Hey there, hive friends!
In today's post, I've decided to recount a hilarious adventure from years ago. I thought it'd be fitting, considering we're heading back there today, on a Sunday.
It all started with a burning curiosity about how steep the trail really was. You see, some of our friends had already tackled this trail, and their stories were nothing short of epic.
So, one fateful day, we decided to experience it for ourselves. With the fearless crew consisting of Sheila, Chiarra, @thestrollingmind, and @iamcjestrada, we embarked on an adventure that would become a legendary tale of humor.
DANAO CITY nestles in the northeastern part of Cebu, approximately 33 kilometers from the city center. It's renowned as the Gunsmith City of the Philippines due to its thriving firearms manufacturing industry. Moreover, it serves as the gateway to nearby islands like Ormoc City and the Camotes group of Islands.
Our journey kicked off by boarding a bus at the Cebu North Bus Terminal, and thankfully, all northbound buses passed through Danao. The travel time stretched to nearly an hour, made longer by the ever-growing traffic as the day wore on.
Our bus dropped us at Sands Danao, which also happened to be the location of the aforementioned port. Right across the road stood a 7-Eleven store, where we grabbed our last-minute snacks.
After a quick trip across the road, we found some motorcycle taxis that took us to Licos Barangay Hall. After about half an hour on both smooth and bumpy roads, we reached the barangay hall.
Unbelievably, we even indulged in some pre-hike stretching – quite the departure from our usual impatient selves. Haha! Typically, we'd skip the stretching and dive headfirst into our adventures. Lol!
And so, we started our climb to the peak, with Sheila in front since she'd been there before, and I was at the back, making sure no one got left behind.
The initial part of the trail was a gentle incline, with houses dotting the path. From there, we could already catch glimpses of the towering peak. However, as we inched closer to the summit, the trail grew increasingly treacherous and rugged.
We found ourselves clutching onto trees, taking each step with utmost care, strategically selecting which tree or root to grasp. Yet, all the while, we belted out tunes along with the music blaring from my bluetooth speaker. The trail felt like it was at a 60 to 80-degree incline – pretty much insane, I must say. Haha! Although it was just one kilometer long, it felt like it took us an eternity to conquer. Haha!
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We had to be very careful with each step to avoid falling, just like what happened to @thestrollingmind, who took a funny face-first tumble on the trail. Haha! We burst into laughter and couldn't stop until we reached a flat area above.
Finally, we had conquered the most arduous part of the hike. We paused for a well-deserved breather, still catching our breaths after all the laughter. HAHAHA!
At the top, we quickly headed to the best spots on Licos Peak, where you could see Mactan Island and the Sirao and Babag mountains. The peak looked a lot like Mt. Kapayas, Mt. Mauyog, and Mt. Manunggal. If you made a mistake, you'd end up needing an unexpected ambulance ride down. SIMBAKO!
We each had a chance to stand at the edge of the peak and took lots of pictures.
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With the sun's intensity mounting, we decided to wrap up our adventure with a group photo.
The descent saw us retracing our steps along the same trail we'd climbed earlier. Going down turned out to be even more entertaining than going up. We had to duck constantly and even employed our butts as makeshift sleds on the trail.
After about an hour of descending, we arrived back at the jump-off point, just in time for lunch. We strolled a few meters to a nearby sari-sari store to chow down, as there were no restaurants or karenderias in sight.
We arrived at Danao City center in a grumpy mood because we were already starving. Haha! We didn't even speak to each other while eating.
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This hike remains etched in my memory as one of the most memorable experiences. As we reminisce about that day's adventure, we still laugh heartily, just as we did back then. Haha! Tripping and falling on the trail is just part of the journey. These mishaps often create opportunities that can make you a better and happier person.
You can also watch our Licos Adventure here.
About the Author
Meet Kevin de Arca, a Data Analyst by profession and an adventurous wanderer at heart. With a passion for exploring new places and cultures, he uses traveling as a way of distressing and making unforgettable memories. He is always wondering where to wander next.✈️ 🏖 🌅