Blood and Tears Lessons from Xishuangbanna
Returned from Xishuangbanna on July 11, and I sincerely want to advise friends who haven’t set off yet: don’t act impulsively without proper planning! I stepped into quite a few traps this time, so I’ve compiled my blood and tears lessons for you. Save these tips to avoid the pitfalls!
🌡️ Climate: The weather is unbearably humid and there are tons of mosquitoes. If you wear shorts and short sleeves, your legs will be covered in bites, itching like crazy! When visiting the rainforest, make sure to wear long pants and long sleeves, and carry mosquito repellent spray with you, or you’ll be “under siege.”
🎡 Tourist Spot Tips:
• Dai Ethnic Park: It’s not very big, so don’t waste money on the sightseeing car. Walk 200 meters from the main entrance to reach the Water Splashing Square. There are two water-splashing events daily (14:00-14:40, 15:40-16:20). It’s fun, but showering afterward costs 20 RMB per person, which is quite a rip-off.
• Wild Elephant Valley: Enter through the south gate! Head straight to the elephant parade and feeding area, and bring some bananas for feeding and taking photos. Avoid the north gate—it involves a 3-hour mountain hike, and the chances of seeing wild elephants are as slim as winning the lottery.
• Zongfo Temple and Manting Park: You can visit both together. From Manting’s south gate, you can directly enter Zongfo Temple, but note that Zongfo Temple has a dress code: no off-shoulder tops or shorts, and skirts must be knee-length. Keep your Manting ticket safe, as you’ll need it for re-entry through the south gate.
📸 Photography Tips:
• Be cautious about the 199 RMB Dai ethnic photo shoots around the Gaozhuang Xishuangjing scenic area and night market! Photographers often handle multiple clients at once, and you might wait forever. The quality of the photos depends entirely on luck. Choose a reputable studio.
• Don’t trust street photographers who approach you for travel shoots. Their makeup is sloppy, compositions are careless, and photo editing is subpar—total waste of money.
• Free photo spots: Zongfo Temple, Banruo Temple, and Dai Ethnic Water Village. Wear Dai-style clothing for photos to enhance the vibe.
💦 Water Splashing Activity Tips:
• Bring waterproof phone pouches and a full set of changeable clothes. Avoid wearing light-colored or strapless outfits, and don’t wear contact lenses.
• Free water buckets are available, so arrive early to grab one; you can also bring your own for convenience.
🏨 Accommodation & Dining:
• Stay in Gaozhuang, but choose your hotel wisely—parking can be a nightmare. After a bad experience on the first day, I switched to the Muxi Xingpan Resort Hotel (Gaozhuang Starry Night Market branch). It’s great, with parking facilities and located in the heart of Gaozhuang. Highly recommended.
💡 Other Reminders:
• The “Myanmar jade” sold at night markets is mostly fake. For jade and other specialties, shop at reputable malls.
• Don’t trust roadside vendors offering cheap day tours. Many aren’t run by locals and are likely scams.
I hope everyone can avoid these pitfalls and have a great time!