Weekend Hike: Amordino Farm

April 6, 2024

Amordino Farm

Sapangdako, Cebu City

Ever since I started engaging in outdoor activities on my days off, my mind, body, and soul have been craving to explore new things. This may involve going on a hike, a run, solo travel, etc. One thing I feel grateful for is being surrounded by like-minded people who enjoy life, even in its most mundane moments.

On my last day off, I tagged along with my roommate Aubrey and her friends for a hike. We initially planned on taking the Spartan Trail, one of the longest trails in the city, but none of us knew the way, so we ended up choosing Amordino Farm instead. Since our first stop is at Starbuks, we met up at Paseo Arcenas McDonald's. Our call time was 4:30 a.m., but with Filipino time, we arrived and started past 5 a.m.

We took a different route to Starbuks this time, as the previous trail we used last time is now closed to the public. As far as I know, there are more than two trails leading to Starbuks. The one we took this time is near Skaypad (a word play for Slater's Skypod), which is also the last area where the public could climb.

I honestly preferred this trail compared to the previous one because it's not that difficult or steep. The only problem I have is that the path is too narrow, so if you want to rest, you can't easily stop as you don't want to hold up the line behind you.

I guess that's the reason why when we were almost there, I felt a little sick, which also made me feel bad that I slowed down our group. However, I'm glad that I was able to recover quickly, with their help.

Since Starbuks was our first stop, we only took mandatory photos at the signage, capturing the magnificent view of the city before heading to our second stop, Boss Kape. Unlike Starbuks, Boss Kape (a play on words for Boss Coffee) was less crowded, as there weren't as many visitors when we went there. At that point, we decided to take a brief snack break, hoping to catch our breath and ease our hunger before heading to our final destination.

When everyone was feeling rested and ready for more action, we began our descent. And when I say descent, I mean we had to go down—literally. It was probably the most difficult part of the hike. I didn't even bother taking a video or photo for the vlog I was planning. I was too focused on clinging to dear life, afraid to slip and fall on the narrow cliff edges. You never know where one wrong step might lead you.

After surviving that treacherous part of the hike, we were greeted by a proper walking path and an enchanting forest. From then on, the hike was smooth and less tiring, even though we had to walk approximately 5km (if I Googled it correctly).

Midway through our hike, we stumbled upon a swing that required your full survival mode if you dared to try it. Honestly, I wasn't feeling brave enough, so I decided to pass, but it seemed the brave souls really enjoyed it. After our brief fun distraction, we resumed our hike, eventually reaching the concrete road of Guadalupe or maybe Sapangdaku. I'm not sure which was which.

As we ascended (again) towards the main road leading to the farm, our curiosity was piqued by the sight of trees in the area appearing to be dying soon. Contrasted with the neighboring mountains, where trees seemed healthy despite the harsh summer heat, the difference was striking.

Speaking of the harsh summer heat, it began to exhaust all of us as there wasn't much shade to hide from it. We didn't take much time to rest and just continued until we arrived at the farm. Our remaining motivation to finish this hike was the mouthwatering food, especially their infamous Humba—a Filipino traditional cuisine.

I hadn't researched our destination, so when they said it was a farm, I envisioned acres of vegetables or fruit alongside a restaurant. However, upon arrival, I discovered it was merely a karindirya nestled at the mountain's edge, devoid of any farming activities that one could do or view.

It appeared to be a rest spot for hikers to unwind and grab a meal following a lengthy trek, particularly for those who tackled the Spartan trail. However, the Humba surpassed expectations, ranking among the best I've tasted. Additionally, they serve other delicious Filipino dishes that are worth trying. It truly made for an ideal meal following a challenging hike. Besides the delicious food, the stunning view of the mountains made our tough hike all worth it. 

We also had the opportunity to speak with one of the owners of the Farm, who shared with us the fascinating story of how this popular stop came to be. It all began during the pandemic when the world was in shutdown mode. Faced with this unexpected turn of events, the owners decided to retire and construct a new home on their untouched land. As hiking gained popularity after the pandemic, one of their acquaintances, also an avid hiker, suggested the idea of opening a stop for fellow enthusiasts. From that moment on, the rest became history.

We were truly captivated as he shared his stories and accomplishments, each one leaving us inspired to achieve things we hadn't imagined possible. One remarkable tale he shared was about having an aquatic plant named after him by a German scientist, if my memory serves me right. It was a reminder of the endless possibilities waiting to be discovered in life.

He even explained to us why the trees I mentioned earlier appear to be dying. It's because they are not native to the Philippines and are not well-suited to our climate. They were planted with the hope of holding excess water during the rainy season, especially since flooding is common in Cebu. However, during the dry season, they shed their leaves, leaving only bare branches behind. Another disadvantage of these trees is that they retain the water they collect and do not release it back into the environment, unlike other trees. This contributes to water shortages in dams during the dry season.

The entire experience was simply fascinating to me. It served as a profound learning opportunity, especially for someone like me, who tends to be more introverted. Socializing and making new friends have always been daunting tasks, often leaving me feeling drained. However, on this journey, there were no uncomfortable or awkward moments. I deeply appreciate how everyone ensured I was doing alright, particularly during moments when I felt a little sick earlier in the hike.

So we decided to skip the back trail since the sun was just too intense for us. Heading back to the city, we were filled with contentment, and I'm already excited for our next adventure! Any ideas on where we should go next?