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.