Beautiful buildings in ancient temples in Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, China.

Xishuangbanna Region

North of Myanmar and Laos, Xishuangbanna (西双版纳, Xīshuāngbǎnnà) is the Chinese approximation of the original Thai name of Sip Sawng Panna (12 Rice-Growing Districts). Better known as Bǎnnà, the area has become China’s mini-Thailand, attracting tourists looking for sunshine, water-splashing festivals and jungle treks. Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, as it is known officially, is subdivided into the three counties of Jinghong, Menghai and Mengla.

Best Things to Do

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Tropical Botanical Garden
Xishuangbanna Region
Lovely tropical gardens – the largest botanic gardens in all China – with many rare plant species and decent English and Latin signage. Don't miss the…
Tropical Flower & Plants Garden
Xishuangbanna Region
This terrific botanic garden, found west of the town centre, is one of Jinghong’s better attractions. Admission gets you into a series of gardens where…
White Bamboo Shoot Pagoda
Xishuangbanna Region
Surrounded by bamboo stands and rubber plantations, this pagoda dates back to 1204 and is Damenglong’s premier attraction. According to legend, the pagoda…
Octagonal Pavilion
Xishuangbanna Region
On the outskirts of the village of Jingzhen (景真, Jǐngzhēn), about 14km west of Menghai, is the Octagonal Pavilion, first built in 1701. The original…
Dai Minority Park
Xishuangbanna Region
This was once the part of Menghan that everyone in this region came to experience, primarily for its classic temples and Dai families hosting visitors in…
Black Pagoda
Xishuangbanna Region
Just above the centre of town is a Dai monastery with a steep path beside it leading up to the Black Pagoda – you’ll notice it when entering Damenglong…

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Attractions

Top picks from our travel experts

The 15 best things to do in Xishuangbanna: food and culture in China's little corner of Southeast Asia

Curated by Stephen Lioy

Tropical Flower & Plants Garden
Xishuangbanna Region
This terrific botanic garden, found west of the town centre, is one of Jinghong’s better attractions. Admission gets you into a series of gardens where…
Dai Minority Park
Xishuangbanna Region
This was once the part of Menghan that everyone in this region came to experience, primarily for its classic temples and Dai families hosting visitors in…
White Bamboo Shoot Pagoda
Xishuangbanna Region
Surrounded by bamboo stands and rubber plantations, this pagoda dates back to 1204 and is Damenglong’s premier attraction. According to legend, the pagoda…
Jinghong Night Market
Xishuangbanna Region
All manner of Dai and Yunnan eats are on display in the centre of this redeveloped east bank complex, and the market is close to the riverbank where…
Octagonal Pavilion
Xishuangbanna Region
On the outskirts of the village of Jingzhen (景真, Jǐngzhēn), about 14km west of Menghai, is the Octagonal Pavilion, first built in 1701. The original…

Articles

Latest stories from Xishuangbanna Region

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The annual Water Splashing Festival of the Dai ethnic minority falls during the New Year celebrations of the Dai Calendar. It is the most important festival observed by the Dai ethnic people of Xishuangbanna Prefecture. It involves three days of celebrations that include sincere, yet light-hearted religious rituals that invariably end in merrymaking, where everyone ends up getting splashed, sprayed or doused with water.

Activities

The 15 best things to do in Xishuangbanna: food and culture in China's little corner of Southeast Asia

Jan 10, 2022 • 6 min read

Here are the best things to do in Xishuangbanna prefecture, Southwest China's hub for travelers looking for a longer overland journey in Southeast Asia.