One of the delightful must-see and do experiences in Bali is a visit to where butterflies dance around you. Being just eight degrees below the Equator, Bali has the type of climate that is pleasing and relatively mild although warm. It is an island that has a diverse range of animal species.
One that I have always found delightful is butterflies. You will find them fluttering around the gardens in your hotel but it is when you get out of the polluted tourist areas that you are able to view these colourful creatures in their natural habitat. Of course the most spectacular in colour of these butterflies you will predominately find in the jungle areas of Bali such as the Bali Barat National Park.
However, there is no need for you to go trekking through the jungle to view these beautiful creatures. Located 7kms north of the town of Tabanan, at Wanasari, on the road to Penebel is the Bali Butterfly Park (Taman Kupu Kupu) – kupu kupu is Indonesian for butterflies. It will take about an hour to get there by vehicle. The park is a fabulous place for families and educational for children.
After passing through a couple of doors and a set of hanging chains, you are inside the net-covered garden. From the very start you will be enchanted by the array of thousands of brightly coloured butterflies all around you; hovering in curiosity as you wander through. I particularly liked the large yellow and black butterflies fluttering around. The park is aesthetically mesmerising. Photography is allowed.
The Bali Butterfly Park covers 3,500m sq, making it the largest park of its kind in South-East Asia and the park provides an environment for butterfly preservation and study.
Opening hours:
Daily 8am-5pm
Bali Butterfly Park
Jalan Batukaru,
Sandan Wanasari
Tabanan 80351
Tel: (0361) 814282 (0361) 814283
Fax: (0361) 814281
Further Reading: Butterflies of Bali by Victor Mason
