How to get to Xishuangbanna from Lijiang? When is the Water Splashing Festival in Xishuangbanna?

Xishuangbanna has the only tropical rainforest nature reserve in China. It has a warm and humid climate, lush trees, tangled vines, and many rare birds and animals. It is a paradise for plants and one of the most popular places for tourists. There are also interesting attractions with ethnic characteristics. Let's enjoy them together!

Contents of this article

1. How to get to Xishuangbanna from Lijiang

2. When is the Water Splashing Festival in Xishuangbanna?

3. Where is the best place to visit in Xishuangbanna?

How to get to Xishuangbanna from Lijiang

To get from Lijiang to Xishuangbanna, you can take a bus from Lijiang Bus Station, or you can take a plane from Lijiang Sanyi Airport. You can first go to Dali and then take a bus from Dali to Xishuangbanna.

Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, located at the southernmost tip of Yunnan Province, the People's Republic of China, is an autonomous prefecture for ethnic minorities under the jurisdiction of Yunnan Province. It belongs to the tropical humid zone south of the Tropic of Cancer, connected to Jiangcheng County and Pu'er City in the east and west; adjacent to Lancang County in the northwest, and connected to Laos and Myanmar in the southeast, south and southwest respectively. It is close to Thailand and Vietnam. Xishuangbanna has the only tropical rainforest nature reserve in China. The climate is warm and humid, the trees are lush, and the vines are intertwined. Many rare birds and animals, such as Asian elephants, hornbills, peacocks, and black-crested gibbons live in this tropical jungle. Among the unique and rare plants in Xishuangbanna are the tree of heaven, the red light tree, the Yunnan nutmeg, the four-shrub tree, the yellow fruit tree, the tung tree, the meden tree, the golden cedar, and the Metasequoia glyptostroboides.

When is the Water Splashing Festival in Xishuangbanna?

The Water Splashing Festival in Xishuangbanna is held from April 13 to 15. The Water Splashing Festival, also known as the "Buddha Bathing Festival" or "Lenghe Shanghan", is a traditional festival of the Dai, Achang, Bulang, Wa, Deang, Thai-speaking peoples and Southeast Asia. On that day, people in Xishuangbanna, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia and other places in China, as well as overseas Thai settlements such as Kowloon City in Hong Kong and Zhonghe District in New Taipei City, Taiwan, get up early in the morning to bathe and worship Buddha, and then start a few days of celebrations. During the period, everyone splashes each other with pure water, praying to wash away the bad luck of the past year.

Where is the best place to visit in Xishuangbanna

1. Menglun Tropical Botanical Garden. Menglun Tropical Botanical Garden is also known as the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Locals usually call it the Botanical Garden. It is the only 5A national scenic spot in Xishuangbanna. The whole garden is divided into the West District, the East District, and the Green Stone Forest. The main attraction is the West District (which can be visited for 4 hours). The ticket price for the whole garden is 104 yuan per person. The battery car fee is 50 yuan per person for the West District and 100 yuan per person for the whole garden. The whole garden is very large, and there are preferential ticket policies for children, the elderly, and students. It is 50km away from Xishuangbanna and can be reached in 1 hour by car.

2. Dai Garden. A 4A-level scenic spot located in Ganlanba, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan Province, China. There are five well-preserved Dai natural villages in the scenic area. Since the road to the Dai Garden is under construction, you need to turn right at Wuxiang on the east route to the botanical garden. The whole journey takes about 1.5 hours. It is often combined with the botanical garden for a one-day tour. The ticket is 65 yuan, and the package ticket is 190 yuan (including tickets, tour guides, battery cars, and water splashing activities). There is a half-price discount policy for children, the elderly, and students with ID cards, but it does not include the package ticket.

3. Wild Elephant Valley. A 4A-level scenic spot, the highway from Kunming to Xishuangbanna is 30km away from Xishuangbanna, at the exit. The ticket price is 65, with discounts for children, the elderly, and students. The one-way cableway is 50, and the round-trip cableway is 70. The Wild Elephant Valley is famous for its wild elephants and elephant performances, but the probability of seeing wild elephants is very small. The 30-minute elephant show in the scenic area is quite exciting. In addition, there are pythons, lizards, butterfly gardens, and white bird gardens. It is recommended to take the round-trip cableway or not. It takes nearly 5 hours to complete the one-way cableway tour.

4. Jinuo Village. As an interesting scenic spot with ethnic characteristics in Xishuangbanna, it is highly recommended. The Jinuo people, the last single ethnic group in China, have a strong ethnic style. The Jinuo people are a nation that respects uncles. The "falling in love with a child on the back" in the 18 strange things in Yunnan comes from here. The ticket price is 160 yuan, including tickets, guides, snacks, performances, etc. It is about 30km away from the city. There is a Jinuo Tea Factory, one of the six major tea mountains in Xishuangbanna, nearby. The whole tour takes 3-4 hours, and there are many free-travel tourists.

5. Primitive Forest Park. A 4A-level scenic spot, the peacock, one of the two mascots of Xishuangbanna, is released in the Primitive Forest Park, with several performances every day. It is 10km away from the city, 20 minutes by car, and the ticket fee is 65 yuan. The battery car fee is 70 yuan for the whole journey. The main attractions are: Aini Village, Nine Dragons Flying Cloth, water splashing activities, peacock release, and valley rain forest. There will be reminders for specific arrangements when entering the scenic area. There are discount ticket policies for children, the elderly, and students with ID cards.

6. Mengle Grand Buddha Temple. A 4A-level scenic spot, located in Mannongfeng District, Jinghong City, with convenient transportation. As one of the three major scenic spots in Xishuangbanna: Mengle Grand Buddha Temple is built in Southeast Asian style and is the largest Southern Buddhism in Southeast Asia. For those who love Zen temples or are devout believers, this is a place you will never miss. Standing at the highest point of the Grand Buddha Temple, you can overlook part of the scenery of Jinghong City. The ticket price is 120 yuan, and there is a half-price discount policy for children, the elderly, and students with ID cards. The ticket includes a guide. It takes 2-3 hours to play.