I stumbled across a post on Xiaohongshu and decided to check it out. This hill? It’s no joke—so steep that I almost gave up halfway! I can’t even imagine how strong the legs of the locals must be to tackle this climb daily. Along the way, I spotted a couple of cars struggling, smoke billowing from their engines.

This place is part of Ecoparque Mirador Cerro El Picacho, and believe me, getting here isn’t for the faint-hearted. Once you arrive, there’s still a wooden plank path leading further uphill—and after reaching the top, you need to descend just a little more to uncover the breathtaking views. I made the ascent alone; the Uber motorcycle I’d booked couldn’t handle the terrain and had to turn back.

Here’s an interesting twist: with so few East Asians around, I ended up meeting a delightful group of friends. They came over to strike up a conversation because, apparently, I looked out of place. Despite our language barriers, we communicated with laughter and gestures, and it turned into one of the most memorable experiences of my trip!

