Overnight Camping in Aloguinsan Cebu

Overnight Camping Experience in Aloguinsan, Cebu

The day before my birthday, I decided to go on a spur-of-the-moment trip to Aloguinsan. Why? I saw a Facebook post about Hermit’s Cove, and it was stunning.

It was a secluded white sand beach with a picture-perfect view.

So I brought my ‘borrowed and hopefully will never return’ tent and rode a bus to this municipality two hours away from Cebu City.

Halfway, we stopped to pee and for a quick refreshment.

It took me a few minutes to do my thing, and the bus actually drove away without me.

I had no choice but to run as fast as I could, eventually hanging on to the bus door’s handles. I guess you could say I became a stuntman for a minute.

Arriving in the town, I bought some food from the market’s carenderia and hailed a motorcycle. This ride kept breaking down along the way, and I actually convinced myself it was a sign I should lose weight.

Arriving at Hermit’s Cove a few minutes before evening, I was denied entry.

They no longer allow overnight camping.

The next option was Hidden Beach. Again, I was denied entry. It was closed that day for a private event. Bad luck.

So I asked the motorcycle driver if there was another beach he could suggest. He told me that I could stay at his cousin’s place, and it was free of charge.

Problem solved? No. It was horrible. And I had no other choice.

It was a dilapidated beach property where fishermen parked their boats. It was full of garbage, and it had no proper source of light, which made it unsafe.

With hesitation, I set up my ‘outdoor hotel’ and looked for a well-lit place to eat my take-out.

Feeling full, I decided to drink to numb the fear of sleeping at a rundown place.

The store was owned by a retired police chief who kept asking questions about my identity.

I’ve always thought I looked innocent, but this incident made me realize that I could easily pass for a hired killer. I had no choice but to make up a story that I was here on matters of tourism.

At least I got a travel blog and some photos on my camera to show. I also told him about my sleeping situation. Still, he looked unconvinced.

I finally overdid it by telling him I have an appointment with the tourism officer tomorrow morning, which I don’t.

Thinking that I had finally gotten away from his untrusting radar, he suggested that I transfer my tent within the grounds of the municipal hall beside the police station.

Being an ‘expected guest’ of the town, he felt that my safety was his responsibility.

How can you say no to that? If I rejected this offer, he would be more suspicious of me.

You guessed right, I moved my set-up tent about a hundred meters with several onlookers.

I guess I could say that I was the first person to ‘illegally’ pitch my tent on government property.

The garden was super illuminated; it actually looked like a football stadium, and I was poised to sleep in the middle of it.

Thinking that I already ran out of more awkward things to experience, I got invited to drink a bottle of Fundador by a police officer on night dut,y which I think was a violation of protocol.

Waking up looking thrashed the next day, I remembered I had an ‘appointment’.

So I went back to the motorcycle driver’s cousin and asked if it was all right to request a pail of water for bathing, and he smiled and obliged.

Smelling fresh and looking presentable, I mustered all the courage to head over to the tourism office.

I introduced myself, told her I write for a popular travel blog, and asked if it would be all right to ask for their assistance with writing about their tourist attractions in just one day.

She called the mayor of their town, and I had the go signal. I even had someone take me around town on a motorbike.

Guess what? I was able to visit Hermit’s Cove, Baluarte, The Farmhouse, and the world-class Bojo River Cruise without paying a single peso. Aloguinsan hospitality at its finest!

Thinking I was done for the day, their tourism officer called to say I had a courtesy call from the mayor herself, inviting me to lunch at the world-class Lunhaw Farm Resort.

She even asked me to stay at one of the rooms, worth about 150 dollars a night, and take a dip in the pool. Sweet.

Heading home with a full stomach and an epic story to tell, it was indeed my most unforgettable birthday yet.

Getting There

From Mactan Cebu International Airport, ride a taxi to the Cebu South Bus Terminal. Look for a yellow Sepo Bus that plies the route from Barili to Aloguinsan to Pinamungajan. Drop off at the Aloguinsan Public Market, then hop on a motorbike to your destination.

Searching for the best hotels and affordable flights? Check out our complete list of cheap hotels and resorts via Agoda, or you may also see available Airbnb properties in the city.

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Also Read:

• Baluarte Park in Aloguinsan: A Testament of Resilience
• The Farmhouse in Aloguinsan, Cebu: A Cebuano Countryside Experience
• Bojo River Cruise: An Eco-Cultural Tour in Aloguinsan
• Hidden Beach Resort in Aloguinsan: A Backpacker’s Paradise
• Hermit’s Cove: Aloguinsan’s Best Kept Secret
• Where to Stay in Aloguinsan, Cebu: Lunhaw Farm Resort