Ah, Alegria!

CEBU, Philippines – There are indeed many places nearby that have not been subject to promotional hype and, thus,

remain unspoiled by the great influx of visitors and tourists. Many such places are found on Cebu Island itself. While Cebu – being one of the most popular destinations in the country – has been attracting hordes

of fun-and-adventure seekers, there are still nooks and crannies around that are really quite a marvel to discover.

In southern Cebu, for instance, travelers often only get to hear of Badian and Barili and Moalboal. But other places in this part of the island province have equally interesting things to offer. The town of Alegria is one such place.

Alegria is some 117 kilometers from Cebu City, approximately a three-hour bus ride. A yellow bus leaves the city terminal every hour. The fare is P130 per person.

It is a fifth-class municipality, with only nine barangays sharing the town’s 11,327-hectare area. Its terrain is mostly hilly and mountainous.  The townsfolk subsist on traditional farming and fishing, although many of them have since engaged in small business undertakings.

Travel blogger Christian Vincent Literatus (http://thebisdakexplorer.blogspot.com) considers Alegria “as a haven for adventure of the undiscovered wonders hidden from the abusive hands of some tourists.” Local traveler Aries Lumunsad, though, finds Alegria’s beach line to be “not as appealing as those of its neighboring towns’,” but he goes there frequently because of the beauty of its “other side.”

By “other side,” Lumunsad is referring to Alegria’s hills and mountains. Like Literatus, he attests to the beauty of the caves in Barangays Cambusay and Salay. Likewise, there are various breathtaking activities to be experienced in Cambais, Kawa Kawa, Montpeller, Cancalanog and Kitara. Those who are nuts about spelunking and canyoneering would have their fill here.

Literatus also points to the town’s century-old church, Freedom Park, the refreshing seaside breeze, and the friendly locals as its other attractions. The local way of life is, well, expectedly simple and rather laidback. Teresita Mundo, who has been to the town three times, finds the place to be quite reassuring, “making you forget momentarily the cares that hound you in the big city [and] giving you a feeling that somehow no harm can reach you here.”

For visitors and tourists who want some action, it is advisable to coordinate with the town’s Tourism Office at the municipal administrative building. The office is a rich source of information on which interesting spots to head to, depending on what one is looking for. The office also gives good advice for one’s safety while exploring the “other side” of town.

It’s not really hard to find a local guy to act as guide. The service need not cost much, and the guy is sure to do anything to deserve every cent he gets. At the very least, he knows the nice places to visit and how to get there.

Blogger Literatus relates: “It was almost noon on a sunny Saturday when we arrived in the town. Our ‘Project Waterfall’ had an ambitious itinerary to visit three waterfalls and make a side trip in Salay Cave. We had left the South Bus Terminal [in the city] about three hours earlier… We went straight to the public market to make some deal with the habal-habal (motorbike-for-hire) drivers to [take us to] the waterfalls we wanted to visit.”

Ms. Mundo suggests that visitors to Alegria better bring their own meal if they are rather particular about food. The town has none of the usual fast-food stores common in the city. But if bringing a lunch box is really such a hassle, there are actually eateries around – serving clean and affordable food – but these are mostly found in the poblacion, particularly in the public market area.

Regarding the trips to the interior parts of town, Lumunsad says to try to haggle hard with the habal-habal drivers. Perhaps since visitors are somewhat hard to come by in the town, some drivers tend to make the most of every find – “milking a clueless stranger to the last drop.” But considering the distance of the sites from the town proper, “the fare could start around 50 pesos per person, one way.”

Those who’ve taken a glimpse of the innards of Alegria’s caves only have great appreciation to share. And every visitor to the place would have his or her own unique discovery. Some are mesmerized at the graceful flow of a sparkling river; others find the beautiful formations of the stalactites hard to believe.

If there’s a best time to visit Alegria – it is anytime now. Considering how fast development is reaching out, the wonders of the town may not be here for long. Unless, of course, concerted efforts are taken to maintain the pristine state of these places – which is, after all, the right thing to do!

Travelers who have had opted to skip this town from their itinerary are meant to regret it. Once they give it the fair chance to amaze them with its jewels, they are sure gasp in awe: “Ah, Alegria!”