A short, sweaty climb into the Busay hills for city views, cool air, and — on a good morning — a sea of clouds, plus what's changed about the actual summit.
TL;DR: Sirao Peak (also called Mt. Kan-Irag) is a short, sweaty climb into the Busay hills above Cebu City — roughly 735 meters, reachable via habal-habal from JY Square in under an hour on the easy Busay-side route. Entrance runs from free to about ₱30-70 (roughly US$0.50-1.20), with camping huts around ₱300 (about US$5.20) if you stay overnight. The catch: recent hiker reports say the actual summit above the current campsite has been closed off by the landowner, so what you’re hiking to today is the campsite plateau below it, not the historic peak. Combine it with nearby Sirao Flower Garden and Temple of Leah for a half-day Busay loop. Verified July 2026.
Sirao Peak — most Cebuanos just call it Kan-Irag (or Kang-irag) — is the closest thing Cebu City has to a “quick escape into the mountains.” It sits in the Busay hills above the metro, the same general area as Sirao Flower Garden and Temple of Leah, and for years it’s been the default answer when someone in the city wants a short hike, a campfire, and a view without driving two hours south to Osmeña Peak. This guide is for day-trippers deciding whether it’s worth the ride up, and for anyone planning an overnight camp — including the one thing recent visitors keep flagging: what “summit” actually means here now.
Sirao Peak (Kan-Irag) at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Mt. Kan-Irag / Kang-irag, Sirao Peak Campsite |
| Location | Brgy. Sirao (Langob), Busay area, Cebu City |
| Elevation | ~735 meters above sea level |
| Entrance fee | Free to ~₱30 day use (~US$0.50); ~₱70 overnight (~US$1.20) — confirm at gate |
| Camping hut (kubo) | ~₱300 (~US$5.20) |
| Room w/ cooking area | ~₱1,000 (~US$17.20) |
| Parking (self-drive) | ~₱100 (~US$1.70) |
| Habal-habal, JY Square to jump-off | ~₱100-250 per person one-way (~US$1.70-4.30) |
| Hike time (Busay-side route) | Under 1 hour to campsite area |
| Summit access | Reportedly closed by private landowner — unconfirmed on arrival |
Prices vary by source and season, and cash-only gate fees change without notice — bring small bills and confirm on the day. Verified July 2026.
What Is Sirao Peak, and Where Is It?
Sirao Peak is a hill in the Busay highlands directly above Cebu City, sitting around 735 meters up, close enough that on a clear day you can see the coastline and Mactan from the top. It’s officially Mt. Kan-Irag (spelled Kang-irag on some signage and the campsite’s Facebook page), and locals use “Sirao Peak” and “Kan-Irag” as the same place. It sits in the same general hill cluster as Sirao Flower Garden and Temple of Leah, which is why the three get bundled into one trip constantly.
The appeal is simple: it’s one of the only “real” hikes you can reach from downtown Cebu City without a long drive, so it’s popular with locals for a weekend camp, a bonfire night, or a quick sunrise walk before work.
How Do You Get to Sirao Peak?
Take a Grab or taxi to JY Square Mall in Lahug, then switch to a habal-habal for the ride up through Busay. JY Square is the standard jump-off point where most hiking groups and solo travelers arrange transport. From there, habal-habal drivers head up toward Ayala Heights and into Busay/Sirao, dropping you at the trailhead.
Reported one-way fares per person run roughly ₱100-250, with some drivers quoting a flat round-trip rate (including wait time) closer to ₱400-600 for two riders — the range reflects how fares get negotiated on the spot rather than a fixed posted rate, so agree on the price before you get on the bike. If you’re driving yourself, GPS will route you through Busay to the old Sirao golf course area, where there’s a parking fee of around ₱100.
There’s also a longer, harder route via the Budlaan trail, starting from Sitio Baugo in Brgy. Budlaan (reachable by habal-habal from Talamban), which follows a river up through waterfalls and boulders before connecting to the same summit area — this is the version experienced hikers do for a full-day trek rather than a quick city escape.
How Much Does It Cost?
