The name Xishuangbanna (Xīshuāngbǎnnà, 西双版纳) comes from the native Dai name of the region, which means "twelve thousand rice fields"—an appropriate name for an area covering nearly 20,000 sq km (7,722 sq m) of paddy fields, hills, woods and tropical rain forest.
Xishuangbanna's natural—and cultivated—beauty is its draw, along with its remote location in southern Yunnan Province, nestled against the borders with Laos and Burma (Myanmar). Home to smoky pu'er tea, a number of minority ethnic groups, numerous festivals and some of China's most striking wildlife, including elephants, peacocks, monkeys, tigers and leopards (though you're exceedingly unlikely to glimpse a rare jungle cat in their natural habitat).
In many ways, Xishuangbanna has much more in common with Southeast Asian neighbors Thailand, Laos and Burma than with Han-dominated China, and in recent years has seen a strong upsurge in tourism as foreigners and Chinese tourists alike flock to this lush corner of the People's Republic.
The main city of Jinghong is the hub from which you can see the main sights and sounds of the region. Buses run from Kunming to Jinghong daily (as well as sleeper buses) and connections from Jinghong down to Laos and Thailand via bus, plane and boat are also available.
The upsurge in tourism during the last five years has resulted in stronger ties between Xishuangbanna and Southeast Asia as well as with the rest of China. For a recent look at life in Xishuangbanna, check out Jamaican Walt Goodridge's life in Xishuangbanna.
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History
In ancient times, Xishuangbanna was legendary for farming by elephants and the practice of tattooing. The region was known as "the land that rides on the back of elephants." Xishuangbanna got its name during the Ming Dynasty .
While there is little written history to go on, Xishuangbanna has long been a place where the Dai, Hani, Yao, Bulang and Jinuo minorities live in compact communities and practice their cultures, traditional arts and customs. Historically, the chiefs of Xishuangbanna all submitted to the rule of dynasties and would pay feudal leaders with presents of tamed elephants. Xishuangbanna is unique in that even today, many of the minorities are dependant on the rain forests for all their daily needs.
Climate
The region sits at a lower altitude than most of Yunnan, and has a tropical climate with minimum temperatures around 10 °C (50°F) and maximum hovering around 26°C (79°F). The best season to visit is between January and March, when the weather isn't too hot. The rainy season runs from May to August.
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One of the highlights of traveling to as remote a place as Xishuangbanna is trying the local food. In Jinghong, Xishuangbanna's largest city, most of the Dai restaurants are found along Manting Lu (Màntìng Lù 曼听路). If you fancy some street food, grab a beer and head down to the Night Food Market to stuff your face at stalls piled high with sticky rice in banana leaves, snails, barbequed beef, eel or beef with lemongrass, spicy bamboo soup, and barbequed fish, all of which are famous Dai dishes. Or if you are craving banana pancakes and strong coffee, head over to Mei Mei Café or the Forest Café. The Forest has a good collection of books and tasty homemade food. The owner, Sarah, can also take you on insider tours of local hill tribe villages. If you fancy a plate of coconut curry, the Thai Restaurant (Tàiguó Cāntīng, 泰国餐厅) on Manting Lu serves up some authentic dishes that ensure this is a popular choice.
While in Xishuangbanna, be sure to try the region's famous pu'er tea (pǔ'ěr chá, 普洱茶). The flavor of the rounded, earthy brew comes from its process of aging, making it a favorite among many tea connoisseurs. This tea, like most others teas in China, is attributed with a number of health benefits and is generally easy on the stomach. Pu'er comes in raw and ripe varieties. Raw pu'er (shēng chá, 生茶) is aged in storage and can produce a variety of flavors depending on how long it's been aged. A Kunming tea company attempted to shortcut the process and created ripe pu'er (shú chá, 熟茶) in the 1970s. For those new to pu'er, the flavor of ripe pu'er can be smoother and more appealing.
