Cantabaco
Selected excerpts from Roctic. Full detailed article can be found there.
(Images and article copyright of Dennis Diaz)
Cantabaco, Cebu
It is perhaps, the first destination to head towards for a sampling of what climbing in the Philippines can offer. It is in the Visayas Region, in one of the most festive islands of the country of Cebu. Right in the middle of the small town of Cantabaco, accessed via a one hour journey through the jungle, into the island’s heart, lays the country’s premier local climbing destination. The omnipresent streaked limestone cliff stands over the small town.
The routes are graded from 6a to 8a, with a majority in the 7 range. The entire wall is loaded with different styles of climbing. Pockets, tuffas, overhangs, crimps and slopers characterize the entire cliff. It’s clean limestone. All routes are natural and bolted exquisitely for really good climbing. There are about 40 routes up on the cliff. Recent bolting gave way to new 35m long pitches. The prospect of new bolting in the coming October 2009, promises an additional 10-15 new routes. The coming season might bring forth some 5’s and hopefully a handful of new 8’s.
Rest Days
Too much crimping? You can arrange for day trips or even overnight trips to Moalboal Beach on your rest days. Moalboal is the one of the prime beaches in Cebu. White sands and the less populated beaches attract with a more serene nature. Dive shops here also offer short diving courses. The small town of Moalboal also has some more provincial attractions, an old church and some good old street food.
