Buwakan ni Alejandra

Buwakan ni Alejandra (buwak is Bisaya for “flower”), Cebu’s newest pride and a must-see for flower lovers, is known as the “Little Tagaytay of Cebu.” Located in a mountainous barangay in Balamban town, it features a vibrant, 740 sq. m. flower garden on a mountainside which had its soft opening last May 8, 2017.

This breathtaking and charmingly peaceful attraction, BNA for short, is located along the scenic Transcentral Highway.  It was named after Alejandra Bacos, the mother-in-law of barangay councilman Eleuterio Gentapa who is the flower gardens’ landscaper.  He is also the chairperson of the Committee on Tourism of Brgy. Gaas.

Gorgeous and Instagram-worthy, its stunning landscape is home to more than 200 varieties of colorful, locally grown flowers.  Unlike the celosia flower farms in Sirao, this botanical garden takes pride in colorful varieties of dahlia.

Check out “Sirao Garden”

Other flowers planted include roses, hibiscus (gumamela), sage, hygrangeas, morning glory, wax begonias, angel’s trumpets, bougainvillas, etc.

Spider Flower (Cleome Hassleriana), native to southern South America in Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and southeast Brazil, it has also been introduced to South Asia, including the Haor area of Bangladesh and India. It is an annual growing to a height of 150 cm. (60 in.), with spirally arranged leaves. The leaves are palmately compound, with five or seven leaflets, the leaflets up to 12 cm. (5 in.) long and 4 cm. (2 in.) broad and the leaf petiole up to 15 cm. (6 in.) long.

Planted at the center are dozens of pink-colored flowers called Spider Flower (Cleome Hassleriana) which look like birthday cake candles.

The author amidst a bed of Spider Flowers (Cleome Hassleriana)

Also intriguing is nipplefruit, fox head, cow’s udder, or apple of Sodom (Solanum mammosum), a peculiar-looking plant locally known as “Mickey Mouse” plant. Adding to the charm are different shapes of floral arches.

Solanum mammosum, commonly known as nipplefruit, fox head, cow’s udder, or apple of Sodom, is an inedible Pan-American tropical fruit that is grown for ornamental purposes, in part because of the distal end of the fruit’s resemblance to a human breast, while the proximal end looks like a cow’s udder.

These could be admired from a steel boardwalk with rainbow-colored footpaths with a picturesque mountain in the background.  On average, the garden gets more tan 70 visitors on weekdays and hundreds on weekends.

The author along the rainbow-colored pathway

The garden also has a restaurant which reopened February 1, 2022 after being damaged during Typhoon Odette. Their bestsellers include soy fried chicken, quarter leg chicken barbecue, special bam-i, baraku shrimp, pork gising-gising and chicken picata.

Alejandra’s restaurant

This scenic location is perfect for pre-nuptial and pre-debut photo shoots.  Upon entering the garden, visitors must first attend an orientation.

The steel boardwalk

Smoking is not allowed in the premises and visitors should only walk along a designated trail.  They are also not allowed to pick flowers (they are also not for sale) and step in areas where flowers are planted.

Floral arches

Buwakan ni Alejandra: Transcentral Highway, Sitio Bunga, Brgy. Gaas, 6041 Balamban.  Mobile number: (0947) 358-9142, (0921) 812-9664 and (0908) 768-9379. E-mail: bna.gaas@gmail.com.  Open daily, 7 AM – 5:30 PM. Admission: Php 75 (Adult), Php 50 (Child, 6-10 years old, and Senior Citizen/PWD).

How to Get There: Located a few meters away from Adventure Café and Florentino’s Eco-Park, it is a 30-45 min drive from JY square or Marco Polo via the scenic Transcentral highway.  From the Ayala Center Terminal, take a V-hire going to Balamban via Transcentral highway route. Fare is P120 per person (one-way). Inform the driver to drop you off at Buwakan ni Alejandra.  Another option is to take a habal-habal from JY Square Mall.

Cebu Provincial Tourism Office: 3/F, East Wing, Capitol Executive Bldg., Capitol Site, Cebu City 6000. Tel: (032) 888-2328. E-mail: sugbuturismo@gmail.com.

Department of Tourism Regional Office VII: G/F, LDM Bldg., Cor. Legaspi and M.J. Cuenco Sts., 6000 Cebu City.  Tel: (032) 412-1966, (032) 412-1967, (032) 254-3534, (032) 254-6650 and (032) 254-2811. Fax: (033) 335-0245. Email: phdot7@tourism.gov.ph. Airport Office Tel:  (032) 494-7000 loc. 7548.

Cebu Pacific Air has daily flights from Manila to Cebu’s Mactan International Airport.  It also has flights from Clark (Pampanga) and Davao City.  Book via www.cebupacificair.com.