|
I have always been supportive of local government’s effort to promote their own brand of tourism. That is the reason why I signed my team up for a daytrip to this Cebu town when they launched their local project geared towards promoting their local sites. This town is another “pass-thru” town when tourists venture south of Cebu province. But it is now stepping up its game from its peaks to its waters that would make every tourist go… ahoy, Alcoy!  Time to explore Alcoy from top to bottom. Established as a municipality in 1866, Alcoy was initially called Mambaje. The town was originally situated along the coast of Barangay Daanglungsod before the municipal center was moved to its present location (Poblacion) in 1869. It was also around this time that the name “Alcoy” was also adopted by the town, after the Spanish town of Alcoy. The town is not hard to miss because of its white sand beach strip that runs parallel along the national highway. That beach spot will pique your interest on Alcoy. Today, we will uncover this laidback Cebu town from its ridges to its reefs. Kanlahing Peak’s Sea of Clouds Our Alcoy Ridge to Reef adventure started at around 4am with a 45-minute ride from the Municipal Hall to the hinterlands of Alcoy. We were headed to Kanlahing’s Peak, the highest peak of this town, to witness its version of the Sea of Clouds. Our guide, Harsh, shared with us that timing is crucial to witness the full beauty of this phenomenon and early mornings are the best time to enjoy it.  Enjoying the view of the sunrise with a pinch of clouds. Standing at 489 meters above sea level, Kanlahing Peak is the highest point of Alcoy. Getting to the peak is easy with a 5-minute hike from the drop-off point along the barangay road. It was an easy hike along the trail with amazing views of the surrounding areas. A large image of the Siloy or the Cebu Black Shaman greets guests as they enter the trail. The Siloy is endemic to this area in Cebu and has been a central figure in the annual fiesta celebration of Alcoy.
Kanlahing Peak is also a prime camping site in Alcoy. It offers a panoramic view of the surrounding low-lying areas with the mountain ranges of Southern Cebu on the background. It offers front seat views of the sunrise where you get to see the orange and yellow hues of the new day breaking on this side of the Philippines. When luck is on your side, you will get to view the Sea of Clouds of Alcoy. Unfortunately, we were only lucky to catch only part of its sea of clouds. The wind was not favoring us that day and pushed clouds away before they can even settle down. BUT Kanlahing Peak did gove us a different kind of sunrise that day. Saksak Spring From the ridges of Alcoy, we headed down to check on one of the town’s of its unique tourism activity. But we first made a quick stop at Saksak Spring. Just like other destinations on this side of Cebu, Alcoy has its own fresh spring water pool. Saksak Spring is a huge fresh water pool located on the head waters of Nonok Stream. The pool is a source of fresh water used by locals in their daily chores and it is also a place where locals enjoy a quick dip.  Saksak Spring is freshwater pool at the headwaters of Nonok Winding Stream. The deep pool is situated close to the main highway. There are palm tree covers on one side of the pool creating that rustic vibe in the area. Locals have installed a cemented water alley to direct waters to the nearby Nonok Stream. A huge tree stands adjacent to the spring pool where locals have installed a tarzan rope swing where one can swing and then jump into the pool. Those who want a more adrenaline-pumping activity can climb up on the higher branches of the tree and take a leap into its cold waters. Nonok Winding Stream Now it was time to board our kayaks and explore the Nonok Winding Stream. The stream snakes around the mangrove covers on this side of Alcoy. The activity had each of us board a kayak with a personal guide/paddler to navigate through the Nonok Winding Stream. This activity reminded me of my Bojo River Cruise in Aloguinsan but in a smaller scale.  Enjoying streaming along Nonok. The Nonok experience streams you through the mangrove covers of Alcoy’s southern coast. You get to enjoy the sounds of nature with the calm slushing of its waters as you paddle thru the mangroves. The area is a vital breeding ground for fish. Since the stream is very narrow, you really get that up close and intimate experience with this coastal forest. It feels like you are weaving your way in its roots, branches, and leaves.
The Nonok Winding Stream experience gives its guests a dramatic finale as it opens up into the sea. At this spot, larger trees stand guard where the stream meets the sea. Here you get to enjoy the sea breeze as your kayak is cradled by the waves. The whole tour takes about 20 minutes before heading back to the jump-off point. In our case, this is where we waited for our bangka for our next water adventure. Alcoy Giant Clam Viewing It took us more than hour to finally find the giant clams or taclobo inside the sanctuary. While Moalboal have their sardine run and Oslob has their whalesharks, the town of Alcoy prides itself for its large clams or taclobos. Just off the popular white sand coast of Alcoy is a protected sanctuary - the Mambagi Reef. Close to this reef is also a sanctuary where these giant clams thrive and it is only a few minutes boatride away from the Tingko Beach.  We are now on our way to explore the waters off the coast of Alcoy.
