The town of Carmen in Cebu has steadily become one of the most exciting spots in Cebu in recent years. After the opening of the Cebu Safari, more and more unique and must-visit spots have opened in this quiet, little town. Recently, another great addition has made Carmen a perfect destination especially after a long and tiring week in the city. Today, let’s talk about Balwarte ni Vossing, a magical escape situated in the woods of Barangay Corte in the town of Carmen.
An Unplanned Visit
The visit to Balwarte ni Vossing was unplanned. I was invited to join an event in Danao City and I never really thought about driving a couple of extra miles to get to Carmen. But, like most unplanned trips, ‘something came up’ during my event in Danao City. The session ended early and by 4:00 pm, I was already on my bike and all set to head back to the city. That’s when I decided that it was still ‘too’ early to go home and to travel to Carmen to check the place out.
The short drive from the main highway to the cafe is pretty exciting. The view is fantastic!
Balwarte ni Vossing
Balwarte ni Vossing is a unique cabin-style food stop nestled in the lush woods of Barangay Corte called Deer Forest. If you’ve been to Cebu Safari, Balwarte is situated right next to the main entrance. Although it is right along the road, the cafe looks like it was built in the middle of a forest as lush greens and tall trees can be seen in all directions around the main cafe.
From the looks of it, the Balwarte ni Vossing was meant to be just a cafe. And I believe that due to its unexpected success, the owners decided to expand the dining area. Well, of course, I’m not really sure if this is actually the case. Hehe.
Exploring the Balwarte
The main cafe is made up of two interconnected cargo vans. After ordering from the main counter, guests can then go up a short flight of stairs to get to the main dining area on top.
The ‘second floor’ has a small dining area which offers diners an amazing view of the road and the woods surrounding it.
Then, you will see that the main cafe is actually connected to a huge plot of land with very tall trees.
Connected by a network of wooden and concrete pathways, several ‘clearings’ within the area house several platforms and decks, as well as tables and chairs for diners.
Basically, you can get to any point in the area by simply following the various wooden and concrete walkways.
In this photo, you can see a main concrete walkway tracing through several dining platforms and decks.
Here is what one of the many dining areas look like from the top. This is definitely perfect for those exciting culinary adventures with the whole gang or family.
If you look at the top right portion of the photo, you will see that they have started constructing a huge platform. I am guessing that they are planning to accommodate more diners.
My order arrived just in time for dinner. Buffalo wings, a cup of rice, and a big glass of soda!
Magical Night Lights
A few moments later, I noticed that the night lights were already turned on.
Here is a view of the footpaths at night. The photo doesn’t really give it justice. But let me tell you, it’s pretty magical!
If you walk farther away from the cafe, you will see just how gorgeous it is at night. I didn’t expect that combining tall trees, bright lights, and the natural sound of the woods, can have such a magical effect.
Take a look at some clips I took during my visit!
After dinner, it was time to go. It was already dark and Cebu City is still miles away. But I feel like I haven’t experienced the place fully. So, I’ll definitely come back!
Have you Balwarte ni Vossing? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!
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