During pre-pandemic, cycling has been one of the most popular hobbies in the Philippines for it keeps the body active. It is an excellent bonding with family and friends, may it be trail rides or long rides, witnessing amazing views by going places and keeping your shape by riding a bike.
When it comes to where to go with your bike, Cebu has a lot to offer on what you should add to your go-to list.
First on the list is the route you’ll take from JY Square, Cebu City, going to Balamban town, and passing through the Transcentral Highway. It became one of the favorite routes for it is a mountain road that connects the city to other western towns in Cebu. It gets to be described as the Kennon road of Cebu because it has roads like snakes, similar to the Kennon road of Baguio City, and it also gets foggy during cold weather. The total distance of the road is about 33 km, surrounded by trees and mountains, giving the riders a refreshing feeling as they enjoy their ride. Other biking hotspots are Campo 7 and Manipis road. These roads being close to watersheds gives a different vibe as you are taking roads. Campo 7 does have a man-made forest and is located in Minglanilla town. At the same time, Manipis road, from the name itself, is a narrow road, and it is carved on the mountainside, which connects Talisay City and Toledo City. Apollo’s ground is the place where people from Liloan town usually go. It is a hill-top property where you can see the view of the Mactan Channel on one side. From the other side of the hill-top property, you will see the mountains of Liloan. After enjoying the view from Apollo’s ground, people cycle ahead going to Parola, a watch tower with a height of 21.9 meters or 72 feet. It was built on an elevated area in Catarman. It is a part of their history, for it was built under the governance of the first American governor-general of the Philippines, William Howard Taft, in 1905. If you are looking for a short and safe ride, then Cebu Business Park is the place for you. They ensure the safety of the bikers by putting up bollards that separate the motor vehicles and deter them from using the lanes designated for bikers, this best fits for beginners and those who want to get their legs some stretch.
Want to take your biking to another level? If you are as adventurous as you think, these trail rides are perfect for you; channel up your extreme cycling skills and trail ahead to these places.
If you are tired of the pollution and looking for fresh air while breaking your sweat, you can ride your bike uphill from Busay and pedal your way to Kan-Irag. You can take the trail entrance across Ayala Heights, Kan-Irag is a newbie-friendly trail location, so if you are just new to trailing, you must visit Kan-Irag. It feels like you are getting better at climbs. Then you should test your skills by going to Vegetable Highway in Carcar; you will experience a great cross-country ride at its finest. This location is one of the favorite spots for cyclists who want to take their climbing skills to the next level because it has a roller coaster route. With it are scenic views and a breath of fresh air, which makes the climb worthwhile and exciting—excited to try it yourself? To get there, you will take the route of Barili from Carcar Rotonda; there, you will see the junction leading you to Vegetable Highway. By difficulty, it is moderate to difficult, perfect for enhancing your skills in climbing elevated routes. If long rides do not excite you that much, you should consider a long trail ride; you can experience the ultimate all-mountain and the longest ride when you take the route from Gaas to Casuy. You will start from Gaas, then go to Balamban, and end in the picturesque Lake Casuy in Toledo City. This trail has a lot to experience, which you will enjoy, from single tracks to rock gardens and also steep single tracks. This track will surely test your pedal skills and stamina for you to get some biking in the cliff-side mountains. Are you familiar with the Windows XP background picture where the blue sky meets the green land? You can have a real-life and personal experience with that here in Sibugay. It is also best known for its off-camber single tracks and fast descents. Trailing in Sibugay, you will start from the chicken farm and then end in Borbon. You will also need to cross the river; this track will really test how good your handling is. This is perfect for enhancing your skills. Want to experience trailing on rock gardens? Then you better consider the Taptap trail, which has fast descents and rock gardens that will satisfy your rock garden trailing adventure. What’s special here is that the rock formations change most, especially during the rainy season, which adds to its beauty. This track seems magical because the more technical section of the route changes, which will be different from the last time you trailed.
Biking is a fun and great alternative for transportation to avoid traffic and fuel price hikes. Biking is not as hard as it seems. You need to stay on your senses and learn the very basics of it, which is balance. If you get the hang of it, you can pedal your way to wherever you want to go, but there are many things to consider; when going into traffic, don’t act like the vehicles are the ones to adjust. Always yield to the traffic because these vehicles are bigger than you. On trailing, set your eyes on what’s ahead of you, and don’t fix your sight on your wheels. This will help you react better. Always have confidence but be very cautious; safety comes first.
For more information on Vista Residences, email info@vistaresidences.com.ph, follow @VistaResidencesOfficial on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, or call the Marketing Office at 0999 886 4262 / 0917 582 5167.
