.jpg)
Xishuangbanna, shortened to Banna, is located in the southernmost tip of Yunnan Province. Bordered by Myanmar and Laos in the east, south and west, with the length of the border line up to 966.3 km, Xishuangbanna is the major passageway to Southeast Asia. The climate of the region is warm and humid, so it is home to the Asian elephants and many other tropical wildlife. It has the only tropical rainforest nature reserve in China. Xishuangbanna is also noted for its distinct culture of the Dai ethnic minority group, which had more Thai than Chinese influence. The ethnic villages, tropical plants and free roaming wildlife make Xishuangbanna one of China's hot tourist city. You may experience the well-known Water-Splashing Festival if you travel to Xishuangbanna during April.
Attractions
Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden
Located in Menglai county, about 80 kilometers away from the prefectural seat Jinghong, it is a large, state-level 5A rainforest and botanical garden. The garden preserves over 13,000 species of tropical plants which has the riches plant diversity in China. It is a great place for relaxing walks, picnics and more.
Jingzhen Octagonal Pavilion
Jingzhen Octagonal Pavilion is located on the Jingzhen Mountain 14 km west of Menghai county and 67 km away from Jinghong. Octagonal Pavilion was built in 1701 in honor of Sakyamuni, the founder of Buddhism. It is a venue for local eminent monks to attend religious events and ceremonies. It is also known for its unique architectural style which imitates the shape of Sakyamuni’s hat.
Wild Elephant Valley
Wild Elephant Valley is a protected habitat for about 70 to 100 wild elephants in Xishuangbanna. The Asian elephant groups roam about in the valley most often and frequently. If you lucky enough, you can get a view of wild elephants bathing, playing water or seeking for food from the viewing platforms. Insider tip: it is said that the wild elephants are more likely to appear at dawn or dusk.
Ganlanba
Ganlanba (Olive Dam) is in the southwest Xishuangbanna. With an elevation of 530 meters above the sea level, it’s the lowest point and the hottest area of Xishuangbanna. In this beautiful small town, you can see typical Dai bamboo cabins, Dai ethnic villages, Buddhist temples, tropical plants and colorful fruits. In the Morning Ganlanba bazaar, here ethnic people sell delicacies, food, clothes, and souvenirs in their colorful traditional costumes in the market.
Transportation
By Air
Xishuangbanna Gasa International Airport is located in southwest of Jinghong, and is also the second international airport in Yunnan province. At present, there are domestic flights to Kunming, Dali, Lijiang, Chongqing, Shanghai, Tianjin, and international flight to Bangkok. It takes less than one hour to fly from Kunming to Xishuangbanna.
By Bus
There are frequent buses that depart from Kunming Southern bus station for Jinghong daily. They cost 220-260 yuan, depending on the coach quality. The journey takes approximately 9 hours through the express way.
Food
Xishuangbanna’s wide selection of local fruits, vegetables, meats and grains is the main source of Dai cuisine, which is famous in Yunnan. Dai cuisine is spicy and sour, similar in some ways to Thai cuisine. One of the things to do in Xishuangbanna is go to the Jinghong night market where vendors offer delicious street food.
Shopping
Puer tea is very famous in China and one of the specialties you mustn’t miss when you travel to Xishuangbanna. Other local items include silver ornaments and jewelry, handcrafts, coffee, tropical fruits, medicinal herbs and more, all of which are much sought after. Ganlanba Market is a great place for doing shopping. There is also a newly built Thailand Avenue which is a large open market filled with Thai themed stores and several bars with live music at night.
Festival
Water Splashing Festival is the biggest festival in Xishuangbanna to celebrate and welcome the coming of the new year. It falls on April 13-16 and it lasts almost a week. People all get together to splash water onto each other meaning good luck. The festival now becomes more and more popular and attracts tourists who want to experience the unique culture of Dai people.
Best Time to Visit
Xishuangbanna is very warm and humid. The lowest temperature is 16℃ in January. It’s suitable to travel to Xishuangbanna all year round. If you are prepared to get soaked at the Water Splashing Festival, of course you should come in mid-April.