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Jinghong, home of the Xishuangbanna municipal government, is where most people travel to and from. The city has the largest public transportation center in Xishuangbanna and connects travelers to nearby cities, towns and villages.
Getting Around
Jinghong is not very large, so bus, bike and pedicab are all very convenient means of transportation. Pedicabs are popular and especially suitable for those who plan to travel within the city. Some hotels offer bikes to rent which is a fun, cheap and efficient way to get around city. There are only three buses in Jinghong that travel to all the tourist attraction. The No. 1 bus goes by National Minorities Park. The Tropical Flowers and Plants Garden and Medicinal Plants Garden re accessible by bus No.2, and bus No.3 takes travelers to the long distance bus stations, hotels and supermarkets. Taking taxis around most of the towns in Xishuangbanna will cost no more than RMB 5 to 7.
To and From Xishuangbanna
Bus
Almost all of the destinations and towns in the Xishuangbanna region are day-trip distance from Jinghong (with the exception of Mengla, Simao, Damenglong). Buses from No. 2 Bus Station in Jinghong go to the following towns every 20 minutes starting at 7am and finish at latest by 6:30pm: Sanchahe, Ganlanba, Menglun, Mengla, Damenglong, Menghai, Menhun, Simao, Damenglong, Ganlanba, Menyang, Jingzhen. With the exception of Mengla, Simao, Damenglong (which take 4- 5 hours to get to), all other towns in Xishuangbanna will take under 2 hours to get to by bus.
Bus fares range between RMB 15 to 30. Longer bus trips leave from the Jinghong Long Distance Bus Station on Minghang Lu going to Kunming, Xiaguan (Dali), Baoshan and Ruili. The fares generally range between RMB 150 to 200 . Buses to Kunming take 11-16 hours and leave twice daily at 4pm and 7:30pm. Buses to Ruili take 40 hours and leave daily at 9am. Buses to Baoshan leave daily at noon and take 30-34 hours. Buses to Xiaguan take 18 hours and leave daily at 12:30pm. Be sure to ask at your hotel for up-to-date transportation schedules
Air
Jinghong Airport is the second largest airport in Yunnan, located just five km from the downtown. Regular flights from Jinghong service Shanghai, Chengdu and other major cities in China. There is one weekly international flight to Bangkok. The airport offers daily flights from Jinghong to Kunming, Lijiang, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Apart from daily flights to and from Kunming, the airport also operates chartered flights between the prefecture and Chengdu, Chongqing, Bangkok and some other cities. It's advisable to try and buy tickets a few days in advance. You can take city buses to the airport for only RMB 1. Arriving at the airport in Xishuangbanna, there is a RMB 4 mini bus ride into town. A taxi should cost under RMB 40. Jinghong Airport Consultation: 0691 2159 130 .
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Xishuangbanna is an area rich in cultural heritage where people of ethnic groups such as Dai and Hani live from generation to generation. The region is famous more for its culture than its nightlife, but this may change in the next few years as Xishuangbanna develops rapidly into a popular tourist destination. Still, an evening in Jinghong is not without its fair share of debauchery, whether it be karaoke or a cheesy disco. If you come at the right time of year, festivals in this region are quite playful and entertaining. Mengbala Naxi Arts Centre in Jinghong offers daily song and dance shows at 8:30pm at a steep cost of RMB 160. YES Disco in Jinghong is a place to dance, and it’s a surprisingly popular place to go on weekends to shake things up a little. Blind Massage School has an excellent reputation for one hour massages for only RMB 40 in downtown Jinghong.
Festivals and Events
The Water Splashing Festival in mid-April brings in the new year with a fresh, clean start, cleansing away the demons and grime of the old year. This three day festival begins on day one with a market day, day two with a swimming and dragon-boat racing and day three is a water fight where everyone dumps water on everyone in sight . The more drenched you get, the more luck you will have. Tan Ta Festival takes place in the last two weeks of October or November. The festival, at least to the observer, is a grand festival full of fireworks, temple ceremonies, hot air balloons and pizzazz with the general goal of bringing good luck.
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