Xishuangbanna 西双版纳
Tropical south – Dai villages, rainforest and wild elephants.
Yunnan's tropical south, on the Mekong near Laos and Myanmar. Warm all year round – a welcome contrast to the cool mountains of the north.
What to see
Jinghong and the Mekong 景洪·澜沧江
The capital of Xishuangbanna lies on the Lancang River – the Mekong. Palm-lined streets, Dai temples and the riverside night market at Gaozhuang give it a Southeast Asian feel.
- About 3–3.5 hours by high-speed train from Kunming, or 1 hour by plane.
Tropical Botanical Garden 中科院西双版纳热带植物园
The Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden at Menglun covers a whole river island, with thousands of plant species, rainforest trails and giant water lilies. A great half or full day for anyone who loves nature.
Wild Elephant Valley 野象谷
A protected rainforest area north of Jinghong where wild Asian elephants live. A walkway through the treetops and a cable car let you look for elephants and other wildlife – with some luck you will see them at a waterhole.
Dai Villages 傣族村寨
In the Ganlanba area, Dai families still live in wooden houses on stilts surrounded by banana and betel palms. Visit a village temple, see how the Dai make paper or weave, and taste sour-spicy Dai cooking.