Budget somewhere between free and ₱70 for entrance, plus extra if you’re camping overnight. Reports on the current gate fee are inconsistent — some hikers say entrance is currently free, others report ₱30 for a day visit and ₱70 for overnight camping. If you’re staying the night, a small kubo (hut) runs around ₱300, and a room with its own cooking area is roughly ₱1,000. None of this is expensive by any measure, but bring cash in small denominations since there’s no card payment on a mountain trail.
How Hard Is the Hike?
The standard Busay-side route is short and manageable for most fitness levels — often well under an hour to the campsite plateau. It’s a legitimate uphill walk with some exposed sun, but it’s not technical, and it’s the version most day-trippers and first-time campers do. The Budlaan river route is a different animal: expect several hours, river crossings, and scrambling, which suits people who already hike regularly and want more of a workout out of the trip.
If you want a gentler introduction to hiking near the city before committing to something longer, our beginner hikes near Cebu City roundup is worth checking against this one.
Is the Summit Still Open?
Multiple 2023-2024 hiker accounts report that the true summit patch above the current campsite has been closed by the private landowner, and it’s no longer open for trekking or camping. What’s operating today is a campsite area a few hundred meters below that original summit point, which still has open views over the city and coast, just not from the exact spot older blog posts and photos show. This is exactly the kind of detail that changes without much warning on a privately-managed trail, so don’t plan your whole trip around “reaching the summit” — ask the caretakers when you arrive what’s currently accessible, and treat older online photos of the peak itself as historical rather than a guarantee of what you’ll get.
When’s the Best Time to Go?
Early morning or an overnight camp gives you the best shot at cooler air and a view over the city lights or a misty valley. Sirao Peak isn’t one of the province’s dedicated “sea of clouds” destinations the way Mt. Mago in Carmen or Osmeña Peak in Dalaguete are — those sit higher and further from the city heat island — but its elevation and position above Cebu City mean early risers do sometimes get a layer of fog or haze below them at sunrise. Go in the dry season (roughly December to May) for the best odds of a clear view and a dry trail; expect slippery conditions and possible closures during heavy rain.
What Should You Bring?
- Cash in small bills for entrance, parking, and any food/drinks sold on-site
- A headlamp or phone flashlight if you’re arriving before sunrise or staying for a bonfire
- A light jacket — Busay’s elevation makes early mornings noticeably cooler than the city below
- Insect repellent and a rain jacket in wet season
- A fully charged phone; expect weak signal for some carriers, with Smart generally reported as the most reliable network on-site
Combine It With Sirao Garden and Temple of Leah
Because Sirao Peak sits in the same Busay hill cluster, most visitors don’t treat it as a standalone trip. A common half-day loop: hike or camp at Sirao Peak, then head down to Sirao Flower Garden for the flower-field photo stop, and finish at Temple of Leah for the Greco-Roman architecture and city views on the way back down. If you want the whole route mapped out with transport between stops, see our Cebu City to Sirao, Tops, and Busay loop guide, or compare it against other high points in the best viewpoints in Cebu City.
If you’d rather not negotiate habal-habal fares at each stop, a private day tour covering the Busay highlands is worth pricing out — search Busay and Temple of Leah day tours on Klook or compare highland tour options on GetYourGuide. It’s usually a small premium over DIY habal-habal hopping, but it removes the fare-negotiation and route-finding entirely.
The Honest Take
Sirao Peak is worth doing if you want a cheap, close, low-commitment hike out of Cebu City — it’s genuinely one of the only spots where you can leave downtown, climb something, and be back the same afternoon. But go in with the right expectations: it’s not the dramatic sea-of-clouds photo you’ll see from Mt. Mago or Osmeña Peak, and the “summit” you’ll actually reach is the campsite plateau, not necessarily the original peak, since the true top has reportedly been fenced off by the landowner. If a big payoff view is the whole point of your trip, put your effort into the best hikes in Cebu further south instead. If you just want a quick overnight camp with a bonfire, cool air, and a skyline view without a long drive, Kan-Irag still does that job well — and cheaply.
Weekends get crowded with local camping groups, especially around holidays; go on a weekday if you want the place to yourself.
