9 Must-Visit Places in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan for a Six-Day Five-Night Trip
1️⃣ Guandu Ancient Town: This was the first place I visited upon arrival, as the hotel I stayed at was not far from here. I took a taxi directly. It is one of Kunming's famous historical and cultural ancient towns, with many streets inside that are home to a variety of traditional local snacks and delicacies. The saying 'Five Mountains, Six Temples, Seven Pavilions, and Eight Temples' refers to this place, which still retains many cultural architectural relics.
2️⃣ Fuxian Lake: The lake scenery is as vast as the sea and it's great for taking photos on sunny days. Along the way, you can see fields of flowers and blue skies, which perfectly showcase the essence of Spring City Kunming.
3️⃣ Mojiang Tropic of Cancer: This is where the geographical Tropic of Cancer passes through, marking the boundary between the tropical and temperate zones. It divides Mojiang into two climatic zones, with half in the north temperate zone and half in the subtropical zone. This place is also known as the 'Land of Twins,' and it is said that drinking water from the Twins' Well and sleeping in the Twins' Bed can lead to the birth of twins.
4️⃣ Wild Elephant Valley: A bridge for human communication with Asian wild elephants, located in the Mengyangzi Nature Reserve, a national nature reserve in Xishuangbanna. The Butterfly Valley inside Wild Elephant Valley is worth a visit, with a variety of butterflies 🦋, and butterfly specimens available for purchase at the exit.
5️⃣ Primitive Forest Park: It is recommended to take the electric car, as it stops at several points of interest. The rainforest is a lively place where you can watch Dai dances and participate in water-splashing activities. For the peacock release, it's best to arrive early to get a good spot, preferably in the first row for a better view. If you arrive late when it's crowded, you might not find a seat. The opening act includes a song and dance performance, and the most spectacular feature is the sight of hundreds of peacocks being released at the sound of a whistle. The underwater world of the Mekong River is also here, where you can see a variety of fish and mermaid performances.
6️⃣ Gaozhuang Night Market: The Starlight Night Market is divided into several zones, located to the east and west of the Golden Pagoda. At night, many tourists dressed in Dai costumes take photos here, as if they were in a foreign land. The large square is bustling with various vendors' goods.
7️⃣ Manting Park: Manting Park is the oldest park in Xishuangbanna. The Dai people traditionally call it 'Chunhuan,' meaning 'Garden of the Soul.' It was once the royal garden of the Dai kings of Xishuangbanna.
8️⃣ Big Buddha Temple: Showcasing the history and traditional culture of Theravada Buddhism, Mengle Great Buddha Temple was reconstructed on the site of the ancient Dai royal monastery 'Jingpiao Buddha Temple.' 'Jingpiao Buddha Temple' was built by a Dai king named Balong in memory of his deceased queen, Nansha Weibian.
9️⃣ Dianchi Lake Haigeng Park: In September, there are no seagulls, just a few white birds in the distance, unclear if they are seagulls. The scenery here is very beautiful on sunny days, suitable for strolling and cycling. Haigeng Wetland Park can be visited together, and if time allows, you can experience boating in the forest, which children will love. However, we decided to skip it when we saw the queue.
📝 Note tips:
Xishuangbanna has very strong ultraviolet rays, so be sure to protect yourself from the sun. There may be occasional rain showers, so it's a good idea to keep an umbrella in your bag. There are also quite a few mosquitoes around, so consider bringing some mosquito repellent bracelets and mosquito repellent.
Many friends traveled to Yunnan this winter. It is indeed cheaper to fly to places such as Sanya in Hainan, Yunnan, and more affordable accommodation, and there are many delicious foods. Kunming as a transit place, one of the attractions that everyone will go to is Dianchi Lake, but in addition to Dianchi Lake, there are actually many attractions in Kunming, it is worth everyone to see, such as the very distinctive Yunnan Museum, and the ancient town of Guandu near the Yunnan Museum. The current ancient town will have some commercial atmosphere, and the commercial atmosphere of Guandu Ancient Town is I have turned around, many of the ancient towns are relatively light, here live the original residents, they usually live here daily life. Walk slowly along the stone road in the ancient town, to the end, you will find two towers and Shaolin Temple, indeed Shaolin Temple not only in Henan there are Shaolin Temple here. Listening to the locals say that the ancient town will be more beautiful at night, because the lights here will be bright, and there are free performances to watch here, and I can only feel the glory of the sunset and the beauty of the sunset because of the rush of the trip. If you come to Kunming like me, As a transit, the ancient town of Guandu may wish to come here to see.
It was raining when I was shopping midway through the streets. Stopped for some pastry stuffed with rose and xuanwei ham on this foggy day. It turned out to be too sweet for my taste. Nevertheless, the shop seems to be popular with the locals, with loads of them crowding around it. There are also many eateries located at the end of the street selling drinks, fried rice and BBQ skewers, etc.
Guandu Ancient Town is also a walled building in Guandu District, Kunming. It is a one-stop place to eat, drink and play, especially Kunming special rice noodles, all kinds... It is definitely worth punching a card
Guandu Ancient Town is in Guandu District, Kunming City... Very bustling and lively, eating, drinking and having fun... Many Yunnan specialty snacks
The place is not big, but it is full of a strong religious atmosphere. There are many elderly people dancing fitness dances in the small square in front of the temple. On the stone benches around, the old people are playing cards in groups, and the atmosphere is peaceful. Leaving Guandu Ancient Town and taking the 31st road back to the hotel. It is very convenient to get off the car door to enter the hotel, less than 5 meters.