With only four staffers left on board — a gardener, a receptionist, a tourist guide and a waitress — restoring the landscape to its original beauty when it was developed over 30 years ago is a herculean job.
However, nature has its own mysterious ways. This vast tropical garden in Papago still impresses visitors.
The driveway leading to the entrance and parking area is muddy but the lavish growth of lawn grass and vines is a welcoming sight.
Surrounding the reception booth at the entrance are bushes of local flowers and curtains of attractive orchids.
Behind the reception is the coconut house, teepee-like and made of coconuts.
The trail showcases different kinds of tropical and exotic fruits — including the cannon ball fruit which has an inviting sweet scent.
Somehow hidden in the jungle are more exotic fruits — passionfruit, cherry moya and rose apples.
The children’s playground, tree houses and picnic tables are old and no longer in use, but they add to the landscape.
Up the hill blanketed by a considerably maintained lawn grass are more citrus fruits and beds of various heleconias guarded by exotic palms.
At the very end of this paradise is a house on a centennial banyan tree.
Farther to the right is a giant coral accessible only through the 100-step concrete stairs. The top is called a “look-out,” and there, visitors can enjoy a magnificent view of Kagman village and Laolao Bay.
Receptionist May Francisco said they used to have enough staff to keep the sprawling garden in shape for the hundreds of tourists coming every day.
The botanical garden opened in 1983, a year after it was developed by Jun Sumitomo, she said.
Like other businesses on island, the garden has been affected by unfavorable economic events.
The decline in population and tourist arrivals resulted in the reduction of the garden’s workforce.
Still, the garden remains one of the island’s top attractions.
Waitress Suzette Sicat said tourists from Russia, Japan, Korea and China continue to enjoy the relaxing environment of the garden, which some health-conscious visitors even find therapeutic.
“They like the exotic fruits when served on plates and in glasses,” Sicat said, adding that most customers go back for the tropical and exotic fruit juices that include star fruit juice, soursop juice, guava juice, noni juice, star apple juice, avocado juice, papaya juice, mango juice, coconut juice and calamansi juice.
Fresh fruits are also served.
Sicat said despite their reduced staff, they will see to it that the Saipan Botanical Garden will remain the island’s front-liner in the efforts to revive the tourism industry.
