China Travel

Chunhuan Park Chunhuan Gongyuanis the main home to the region's famous, annual Water Festival. The Park was once an imperial garden and following several years of restoration and extension it is now the largest park in Jinghong. Fifty meters in front of the park gate is a copper statue, commemorating Premier Zhou Enlai's celebration of the Water Festival on April 15, 1961. To the left of the statue are two banyan trees planted by a Thai Princess, symbolizing the friendship between Chinese and Thai people. Two imitation Dai-style buildings are here: the Manfeilong Bamboo Shoots Pagoda and the Jingzhen Octagon Temple. more »

Jinzhen Octagonal Pavilion Jinzhen Bajiaoting is a Buddhist landmark in Xishuangbanna. This area is home to numerous faithful adherents of Buddhism on account of its close proximity to the birthplace of Sakymuni. To pay homage to Buddha, residents here constructed a temple according to the octagonal shape of Sakymuni's golden cap in 1701. The temple is composed of three parts: the base is made from brick, the body and roof are fashioned from wood. Delicate golden pictures and patterns adorn the outer walls of the temple and inside stands an impressive golden statue of Buddha. The roof of the pavilion is an impressive eight-sectioned ten-tiered roof rising steeply to a round cupola, topped by a 4-meter-high iron pole. Copper bells hang around the roof. On the 15th and 30th of every month (Tai year), all Buddhas in Jinzhen congregate here to listen to the local eminent monk deliver h... more »

The Mandian Waterfall Park Mandian Gongyuan is arguably the most spectacular of its kind in Xishuangbanna. The waterfall is a pleasant, two and half km walk from Mandian Village. Water crashes down from the limestone edge from a height of 30 meters into a 10-meter-wide silver pool. During the rainy season, the noise created by the tumbling water is almost unbearble. On the right side of the cliff grows a huge tree, whose roots are now bare from years of erosion. Encompassing the waterfall is a virgin forest boasting tropical plants as well as various species of wild animals. This is a relaxing way to spend an afternoon, including the walk to and from the village. more »

Mange Temple stands beside the beautiful Lancang River. Eastward from Jinhong, the capital city of Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, the temple contains 16 round columns that support the Dai-style roof. Sculptures of small white elephants are carefully carved here and stand on guard at the temple eaves. Entering the gate of the temple, visitors are met with a four-meter high sculpture of "Paso" (Sakyamuni) standing on a large throne. Golden dragons, elephants, gods and peacocks are carefully painted on the temple roof and walls and colorful flags hang from each beam, embroidered with fairy tales and various animal patterns symbolizing good luck. more »

There is an old saying that if you haven't been to Olive Plain Ganlan Ba, then you haven' t been to Xishuangbanna. Exaggerated as this may be, there is an element of truth to it. The name for this area is derived from the olive-shaped land covered with dense forest of betel palms, coconut palms, oil palms and banana trees. Within the forest, you can glimpse bamboo houses on stilts and typical Buddhist pagodas. Dai girls in colorful, ankle-length sarongs and woven bamboo hats can often be seen with split-bamboo baskets and sell sweet fruits, melons and homemade produce. Hospitable villagers often invite visitors into their homes for tea. more »

The Botanic Garden of Tropical Plants redai zhiwuyuan is one of the major attractions in Xishuangbanna. Situated on Hulu Island, the garden contains 3,000 different types of plants. The area is very scenic: surrounded by rivers and mountains and housing a wealth of rare and unusual plants, trees and flowers. Dragon Blood Tree is one of the most fascinating species in the garden. Its sap is used to stop bleeding and promote blood circulation. more »

The White Feilong Pagodas feilong baita are situated on the top of Manfeilong Mountain in the town of Dankanlong in Jinghong County. There are nine, white pagodas topped with rising, golden pinnacles. The Hinayana pagodas were built in 1204 during the 56th year of the Dai calendar. Legend has it that the footprint on the primary stone in the south niche was left by Sakymuni. The sculptures, relieves and colorful paintings in the Pagodas are impressive and worth the trip out. more »

The elephant is a symbol of good luck, might and longevity to the Dai people of Xishuangbanna. The wild elephants congregate in the aptly named Wild Elephants Valley yexiang gu, at the juncture of the western and eastern part of the Menyang natural reserve. In the valley, there is an observation tower built for visitors to watch the elephants without disturbing their natural habitat. The best time to see these impressive beasts is at dawn or dusk. Currently, 300 elephants live in the dense forest of Xishuangbanna which is known locally as the "kingdom of elephants". more »