Magical moment with the Butterflies in my tropical island Paradise! My photography and Video clip =)

I had to visit the first and only butterfly garden in Santa Fe, Bantayan island called Butterfly Garden Café. I was told it's also nice there. So I did went there and thought it's a place I shouldn't miss! I always loved nature and butterflies even years way back in my childhood. So I felt really excited to see the butterflies! 😊

The butterfly garden has a fascinating history how it started. A Cebuana from Toledo, Jo Tamboboy with her fiancé, a Canadian expat Robert Stewart fell inlove at first sight with Santa Fe Bantayan island and eventually they decided to make a home, put up a unique business that involves education, promoting tourism that will help the island and the locals too. With the help of a professional butterfly breeder in Luzon, the couple has managed to propagate a wide range of native Philippine butterfly species. They're now also accepting tours and seminars for students and for foreign and local guests. The couple has been planning to expand this beautiful project in Santa Fe that will add more complement to this island's exceptional gift of nature and will open more doors in Philippine tourism.

Bantayan was also one of the island that was devastated by the typhoon Yolanda in 2013 but it's really great to see how the island and its local has recovered from that painful past. 

Now Bantayan is one of the well-known most visited island in the country. 

"She stood strong from the storm and now the whole world is looking at her stunning beauty"

It was already late afternoon when I arrived there. I was the last visitor before the closing time. So I was pretty lucky! A nice attendant has approached me and she led me to the admission section to pay for a small fee. I was surprised they only charged me Php 50 which is half of what I should pay if only they knew my real age, so I just kept my mouth shut and said nothing lol. After all they didn't ask for my ID. I love this place they treat me like a teenager lol. =) 

Butterfly Orientation

I had a brief orientation about butterflies and their life cycle which I find really interesting and informative. It suddenly reminds me of my Science class many years ago when I was still a student.

The Butterfly Breeding Area

Now here's the thrilling part after the orientation the attendant led me to the butterfly breeding area where I was introduced to real butterfly eggs, I didn't take a picture though as they're very tiny. Then I also met the baby caterpillars and held one of them too! Caterpillar are nice and gentle by nature. =)

They have lots of them but the green ones I was looking for is not available at that time.Some butterflies are seasonal. I used to see the green caterpillars when I was a child, they're usually found eating leaves of Kalamansi (a native Philippine lemon/citrus)  

When the caterpillar turns into a Chrysalis, they're kept in this special screen container until they hatched and become a butterfly. Butterflies are kept there until their wings are dry and ready to fly.

Inside the actual Butterfly garden

Butterflies can only live for about 45-160 days depending on it's kind. When the butterfly dies, they're preserved and put in frames for souvenirs. 

A nice humble café close to the butterfly garden

It's such a peaceful and very relaxing place. You could just sit there and enjoy some coffee, I'm not sure though of what they have on the menu since I came during the closing hours. Well for sure, they should have coffee! from the name itself Butterfly Garden Café =)

So that was it about my bonding with the friendly and wonderful butterflies in Bantayan island. Butterflies symbolize happiness, tranquility and change. Sometimes in the cycle of life, we have to struggle like the caterpillar first, kept in dark cocoons before we become the best version of ourselves. 

With much love and cheers from Cebu! Thank you! Daghang Salamat! Maraming Salamat po!

@island-girl

If you missed out my previous blog about Bantayan Island, you can visit the following link:

https://steemit.com/travel/@island-girl/unfolding-another-new-island-dream-paradise-bantayan-island-cebu-philippines 

Photography and video credits belongs to @island-girl