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Why Xishuangbanna is special
Xishuangbanna is a subtropical land of natural beauty and vibrant ethnic
customs.
Interesting insights
about Xishuangbanna
 It is
inhabited by over a dozen ethnic groups, including the Dai, Bulang, and Hani..
Top on
most tourist lists is visiting the Dai villages (see photo) and attending their
cultural events (which include ethnic dancing and singing).
Other
popular Xishuangbanna attractions include the subtropical botanical gardens, the
unspoiled rain forests (where wild elephants, leopards and Bengalese tigers
roam), the White Pagoda of Manfeilong, and the Octagonal Pavilion of Jingzhen.
Xishuangbanna tidbits
The
internationally renowned Dai Water Splashing Festival takes place in mid April
for three days. It has lively activities, including:  Dragon
boat racing. People
splashing water liberally over each other to bring them good luck. Young
unmarried women tossing a special pouch to the object of their affections (works
sort of like a valentine card).
Xishuangbanna
means "12,000 rice paddies".
Xishuangbanna lies along the Myanmar (Burma) and Laos borders.
"Banna"
is Xishuangbanna's unofficial nickname.
Tips for your
vacation tour or trip
In
summer, do your sightseeing in the morning or late afternoon. It can become hot
and humid during the middle of the day.
The dry
season runs from mid Fall to early spring. The heaviest downpours occur during
the summer months.
Best to
visit authentically traditional Dai villages, not those fashioned for tourists.
Nearest major city
Jinghong, the central and main city of Xishuangbanna, is about 550 kilometers
(330 miles) south of Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province. The trip takes
twenty hours by bus, one hour by plane.
Pronunciation guide
Xishuangbanna:
shee-shwahn'g-bahn-nah
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