Walk into the "Water Village" in Xishuangbanna. The sunshine at 21 north latitudes penetrates the clouds, and this border village with the heart of a tropical rainforest welcomes every traveler eager to escape from the bustling city.

Beautiful scenery of suspension bridge in Wangtianshu scenic spot.

An ecological picture of all things living in harmony

Thanks to the special climate, Xishuangbanna has the largest well-preserved tropical rainforest ecosystem, and it is known as the "Emerald in the Desert Belt of the Tropic of Cancer". There are thousands of creatures in the rainforest. It only accounts for 1 out of 500 of the country's land area, sheltering more than 750 species of wild animals and more than 5,000 kinds of higher plants.

Visitors can go deep into the Wild Elephant Valley and observe the wild Asian elephants strolling in the primitive forest at close range. Or visit Jinuo villages, experience the original ecological activities such as hiking, wading, and drifting in the rainforest, and feel the ancient wisdom of co-existence between human beings and nature.

Xishuangbanna Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Stepping into Xishuangbanna Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, more than 13,700 kinds of tropical plants are growing in a huge park of 1,100 hectares. In 39 special parks, you can see exotic flowers and trees and enjoy the wonders of the rainforest. At the end of spring and the beginning of summer, tens of thousands of fireflies echoed with the starry sky, emitting faint fluorescence as if falling into a fairyland on Earth. When autumn leaves and winter comes, all kinds of rare birds will be stationed here, making it a "paradise" for numerous bird enthusiasts to observe.

Pluralistic and inclusive inheritance

Xishuangbanna is home to  12 ethnic groups, including the Dai, Jino and Hani, and its ethnic culture is vibrant and diverse. In Jinuo villages, tourists can learn tree climbing skills and participate in bamboo rice making; Hani villages are famous for their tea-picking, tea-making and tea-baking culture. Visitors can personally experience the whole process of tea from picking to drinking. In addition, many local villages have introduced artists and entrepreneurs through the mode of "sojourning+," which has promoted the integration of intangible cultural heritage skills (such as Dai brocade, slow-wheel pottery making, and Dai handmade paper making) with modern life and given new vitality to traditional culture.

Manyuan Village Dai papermaking experience courtyard.

A culinary carnival of the urban charm

The cuisine in Xishuangbanna is centered on Dai flavor, and it has both Southeast Asian customs and wild interests in mountains and forests. Whenever night falls, Gaozhuang Xingguang Night Market offers countless food stalls, fruit stalls, and barbecue stalls, a feast that you cannot resist. The smoke of Dai barbecue roses conquers diners' taste buds with the series of citronella grilled fish, pineapple rice, and Baoshao. Menghai roast chicken is made of Chahua chicken, which is free-range raised in a tea forest. Its skin is crisp, the meat is tender, and it has an endless aftertaste from the secret dipping sauce. Special dishes such as fish in sour soup, bamboo rice and fried meat with plantain flowers combine the freshness of tropical ingredients with the uniqueness of ethnic seasoning, and have become a "local flavor" that tourists must taste.

In addition to the sour, sweet, bitter, and spicy taste, there is another kind of taste that should not be missed—Pu'er tea. Xishuangbanna is one of the origins of Pu'er tea. The tea has been fragrant in the ancient tea mountain for thousands of years, with each leaf growing on different mountains tasting different, and the taste is endless.

Journey to the Secret Land of Water and Rhyme

The scenic spots in Xishuangbanna are linked by "water", connecting natural wonders and human landscapes in series.

Taking a boat trip to the Lancang River, the "Oriental Danube," not only can you feel the grandeur of the roaring river but also appreciate the pastoral poetry of Dai villages along the coast. Wangtianshu Scenic Area in Mengla County, with Nanla River as the core, takes a boat through the waterways of the tropical rain forest, and towering ancient trees and vines on both sides are intertwined, just like the jungle in across the Amazon. The "air corridor" in the scenic spot hangs high among the trees and looks up to the sky, with the winding Nanla River at the foot, forming a unique experience of three-dimensional viewing by water, land, and air.

Tourists experience "Celebrating the Water Splashing Festival Every Day" in the Xishuangbanna Dai Garden Scenic Area.

Every year in mid-April, the lively, cheerful and free Water Sprinkling Festival attracts an increasing number of tourists from all over the world to gather in Xishuangbanna. The Ganlan Dam Dai Garden is a vibrant display of Dai culture, and its water-splashing square holds water-splashing activities every day, which restores the grand occasion of "Sangkang Bimai" of the Dai New Year. Visitors can wear Dai costumes, splash water with local people to pray for blessings, and experience the Millennium tradition of "splashing water and prospering Dai family".

Yunnan customs with splashing water

In 2025, the Water Sprinkling Festival is approaching, and a carnival with water as the medium will soon be held in all parts of Yunnan, spanning various ethnic groups and regions. From the tropical rain forest to the border town, the Water Sprinkling Festival is a New Year celebration of the Dai people and a life experience with a deep blend of nature and humanity.

Xishuangbanna will welcome the 1387 New Year Festival of the Dai calendar from April 14th to 16th. Visitors can go deep into the water-splashing square of Dai Garden and splash water with thousands of people. Tropical Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wild Elephant Valley, and other scenic spots will carry out activities such as hiking in the rainforest and ecological investigation, and the imperial garden of the Dai royal family in the Manting Park will stage traditional song and dance and a water lantern ceremony.

Dehong splashing water carnival scene.

The Water Splashing Festival in Dehong Prefecture is scheduled to be held from April 10th to 13th. Under the Mengjuan Pagoda in Mangshi, Dai and De'ang will jointly hold a water-splashing carnival. Visitors can participate in the ethnic song and dance parade and experience special foods such as handmade rice noodles and green leaf banquets. The "One Village, Two Countries" scenic spot in Ruili City will allow cross-border cultural interaction and the experience of different customs at the border.

In addition, Yunnan Ethnic Village, Pu'er, Lincang ... all parts of the country have joined in the carnival, integrating local characteristics into the festival, and splashing laughter and blessings on every visitor with sincere hospitality. This Millennium-spanning "water ritual" invites you to embrace Yunnan's blessings and vitality passionately.

Click here to view the Chinese report

(Editors: May, Ines)