Sources
- Recent hiker and camper trip reports (2023-2024) on Mt. Kang-irag / Sirao Peak fees, route, and summit access, cross-checked against the campsite’s own Facebook page
- Community hiking blogs covering the Busay-side jump-off and the Budlaan river trail route
- Cebu sea-of-clouds roundups for comparison against Mt. Mago, Mt. Naupa, and Osmeña Peak
- Fees and access details change on short notice for privately-managed trails — confirm locally before you go. Verified July 2026.
Pair the hike with a stop at Sirao Flower Garden and Temple of Leah for a full Busay morning, or browse Cebu City hotels on Agoda if you’re basing yourself nearby for an early trailhead start.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to hike Sirao Peak?
Reports put the entrance fee anywhere from free to about ₱30 for a day visit (roughly US$0.50) and around ₱70 (about US$1.20) for overnight camping, with a hut (kubo) at around ₱300 (about US$5.20) and parking around ₱100 (about US$1.70) if you're driving up yourself. The figures move around between sources and seasons, so bring small cash and confirm the current rate at the gate.
Is Sirao Peak the same place as Mt. Kan-Irag?
Yes — 'Sirao Peak' and 'Mt. Kan-Irag' (also spelled Kang-irag) refer to the same hill in Brgy. Sirao, Cebu City, at roughly 735 meters elevation. Locals and hiking groups use both names interchangeably, and you'll see the campsite signed as 'Mt. Kang-Irag Campsite.'
How do you get to Sirao Peak from Cebu City?
Take a taxi or Grab to JY Square Mall in Lahug, then hire a habal-habal (motorcycle taxi) for the ride up through Busay toward Ayala Heights and the Sirao/Kan-Irag jump-off. Fares reported by recent hikers range roughly ₱100-250 per person one-way, higher if you charter the whole round trip with wait time. Confirm the fare with your driver before you go.
How long and how hard is the hike?
From the common Busay-side jump-off, the walk up to the campsite area is short — often well under an hour for most people. A longer, harder alternative is the Budlaan trail, which follows a river and takes several hours with actual scrambling. Pick your route based on fitness and how much time you have.
Can you still hike to the actual Sirao Peak summit?
Multiple recent hiker accounts say the true summit patch above the campsite has been closed off by the private landowner and is no longer open for trekking or camping. The current campsite sits a few hundred meters below that point but still has clear views over Cebu City and the coast. Treat 'summit access' as unconfirmed and ask the campsite caretakers on arrival — don't assume you can push past the campsite.
Is Sirao Peak good for a sunrise or sea-of-clouds trip?
It can be, given the elevation and position above the city, but Sirao Peak isn't one of Cebu's headline sea-of-clouds spots the way Mt. Mago, Mt. Naupa, or Osmeña Peak are. Go for an easy, close-to-town overnight with decent odds of a city-light view and cool air rather than betting the whole trip on fog.
Can you combine Sirao Peak with Sirao Garden and Temple of Leah?
Yes, and most visitors do. All three sit within the same Busay/Sirao hill cluster, a short habal-habal or van ride apart, which makes a half-day loop easy to string together — hike or camp at Sirao Peak, then swing by Sirao Flower Garden and Temple of Leah on the same trip.
Do you need a guide for Sirao Peak?
Not strictly, for the short Busay-side route to the campsite — the trail is well-used and habal-habal drivers usually know it. For the Budlaan river route, or if it's your first hike in the area, hiring a local guide (often arranged on-site for a few hundred pesos) is worth it for safety and for finding the actual jump-off, which isn't always obvious from the road.
More Places to Explore
Nature Parks Sirao Flower Garden
Cebu City
Cebu's 'Little Amsterdam' - a colorful flower farm featuring seas of celosia blooms set against a scenic mountain backdrop.
Viewpoints Tops Lookout
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Cebu City's premier hilltop viewpoint offering stunning panoramic views of the city, especially spectacular at sunset and nighttime.
Historical Sites Temple of Leah
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A magnificent Roman-inspired temple built as a monument of love, nicknamed 'Cebu's Taj Mahal,' offering stunning architecture and city views.