Located within the broader area of Ganlanba, or the "Olive Plains", the Ganlanba Dai Minority Park (Gǎnlǎnbà Dǎizú Mínzú Yuán, 橄榄坝傣族民族园) consists of five villages who chose to throw in their lot together and turn themselves into a bustling tourist park promoting the local Dai culture.
Inside you'll find lots of traditional-style buildings (though newly built) and colorful Dai costumes at every turn. Large performance areas for dance and "cultural shows," plus three daily "Water Splashing Festivals" ensure it stays more Disneyland than Dai village. While you're unlikely to feel transported into a genuine enclave of daily Dai life (wandering the streets and coconut plantations beyond the park's walls is a better bet for that), it is a quick and easy way to soak up a little of the lively (but wet) celebrations that traditionally only take place once annually (in mid-April), whenever you happen to be passing through.
The Water Splashing Festival, or Pōshuǐ Jié (潑水節), marks the arrival of the Dai New Year and is celebrated by Dai people across Xishuangbanna and neighboring Laos, Thailand and Burma. People splash water on each other as a sign of respect and to wash away the old year but being a festival that takes place in the toasty climate of southeast Asia, splashing quickly turns to soaking—you'll need to stand back or be prepared to get drenched. This is no less true at the Dai Minority Park where residents and visitors alike leap into the central fountain with gay abandon and, armed with colorful plastic buckets, proceed to soak eachother and anyone within splashing distance. Take a spare set of threads so you can really get in on the action. Water pistols optional.
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