After the lagoon we drive back towards Puerto Vallarta and the butterfly sanctuary. It is surprisingly somehow in the middle of town but on a farm and accessible only by a really bad road. Our bus makes it and then it is time to wait for the guide as we are about one hour late and he is gone with another group.
Therefore we have time to explore the area. The butterfly enclosure is one looong house and nearby is a moth white sheet but with no moths unfortunately.
We have fun however when a group of geese passes us by and very loudly make their presence known. And then the guide comes and gives a short introduction to the life cycle of butterflies and we get to hold both cocoons and caterpillars, which really do their best to escape from our grasp.
Inside there is a loop walk and there are many local butterflies as the sanctuary prides itself on growing only local ones and not importing any non-native ones.
The most beautiful butteflies are the most hidden ones or so it seems. We are surprised to learn that even some butterflies so far south are actually hibernating through the winter due to the lack of food.
Before leaving we have a bit more time to explore the grounds, there is a nice lake nearby with some interesting dragonflies. And on the ground is a small green iguana, it is quite wary of us and runs away as soon as it spots us. And then it is time to return to the hotel for what we assume is a few hours of relaxation before the presentations begin….but it doesn’t happen that way unfortunately due to some unexpected surprises with our car rental.