We initially had a hard time searching for these giant taclobos. The sanctuary was huge and the area was not yet marked at the time as their Ridge to Reef Tourism Program was still new at that time. It took our bangkero more than an hour to locate the exact spot where the giants clams thrive. We took the time to enjoy the view underneath the waters of Alcoy while we were still searching for the taclobos. The underwater scene of Mambagi Reef bursts in color and life. The taclobo experience was a first for me. These large clams were a beauty to see in its environment. These giant clams are crucial to the health of reefs as they are a vital food source to sea residents of these reefs. Seeing these giants in action was a real beauty. It was big and majestic in its natural habitat. I just hope that Alcoy locals will continue to keep them safe and be allowed to propagate more. It would be a good tourism attraction for this town. Tingko Beach To end our Alcoy Ridge to Reef adventure, we stepped on its popular beach spot - Tingko Beach. This beach stop is not hard to miss because it runs parallel to the national highway. In fact, it is an eye catcher when you are traveling along this side of Cebu. The white sand beach strip surprises you as you breeze through this part of the town. This is the location where the first Spanish-period community was established.  Tingko Beach is a popular white sand beach destination in Alcoy. Tingko Beach is a popular white sand beach spot in Alcoy. It is a public beach so you get to enjoy it for free. There are cottages that you can rent if you plan to stay here for a daytrip and there are also resorts in the area if you intend to stay overnight. This beach strip is a favorite spot among Alcoy locals for that quick beach relief. Alcoy Heritage Park and Municipal Hall At the heart of the town of Alcoy is the Alcoy Municipal Hall and Heritage Park. The old complex remain standing to this day and stands along the main provincial highway of the province. The old municipal hall is at the center of the complex. An open park at the front of the old municipal building features a monument honoring DR. Jose Rizal, a small globe, and benches. The Alcoy signage was also installed in front of the complex.  The Old Municipal Hall and Heritage Park of Alcoy is at the center of the town. With the developments happening in Alcoy, a new municipal hall is now on its final stages of construction at the back of the old complex. This is where the tourism office and other local government offices are also located. These new buildings will help improve the delivery of basic public services while preserving the heritage structures of the old government complex. St. Rose of Lima Parish and Convent The first church in Alcoy was built in 1849 at the old town center of Alcoy. This was also the year that the St. Rose of Lima was chosen to be the patrones saint of the town. When the seat of local governance was transferred in 1872 to its present location, the church was also re-located in the poblacion. It became the town’s parish church in September 15, 1890.  The St. Rose of Lima Parish is the center of the Catholic faith in Alcoy. Built under a Gothic Architecture, the church’s facade was completed in 1925. The triangular pediment of the church is highlighted by decorative moldings. There are four pilasters at the base of its facade that resembles buttresses. The top of the main door is highlighted by stained-glass windows with the image of its patron saint. The top part of the church has the “1925” installed, the year that the facade was completed.  The facade of the Alcoy Parish Church was completed in 1925. The interior of the church gave out a calming and refreshing vibe. It was simple and homey. The two-tier retablo captured my attention with its brown and gold colored design. The top most tier had the image of the Crucified Christ while the images of St. Rose of Lima, Virgin Mary and Baby Jesus, and San Pedro Calungsod occupied the niche at the second tier. The simple design makes visitors focus their attention towards the pulpit. I also noticed the floor was sloped downwards towards the altar.
The church complex was huge. A sprawling open field is situated right in front of the church. Huge trees line the edges of this open field. The church convent sits adjacent to the church and it is being rehabilitated. I took a peek inside the first floor of the convent and you could see its wooden pillars and floors. An old well can also be found in at the center of the convent yard. The Alcoy Church Complex is also an attraction worth checking out when you find yourself in Alcoy. POST TRAVEL NOTES Alcoy Tourism Office’s Ridge to Reef program was a great way to discover the beauty of Alcoy. We enjoyed watching the sun rise at its peak, paddling through its stream, and searching for taclobos under its sea. It was a great day trip experience that had us enjoying the morning sun and sulking on its seawaters for half a day. Alcoy is definitely a destination worth checking out for a day or even two.  Working on history and nature on our next adventure. The local tourism office plays a huge role in the development and promotion of its tourist spots. They need to take the front seats in identifying local attractions, drafting programs, mobilizing and training locals, and promoting these programs to its target market. The strong involvement of the local government creates new opportunities and revenue streams for its locals and communities. I hope that we can have more of these strong coordinations between communities and local governments to help strengthen our tourism industry. Check out my Alcoy travel adventure on my Youtube Travel Channel:
#MahalinNatinAngPilipinas Getting there: There are direct flights to Cebu from major local and international airports. Once you arrive at the Mactan-Cebu International Airport, you can take a Grab or cab ride to the South Bus Station in the city. You can take a Ceres bus to Bato via Oslob and you can ask the driver to drop you off at the town of Alcoy. Shoutout to my travel buddies - HULL & STERN Dry Bags for keeping my stuff safe and dry during my travels and MAGWAI for their alternative and eco-friendly products for my local travels.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Marc del Rosario
I believe in education, entrepreneurship, and caring for the environment. 
Archives
September 2026
|
RSS Feed