Traveling the world on foot, self-guided tour in Xishuangbanna

by kzl3u8v5ag on 2010-04-13 18:36:53

Xishuangbanna Self-guided Tour (1)

1: Day One — Jinghong

Take an afternoon or evening flight (full price 680 yuan per ticket, plus a 50 yuan surcharge, discounts available) from Kunming to Xishuangbanna. After about 50 minutes in the air, you will arrive at the capital of Xishuangbanna Prefecture - Jinghong City. Take a minibus from the airport (10 yuan per person, every 15 minutes, 10 minutes to downtown) or a taxi (about 25 yuan) to reach the city center.

Warm reminder: The climate in Xishuangbanna is hot and humid. It's better to choose a hotel with good conditions for accommodation. Regular tourist hotels all have good facilities. Just don't pay attention to "unlicensed vehicles" and "unlicensed guides" who recommend you to stay at blacklisted hotels at so-called preferential prices. A three-star hotel costs around 200-280 yuan per room.

2: Day Two — Menglong Tropical Botanical Garden

Take a bus to Menglong Town or Mengla from the Jinghong tire factory (ticket price 15-20 yuan) to visit the Menglong Tropical Botanical Garden. On the way, you will pass through the olive dam market where you can taste fresh and delicious tropical fruits and see large areas of Dai villages. Admission fee for the botanical garden is 80 yuan. There are many plants inside the garden and it covers a large area. If you don't want to get lost, it's best to hire a Dai "sao duo li" (young girl) as a guide at the entrance, which costs 40 yuan. There are many scenic spots in the botanical garden, so make sure to bring enough film and batteries. At the entrance, there are stalls selling seedlings and seeds of various tropical plants. If interested, you can buy some as souvenirs. When returning to Jinghong city, you can taste authentic Dai snacks at night market stalls such as lemongrass grilled fish, bamboo rice, and nam prik, which have unique flavors.

Warm reminder: The Dai barbecue at Manjinglan and Mantingxiaozhai in Jinghong is very good. There is also a Thai restaurant called Caichunqing at Manjinglan if you want to try Thai cuisine.

3: Day Three — China-Myanmar One-day Tour

Scenic spots include: Jingzhen Octagonal Pavilion, China-Myanmar boundary marker, reclining Buddha, Peace Golden Pagoda, anti-drug museum, Myanmar Mengla market, and the sight of a single tree forming a forest.

I met a helpful young man when I went there, and he seemed pretty good. He helped me with all kinds of procedures, so I kept his phone number. Here, I can tell all travel-loving friends, Lao Yu 15887625982. He is always in Xishuangbanna and is not a tour guide.

Warm reminder: Due to the long distance, many scenic spots, and the need for cross-border travel, individual self-guided tours may be difficult. It is recommended to join a local travel agency's "China-Myanmar One-day Tour". The price is about 460 yuan per person (including guide services, transportation, meals, tickets, and cross-border fees). Be sure to sign a formal travel contract when joining the group.

Back in Jinghong, in the evening, you can visit the "Night Market Street" next to the hotel. The street is lined with stalls selling various Southeast Asian souvenirs and jewelry, especially favored by women. You can also visit the handicraft street near Bai Xiang Lake, where there are many ethnic characteristic items sold, including Burmese jade. Or you can go to the newly built "Xishuangbanna Riverside Park". As night falls, the whole riverside park becomes lively with music and water splashing games, creating a vibrant world and experiencing the "City of Dawn" that never sleeps.

4: Day Four — Wild Elephant Valley, Forest Park

Rent a car in the city to go to the Wild Elephant Valley Forest Park, costing about 50-80 yuan. The Wild Elephant Valley attracts many tourists with its unique primeval forest scenery and Asian wild elephants. Entrance fee is 65 yuan. Inside the park, there are wildlife observation stations, butterfly farms, and elephant training performances. Taking the rainforest sightseeing cable car requires an additional fee of 40 yuan one way, 60 yuan round trip. In the afternoon, return to Jinghong and take a 5-yuan taxi to visit the flower garden. Entrance fee is 40 yuan, participate in viewing tropical flowers and fruits.

Then, you can go to the fruit market or the nearby Lucky Fruit Shop opposite the Xishuangbanna Vocational and Technical College to buy some fruit to take home. Return to Kunming by plane in the evening.

Warm reminder: The climate in Xishuangbanna is hot. The best travel season is from December to April each year. For those who fear the heat, this period has a relatively cooler climate in Xishuangbanna. Xishuangbanna belongs to a border area.