How do I get to Temple of Leah, Sirao & Tops from Cebu City?
Short answer
The Busay highlands begin just above Cebu City - Temple of Leah, the Sirao flower garden and the Tops lookout are all roughly 8-15 km and 30-45 minutes up from the centre by private car. It’s the easiest half-day out of the city, and a popular late-afternoon run timed for sunset.
The roads up are steep and winding with no single route linking the three sights, and no direct jeepney or bus goes all the way up. Most visitors charter a private car or habal-habal for the loop rather than piece together public transport stop by stop.
Step by step: Cebu City to Cebu Highlands (Temple of Leah, Sirao & Tops)
- 1Pick a time of day - and check the closing times
The three sights do not keep the same hours. Tops is the ridge-top viewpoint that stays open around the clock, so it is the one stop that always works for sunset or city lights. The Sirao flower gardens are daytime-only and their gates close in the early evening, so a sunset-first plan means arriving at a locked garden. Mornings are cooler and quieter at Temple of Leah and Sirao.
- 2Climb the Busay road
About 8-15 km and 30-45 minutes uphill from the city centre, depending which stop you start with.
- 3Loop Temple of Leah, Sirao & Tops - gardens first, Tops last
Your driver waits at each stop while you take in the temple, the flower fields and the ridge-top view. Run it in that order if you want sunset: the Sirao flower gardens close in the early evening, and Tops is the one that stays open around the clock.
- 4Head back down, or stay for sunset
Return to your hotel, or linger at Tops or a view café until after dark before the drive back down.
Ways to travel, compared
- Private highlands loop (what we arrange)~30-45 min up
Pickup from your Cebu City hotel, then straight up to Temple of Leah, Sirao and Tops at your own pace. Fixed half-day price - request a quote.
- Taxi / habal-habal (public)~30-45 min +
No single route links the three sights, so visitors usually charter a taxi or motorbike for the loop - slower and less comfortable than one private car.
Add stops on the way to Cebu Highlands (Temple of Leah, Sirao & Tops)
It is a ~8-15 km drive, and you do not have to do it in one go. The car is yours for the journey and the driver waits wherever you stop, so a waterfall, an old church or a long lunch can sit in the middle of the run rather than costing you a separate day. List the stops you want in the quote request and we price the day, not the hop.
- The car waits wherever you stop
- Luggage stays in the vehicle
- Fuel, tolls and parking included
- Entrance fees paid locally, as you go
We'll pre-fill Cebu City → Cebu Highlands (Temple of Leah, Sirao & Tops). Put the stops you want in the notes box and we'll come back with one all-in price.
What the quote covers
- A private air-conditioned car or van with an English-speaking local driver for the whole journey
- Door-to-door pickup and drop-off at the exact addresses you give us, not a meeting point
- Fuel, tolls and parking
- Waiting time and any extra stops you tell us about up front, priced into the quote rather than added afterwards
- One fixed all-in price for the trip, agreed in writing before you travel
- Entrance, activity, guide and boat fees at places you choose to stop (paid locally)
- Meals and personal spending
- Accommodation, including a driver overnight on a multi-day trip unless we have set it out in the quote
- Inter-island ferry and boat crossings, unless we have set them out in the quote
We never invent activity or entrance prices - you pay those directly on the ground.
Cebu City to Cebu Highlands (Temple of Leah, Sirao & Tops): FAQs
How far is the Cebu highlands loop from Cebu City?
Temple of Leah, Sirao and Tops are all roughly 8-15 km and 30-45 minutes up from the city centre, though the roads are steep and winding.
Is sunset at Tops worth the trip up from the city?
Yes - Tops and several view cafés look straight over the city lights and Mactan. A private car timed for a late-afternoon pickup gets you there for sunset and back down safely after dark.
Can I visit Temple of Leah, Sirao and Tops in one trip from the city?
Yes - they’re close together along the highland roads and make a natural half-day loop from Cebu City. Since there’s no direct public transport between them, a private car is the practical way to link all three at your own pace.
What time do Temple of Leah, Sirao and Tops close?
They are separately run and their hours do not match, which is the thing worth planning around. Tops is open around the clock, so sunset and city-lights visits always work there. The Sirao flower gardens are daytime-only - the two gardens that sit side by side post closing times roughly between 5pm and 6.30pm depending on which one and the day of the week - so they have to come before dusk. Temple of Leah’s long-posted hours ran from early morning to late evening, but its management announced shortened hours in April 2026 without publishing a fixed replacement schedule, so an after-dark visit there is the one to confirm on the day. Tell us your plan in the quote request and your driver checks the gates before you commit to an order.
Can you do the return trip, Cebu Highlands (Temple of Leah, Sirao & Tops) back to Cebu City?
Yes - the same private car and driver, Cebu Highlands (Temple of Leah, Sirao & Tops) back to Cebu City over the same ~8-15 km. Ask for both legs in one quote request and we price the round trip together.
What does the price for Cebu City to Cebu Highlands (Temple of Leah, Sirao & Tops) include?
The quote is one fixed all-in price for the trip, agreed in writing before you travel, and fuel, tolls and parking are inside it - along with any waiting time or extra stops you tell us about when you ask. What stays separate is what you would choose anyway: entrance, activity and boat fees at the places you stop, your meals, and your accommodation. We do not invent activity prices, so those you pay directly on the ground.
Cebu Highlands (Temple of Leah, Sirao & Tops) to Cebu City
We run this route in both directions, with the same car and driver. Ask for both legs in one request and we'll price the round trip together.
We'll pre-fill Cebu Highlands (Temple of Leah, Sirao & Tops) → Cebu City on the form. Just add your dates and details.
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