"Visiting A Multi-Million Dollar Private Garden With Michel Lhuillier”

Today, our family was fortunate to visit and have an exclusive tour of Cebu Safari And Adventure Park and a brand new, multi-million dollar, private garden. Our guide on the journey was none other than, Señorito, Michel Lhuillier (owner of M. Lhuillier Pawnshops) who is the founder of both the Safari and Private Garden. The journey was filled with challenges and unforeseen circumstances that made it very interesting and in the end fulfilling. The day started with an early rise, shower, and packing. There was a lot to do before we left! We had to prepare Cora’s things to make sure she was comfortable and secure with us during this adventure as well as our things to ensure a successful trip. After everything was prepared properly, we departed from the house.  It was a foggy, rainy and somewhat chilly (for the Philippines) start to the day and as we walked to the car, one couldn’t help but notice the dew on the grass shining as sunlight occasionally peaked its way through the storm clouds above. The billowing clouds gave us a feeling of uncertainty as they rolled gently in the sky. We hoped the rain would stop as we were meant to attend a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new garden mentioned above but the rain showed no signs of slowing. On our journey to meet the convoy of cars headed north, we realized there was a small amount of fuel left in our gas tank and our vehicle was listing to a little towards one side which required us to stop and fuel up and fill the depleted tired with air. After our final preparations had been met, we took off down the slippery, motorcycle-filled road. To our surprise, the convoy left without us! This was understandable as we were late. Making our way through the rain, fog, and slick roads, we meandered our way towards the mountain in Carmen, Cebu. This mountain was host to Cebu Safari And Adventure Park which is home to over 1,000 animals comprised of over 120 different species and is considered to be the largest zoological park in all the Philippines. On the drive you can expect to see many things; the jeepney drivers speeding through their routes, the families of 3 or 4 riding on a single motorcycle, marvelous views of the Pacific Ocean on the right, and mysterious mountains with seemingly endless peaks on the left.



----- As we made our way past the fruit stands, ocean views, and limitless ocean-front properties, we entered the city of Carmen. Carmen has a population of a little under 60,000 people and is known for its fiesta every August 28th which, in honor, celebrates St. Augustine of Hippo (a theologian and philosopher). Carmen is also home to Michel Lhuillier’s, Cebu Safari, And Adventure Park. As you drive through the city you will see a giant sign which arches over the road and signals visitors to take a left if you want to visit the park. Once you turn onto the mountain road it’s about a 15-20 minute drive until you reach the Safari Base Camp. But be careful on the drive because the roads are often slippery and slightly narrow. After we climbed the mountain road we finally made it to base camp.  It was at base camp where we met up with Señorito Michel Lhuillier. We then rode together in his bus and talked briefly about the events ahead. We came to a stop at the entrance to the new garden. We were the first ones to enter the garden as he wanted to check everything before the French Ambassador arrived for the ribbon-cutting ceremony later that evening. The rain continued but began to slow. We took this as a good sign and started to film for our vlog, “Pamilya Abilla” (YouTube). We were then toured by Michel Lhuillier while walking the steep yet accessible pathways across the garden. We talked with Señorito about what plants were in the garden, what features made it unique, and if it was accessible to park-goers. After learning that there were single plants in this garden that are worth more than a car, a giant waterfall, multiple aquariums with exotic fish, and that this was all free for visitors of the park to experience, we determined that this place was one of a kind and there was nothing like it in Cebu and probably the entire Philippines.



The plants in the garden consisted of imported fauna from across the planet, including; cacti from Mexico, 250,000 peso ferns, and the largest collection of orchids in all of Asia. The garden took many years to complete with experts flying in to assess the location and give advice on how to proceed. The feature that stood out the most to us was a 50+ foot waterfall that cascaded down the mountainside in the middle of the garden and fed into a giant aquarium that housed several different kinds of catfish, arapaima, and many other exotic fish species. With the expert advice and financing of one of the Philippines' wealthiest businessmen, the new garden feature at Cebu Safari And Adventure Park should be an overwhelming success and a joy to anyone who visits. Truly a beautiful location.  Overall, the new garden is great for families, locals and foreigners alike would enjoy this place. We would highly recommend visiting if you have extra time and are looking for a safe yet unique adventure. Most importantly for us was that our baby, Cora had a great time and was completely safe the whole trip. There were also several food options to help sustain your energy while you walked along the pathway and the bathrooms were not only aesthetically pleasing but also top-notch in quality as well. If you want to find out more information on this trip and how to book a trip, you can check out our vlog, which had all the info you’ll need: We hope you found our stories interesting or helpful in any way as our blog is all about sharing our life with YOU, so be sure to Upvote, follow and comment if you enjoyed reading or watching our content. **Our Social Media** [Pamilya Abilla - Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/PamilyaAbilla/) [Pamilya Abilla - Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/pamilyaabilla/) [Pamilya Abilla - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8rEUBRN_jolCH0MqEc2_HA)