Drinking Butterfly Pee in Thailand

Share with a friend

Tonight I drank butterfly pee in Bangkok, Thailand.

And I have to say, as far as pee goes, it was quite tasty. Unexpectedly sweet and not salty at all.

But then again, was it really butterfly pee?

Traveling is always a fun adventure. Both in terms of experiences and the subtle nuances of language, especially where English is involved. Because sometimes English isn’t English.

So back to drinking butterfly pee…

When presented with an option of an ordinary glass of ice green tea or a lovely vibrant purple drink in a champagne saucer, how could I not choose the purple drink?

“Colorado Hairstreak, MM” by Megan McCarty – Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Commons

Me: “What is this beautiful drink?

Server: “Butterfly juice.”

How exactly do you get juice from a butterfly? Do you use a special butterfly juicer? Or do you milk their wings? Imagine how many butterflies you have to milk to get one drink. That must take forever.

Or do you get the juice from crushing their petals?

I can’t imagine doing that or even eating butterfly petals. Are they crunchy? Or are they soft?

And what’s the difference between butterfly petals and moth petals? Other than a little color? After all, aren’t they the same thing? Both winged insects, one more spectacular than the other. The butterfly is the prom queen and the moth is the plain jane of the insect world. The same, yet different.

But it wasn’t butterfly juice. Instead, it was butterfly pee. Yep, butterfly pee.

At least that’s what the group of guys standing by the bar said when I went back for another drink about thirty minutes later.

Me: “What? You’re telling me this is butterfly pee?”

Guys: “Yes, butterfly pee. That’s what they told us.”

I wasn’t about to take their word for it. After all, I love a good laugh. So I wasn’t sure if they were trying to pull one over on me. So I asked the bartender.

Me: “What is this?”

Bartender: “Butterfly pee.”

Okay then. Butterfly pee it is.

Naturally, I had to Google it when I got back to the hotel.

It was butterfly pee.  Or more accurately, butterfly pea drink. As in a drink made from the butterfly pea flower (clitoria ternatea).  The drink is made from steeping the flowers in hot water like you would with tea leaves. And then adding sugar.  And there you have it, butterfly pee or butterfly pea drink.

And that’s how I ended up drinking butterfly pee in Thailand.

Have you drunk butterfly pea? Or any unusual drink during your travels?

Comment, tweet, or share this post.

Get the best credit card bonuses.

Follow us on Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | YouTube

Got a question? Or want help, suggestions, travel tips, learn how to travel for free, find out about travel deals, and maximize your miles and points? Use the subscription box below to sign-up and get post updates by email.

Miles and Points Strategy Consultations

Need help with your miles and points? You can book a miles and points consultation. Whether you're learning how to use travel rewards or have been in the game, this consultation is personalized for your needs. We can discuss credit cards, loyalty programs, anything and everything miles and points related.

 

Includes a summary and a written plan with recommendations on how to achieve your miles and points goals sent within 24 hours after consultation.

 

Note: This is a consultation not an award booking service.

 

Schedule your miles and points consultation now.

---

Traveling Well For Less has partnered with Your Best Credit Cards for our coverage of credit card products. Traveling Well For Less and YBCC may receive a commission from card issuers.

Capital One Venture X Business

With the Capital One Venture X Business the welcome offer is 150,000 mile bonus after spending $30,000 on purchases in the first three months.

 

My favorite perks about this card are free Capital One Lounge access, earning 2X points on all purchases, and transferring miles to over 15 travel loyalty programs.

 

Learn more about the Capital One Venture X Business and how to apply

---

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the best card to get started in the world of miles and points. It is the first card you should get to start traveling for free because the welcome offer is 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first three months.You can get up to $1,050 in Chase Travel value: the 60k points are worth $750 when booked through the Chase Travel portal. And you get up to $300 in statement credits on travel booked through the Chase portal your first year.

 

My favorite perks about this card are earning 5X points on travel when booked through the Chase portal (2X if direct purchase), 3X points on dining, $50 yearly credit on hotels booked through the Chase portal, no foreign transaction fees, and transferring points to 13 airline and hotel partners like Hyatt, United, and Southwest.

 

Learn more about the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and how to apply