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| You lose sight of things...and when you travel, everything balances out... photo (ctto) |
Busay in Cebu City has become one of the most visited spots in Cebu these days, especially when the famous Temple of Leah finally opened to the public late last year. Tourists and locals speedily flocked into the temple to experience and catch a sight of its Roman-inspired architecture despite the traveling distance; unknown to them just a few meters away from the temple lies another breathtaking spot. Locally known as "Tops", this relaxing spot is also located at Brgy. Malubog, Busay, Cebu City. Tops Lookout offers a fascinating panoramic view of Cebu City and of its neighboring islands, Mactan and Olango.
Panoramic view of the city
- The view alone is worth the travel, well for me at least. The view of the whole city and the buildings surrounding it offers an excellent view to soak in. And even just glancing on the lush green hills at the top is one of the simplest yet relaxing treats I had for myself after a monthlong of work, stress, and buzz -although I wish I had the chance to stay much longer so I could experience the golden sunset at the top, but duty calls L Anyways, Tops Lookout Cebu is just less than an hour drive away so anyone who wanted to escape the city can visit it anytime they like.
Circular-designed Structure
- As soon as you enter the gated entrance, you will be greeted by unique, circular structure made with concrete, stone-paved wall. There are stores and souvenir shops on the other side selling foods and drinks while on the other side - right side to be exact - are individual open rooms with concrete tables and benches solely intended for the visitors. There are various foods and beverages available at the stores but they can be a little bit pricey (bottled water is priced twice than the subjected retail price). There are also common souvenirs sold at the shops - shirts, accessories, and the like.
- Another thing that adds attraction to the place aside from the view are the hexagon-shaped pavements.
How to get there:
- From JY Square, you can either ride a taxi or a motorcycle (habal-habal) on your way to the top. I'm not familiar with how much the taxi cost all-in-all but some say it will range from ₱600-₱1000, but for the motorcycle, it will cost around ₱100-₱150 pesos (one-way).
- Another option is riding a jeepney from JY Square (04i, a fare of ₱7.00) and ask the driver to stop at Plaza Housing. From Plaza Housing, ride a motorcycle going to the top. You can negotiate the driver to get a cheaper fare around ₱50, but the fare that the drivers offer from Plaza Housing usually ranges from ₱75-₱80 (one-way). Always bring extra cash with you just in case your talent in negotiating fails. This option may take much time than usual but this will definitely save you a lot of money which you could use to spend on foods.
Entrance Fee:
- Entrance Fee of ₱100 is collected (per head). No other fees are collected aside from this.
We spent ₱250 - for the fare of ₱75 (one-way) and ₱100 for the entrance.
Just to set your expectations, you only get the view and the whole place to enjoy during your stay there. The quietness of the place, of course, can be so romantic especially during sunset. The only downside of visiting Tops is its pricey entrance - not including the fare back and forth plus the foods. But if you're someone who enjoys even just with the view alone, visiting Tops is indeed worth the spend.
