurting out scientific names of corals and other marine life.You will also learn the folktale behind the name of the beach and lastly, they will discuss the Do's and Don'ts in the beach so everyone can enjoy its solitude.
Prepare your feet and knees for a descending 88-step stairs on the way down to the beach. As soon as you get a view of the long stretch of white sand, you will be in awe just as I was and wonder how come you never knew of this hidden treasure.
Registration Area
Do's & Dont's
The Steps
When you get there, go to their registration area to pay for the entrance fee of P 100.00/adult. The entrance fee is inclusive of the cottage and access to the grilling stations. Expect a 5-minute mandatory orientation prior to entering the beach. Hermit's Cove is an eco-tourism spot and the local's livelihood, so the staff gives importance on educating the people of responsible travel in their natural area.
There will be a brief educational discussion on the corals that can be found on the beach. These people, in cooperation with the local government, have been trained and are well-educated on the eco-tourism of their place so don't be surprised if they start blurting out scientific names of corals and other marine life.You will also learn the folktale behind the name of the beach and lastly, they will discuss the Do's and Don'ts in the beach so everyone can enjoy its solitude.
Prepare your feet and knees for a descending 88-step stairs on the way down to the beach. As soon as you get a view of the long stretch of white sand, you will be in awe just as I was and wonder how come you never knew of this hidden treasure.
Registration Area
Do's & Dont's
The Steps
More Details
- Where can I change?
- What time does it open? Can we stay overnight?
- Can we make a reservation?
- Can I buy food there?
There are also stores nearby where you can buy chips and small stalls that sell bananacue, kamotecue, barbeque, shake, and buko juice. So if you're feeling lazy and don't want to cook, you can just go straight to Hermit's Cove and buy your food from there.
Costs
Below are the costs for going to Aloguinsan, excluding Food:
Contact Number
You may call the Kantabogon Ecotourism Association (KEA), at (032) 469-9312/469-5604 or text them at 09973715698 if you have any questions about your trip to Hermit's Cove.
- Is there a parking area?
- Is there accommodation nearby?
Yes, there is. We stayed at Al Maxi Apartelle, which is one of the very few options in Aloguinsan. You may contact them at 0910 429 9687 to inquire on their room rates. From Al Maxi, you can ride a tricycle going to Hermit's Cove.
Costs
Below are the costs for going to Aloguinsan, excluding Food:
Bus
|
~200.00/person
|
Tricycle Fare
|
50.00/person;
100.00 if you ride on your own |
Entrance Fee
|
200.00 (inclusive of
table and grilling station
|
Contact Number
You may call the Kantabogon Ecotourism Association (KEA), at (032) 469-9312/469-5604 or text them at 09973715698 if you have any questions about your trip to Hermit's Cove.
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