10 Days in Xishuangbanna

The airport is about 6 km out; see the 66-metre Golden Pagoda at dusk and work the night market from 19:00. Two weeks before the April 13-15 Water-Splashing Festival, book rooms early — prices climb fast.

1. xishuangbanna gaozhuang xishuangjing
2. xishuangbanna mekong star night market

70 km and 1 hour from Jinghong; founded in 1959 over 11.25 square kilometres with 13,000-plus species, entry about 80 yuan. With a full day here, add the east-side Green Stone Forest before the 18:00 last shuttle.

1. xishuangbanna menglun botanical garden

Same corridor, two stops — the valley 35 km out, the Jinuo village 25 km. Roughly 300 wild Asian elephants roam the prefecture; the Jinuo were recognised as China's 56th ethnic group in 1979, and village tickets usually include lunch.

1. xishuangbanna wild elephant valley
2. xishuangbanna jinuo village

South to Ganlanba, 35 km, for five stilt-house villages around the 1,400-year-old Manchunman temple and its daily splashing show. Loop back to the Primeval Forest Park, 8 km north of town, for the peacock release about 16:00.

1. xishuangbanna dai garden
2. xishuangbanna primeval forest park

About 170 km and 2.5 hours by expressway to Mengla. The canopy corridor hangs 36 metres up in 500-metre spans among Parashorea trees that reach 70-80 metres; stay in Mengla county town and try the local sour fish.

1. xishuangbanna wangtianshu

Return to Jinghong by midday (2.5 hours), then keep it gentle — Manting Park, a royal garden for 1,300-plus years, and neighbouring Zongfo Temple sit 15 minutes from the centre, with the evening Dai show if you still have energy.

1. xishuangbanna manting park
2. xishuangbanna zongfo temple

A slow Jinghong day — the prefecture ethnic museum (free, closed Mondays), the Dafo complex south of town finished in 2007 near a former royal temple site, then the tropical flower garden on the west side. Rainy-season note, May to October, carry repellent between the three stops.

1. xishuangbanna ethnic museum
2. xishuangbanna mengle dafo temple
3. xishuangbanna tropical flower garden

West to Menghai county (about 1 hour), then south to Daluo, 130 km from Jinghong, on the Myanmar border. The single-tree forest is a banyan over 1,000 years old; Mengjinglai, the "first Dai village by the border", lies minutes away. Overnight in Menghai town.

1. xishuangbanna dushu chenglin
2. xishuangbanna mengjinglai

Morning among Menghai's tea slopes — the modern heartland of Puer tea. In the afternoon ride the China-Laos railway from Xishuangbanna station to Puer, about 50 minutes; honestly labelled, the next two days are in the neighbouring prefecture. Overnight in Puer.

1. xishuangbanna menghai tea country

Sun River park, about 38 km from Puer town, walks forest boardwalks with red pandas in rescue-care enclosures; the Puer tea expo garden lies 30 km south on Yingpan mountain. From Puer station the railway runs back to Jinghong in 50 minutes — or leave directly north.

1. xishuangbanna puer sun river park
2. xishuangbanna puer tea expo