Located in Yunnan Province in southwestern part of China, Xishuangbanna is famous for its mysterious tropical rainforests, wild animals and minority customs.

As the only tropical rainforest nature reserve in China, Xishuangbanna is ideal for nurturing wonderful plants and flora and is home to unusual wildlife. For many years, Xishuangbanna's fame as a natural paradise was as well known as that of the Amazon.

Dai Minority people have lived on this land for generations. The distinctive natural environment here has created unusual customs and traditions.

All over the region, even today, Dai houses can be seen. These bamboo structures raised on stilts deter floods and dangerous animals, allowing many people to inhabit one house safely, often along with all their animals too.

Hunting is still the main source of income, in conjunction with farming. In terms of culture, the Dai people dress in spectacular colours and furs, and dance and song are popular ways to pass the time.

Buddhism is the predominant religion here. Temples and pagodas with a Southeast Asian flavor are dotted about the countryside and towns, and monks, especially young male trainee boys, are a common sight, clothed in traditional orange costume, often riding motorbikes to the temple.

Jinghong, City of Dawn

The Dai ethnic minority accounts for one third of the population of Xishuangbanna, and Jinghong means City of Dawn in the Dai language. According to legend, after traveling many roads, Sakyamuni arrived at Jinghong just as day was dawning, hence its name.

Jinghong has a 158-kilometer-long water passage on the Lancang River, and is the cenAtral point of the Xishuangbanna scenic area.

In 2001, navigation lines between China, Laos, Myanmar and Thailand opened, initiating a new path to the Asia-Pacific region from Southwest China. Jinghong is now an international category-one open port on the Lancang River, and ships from Jinghong sail directly to Myanmar, Laos and Thailand.

Jinghong is also an important link between provincial capital Kunming and Thai capital Bangkok. Its airport is one China's busiest with aviation lines to most of China's large and medium-sized Chinese cities, as well as international flights to Thailand and Laos.

Jinghong is just 180 kilometers away from Northern Thailand, making it the closest land route between China and Thailand. The opening of all of Jinghong's land, water and aviation routes has made it an important frontier window bridging China and Southeast Asia.

Scenic Spots in Xishuangbanna

Menglun Tropical Botanical Garden

Located in Menglun town of Menglai county around 80km away from Jinghong city, Menglun tropical botanical garden is the largest tropical botanical garden in China. Established in 1959, the garden boasts more than 4000 species of tropical plants covering an area of 900 hectares, quite a few of which are rare elsewhere, forming a colorful botanical landscape.

The Dai Ethnic Garden

The Dai Ethnic Garden is in Ganlan basin 30km away from Jinghong city. In the garden is a natural Dai village. The villagers are all hospitable and friendly. Tourists can stay overnight in a Dai household, to receive the host and hostess' hospitality and to take part in their routine farm work. At the same time, one can view the rural scenery or visit the century-old Manchunman monastery.

The Wild Elephant Ravine

Located in the Sanchehe forest park of Mengyang nature reserve, about 50km away from Jinghong, the Wild Elephant Ravine has 70 wild elephants approximately which frequent the stream through the tropical rainforest for drinking, bathing and spraying water upon one another, hence the name "the Wild Elephant Ravine". There are "hotels in the tree", dwellings built on tree trunks for the convenience of the activity to view wild elephants.

Tourists can stay in the tree dwellings and wait for arrival of a herd of wild elephants, breath in fresh air, view the tropical rainforest, and meanwhile listen to twitter of birds and clear and melodious gurgling of the stream.

Jingzhen Octagonal Pagoda

Jingzhen octagonal pagoda is located in Jingzhen village, Mengzhe, Menghai county, around 80km away from Jinghong city. Built in 1701, the pagoda is an architectural artwork of the Dai people. The pagoda is 21 meters high, the diameter of its base being 10 meters. It is a venue for local eminent monks to convene annual meetings. It is also known for its unique architectural style.

The Garden of Ethnic Cultures

Located in Jinghong city, the Garden of Ethnic Cultures exhibits ethnic cultures of Dai, Hanis, Lahu, Jinuo, Yao, Bulang and some other ethnic groups. Through the display of articles and utensils of the house of each group, tourists may learn about their way of living, production, and customs. In the evening there are performances of ethnic songs and dances and other exciting activities, when tourists can join the lads and maids from different ethnic groups and spend a joyful and unforgettable pastime.

Manting Park

Located in Jinghong, Manting Park is also known as Chunhuan (Spring Joy) Park. It used to a royal park of DaAi kingdom. Now it becomes a park of royal palace and religious culture. Xishuangbanna general monastery and the institute of Buddhism are in the park. The park often holds royal and ethnic dance evening. Tourists may join them in singing and dancing while having typical Dai food and rice wine in the park.

Xishuangbanna Tropical Floral Garden

Xishuangbanna Tropical Floral Garden is in Yunnan Tropical Crops Research Institute covering an area of 80 hectares. In the garden are a monument to Premier Zhou Enlai and flora communities among the pools like some tropical flowers and fruits, palms and plots of lawns. There are more than 1000 species of tropical flowers and many varieties of rare flowers, and cash and rare plants. Strolling in the garden, you may discover any unique, mystery plants. Here you can not only view the fascinating tropical scenery, but see what a coffee tree looks like, hear tales about the golden mango and secrets of its fruit juice.

The Manfeilong White Pagoda

The Manfeilong White Pagoda consists of a major pagoda and eight smaller pagodas. Resembling a cluster of bamboo shoots in spring, it is known as "bamboo-shoot pagoda". Because of its white body, it is called the White Pagoda. Built in 1204, the pagoda has a long history of 800 years. It is located on a mountain top behind Manfeilong village, Damenglong town, 76km away from Jinghong city.

The cone-shaped pagoda complex on the same base has a main pagoda in the center measuring 16.9 meters in height and eight smaller ones of the same height (9.1 meters); in the southern base is a large footprint measuring 0.9 meters in length and 0.8 meters in width. It is blieved that the footprint was left by Sakyamuni when he came here for expounding sutras.

Near the pagoda is a well. It is said that Sakyamuni dAug the well by magic, so the water in it can cure some eye diseases. With a long history and profound influence, the pagoda attracts hundreds of Buddhist followers from Myanmar and Thailand, who come here for worshiping the Buddha.