The exotic customs of Xishuangbanna (1)

Number of days：6 days
Time: February
Average cost: 9,000 yuan
With whom：parents and children
Updated: 2024.02.25

The Spring Festival is a particularly important traditional festival for the Chinese people. During this festival, the vast majority of Chinese people return to their hometowns and families, where generations of families reunite and enjoy a happy and harmonious time. This Spring Festival, however, we did the opposite. We left our hometowns and families and traveled thousands of miles to a strange place - Xishuangbanna, to spend an unfamiliar but bustling Spring Festival.

The locals in Xishuangbanna do not celebrate the Spring Festival. Their most important traditional festival is the Water Splashing Festival, which takes place in mid-April each year. However, the Dai people are warm and hospitable, and they provided a holiday resort with unique ethnic characteristics for Han Chinese compatriots from all over the country. The fast-paced city life can be suffocating, anxiety-inducing, and depressing. A slower, more spontaneous journey is essential to relax and refresh our spirits. Our six-day trip to Banna covered nearly every famous tourist attraction. For convenience, we stayed in Gaozhuang Xishuangjing, close to the attractions and night market, and didn't change hotels throughout the trip. The prices of transportation and accommodation during the Spring Festival are indeed eye-catching, especially in popular cities, which are very popular.

Itinerary:

Day1: Fly from Nanjing to Xishuangbanna in the morning, arrive at the hotel at noon, afternoon: Manting Park, Zongfo Temple;

Day2: Hiking in the tropical rainforest of Mengyuan Wonderland in the morning, Manyuan Village in the afternoon

Day3: Tropical Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the morning, Dai Village in the afternoon

Day4: Wild Elephant Valley in the morning, Mekong Underwater World and Primeval Forest Park in the afternoon

Day5: Sleep and rest in the morning, Dai Village Water City in the afternoon

Day6: Mengle Grand Buddha Temple (Xishuangbanna Cultural Tourism Zone)

Day7: Fly back to Nanjing from Xishuangbanna

About accommodation:

Gaozhuang is where most tourists choose to stay. It is very close to the attractions in the city by taxi or electric bike. It is within walking distance of Xingguang Night Market and Liuguo Water Market, making travel very convenient. It's also the departure point for direct buses to major scenic spots. Gaozhuang is brimming with hotels and B&Bs, making it a prime choice for accommodation. However, holiday prices fluctuate daily, often reaching four-digit figures, four to six times the normal price. However, the service is excellent. Gaozhuang is very close to Banna's Gasa Airport, a 15-minute drive away. Hotels generally offer free airport transfers. Our departure was on the earliest flight, and the hotel helped us get a taxi at 5:00 AM, which was very nice.

About Transportation in Banna:

Gaozhuang is a scenic area filled with shops and a bustling night market. Starting at 6:00 PM, the streets are packed with people, making it almost impossible to get in or out. Every night, I'd drive back to the hotel, my feet aching from braking; a 600-meter distance takes half an hour. If you need a taxi, avoid rush hour or wait until you've left Gaozhuang. Banna is small, and the most convenient way to explore the city is by using a shared e-bike. When we couldn't get a taxi, we, having never ridden an electric scooter before, bravely swiped one and got on. We learned how to ride it in no time—immediately, it was easy and straightforward. But trouble came when returning the scooter. Banna only offers shared electric scooters, not shared bicycles. Different brands of electric scooters have different return areas, and if you're not in the return area, you'll be charged a hefty fee. There are very few return points in Gaozhuang, and some scooters don't even have one. Most shared scooter return points are located outside of Gaozhuang, making them very inconvenient. Even if we find a return point, inaccurate location tracking can result in penalty fees, and the cost of our shared scooter far exceeds the taxi fare. Gaozhuang is home to numerous rental companies, offering cars, electric scooters, and three-wheeled motorcycles. Direct buses are available to visit attractions farther from the city, but these buses are scheduled and inconvenient. Consequently, many tourists rent cars. Be wary of unscrupulous rental companies, who may intentionally damage your car and charge you for excessive repairs and lost work time. My first two days in Banna were spent visiting more distant eastern attractions. I rented a car and purchased full insurance to avoid the hassles of renting a car. At night, I could park my car for free in the hotel's designated parking lot. If you're heading to more distant attractions like Mengyuan Wonderland or Wangtianshu, don't rent an electric car; there aren't likely to be charging stations along the way. The remaining days were more concentrated, and the distances weren't too far, so we took taxis or direct buses.

Gaozhuang Night Market

About Attractions

Xishuangbanna's attractions are mainly concentrated along three routes:

Northern Route: Wild Elephant Valley, Jinuo Mountain Village, and Primeval Forest Park;

Eastern Route: Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dai Garden, Mengyuan Wonderland, and Wangtianshu;

Urban Area: Manting Park, Zongfo Temple, Dafo Temple, Shwedagon Pagoda, Xingguang Night Market, Liuguo Floating Market, and Boon Dai Disco.

Except for the western route, which has few tourists, the other routes are very popular. The eastern route is longer, so it's best to drive yourself. Direct buses have stops and time limits, so there's not much flexibility. Banna's attractions are primarily characterized by three key features: tropical rainforests, ethnic villages, and temples, attracting a large number of mainland tourists. The northern route features scenic spots like Wild Elephant Valley, the Primitive Forest Park, the Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengyuan Wonderland, and the Sky Tree, all featuring tropical rainforests. There are many ethnic villages to choose from, including Jinuo Village, Manyuan Village, Mandiu Village, and Manzhang Village. The Dai Park boasts three distinctive villages. Temples are even more numerous, with nearly every village having its own. The architectural style and scale of the temples are similar, with each featuring a central pagoda. Most are golden, though some are white or silver, creating a unique atmosphere.