Xishuangbanna, a tropical style journey

Escape the 40°C heat! In Xishuangbanna, encounter a 25°C summer Let's meet the cool secret of Xishuangbanna's tropical rainforest🧊 together! When the city is tormented by the scorching heat and the thermometer keeps rising, it feels like a merciless roasting of life, making people just want to find a place to cool down. With friends in agreement, we decided to head to Xishuangbanna for a summer getaway. Since each scenic spot is far apart and we were unfamiliar with the routes, not wanting to hassle, a dolphin-themed private car tour became our top choice. We chose a gold medal driver-guide mainly for peace of mind. First stop: [Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences] Departing from Pu'er, we quickly arrived at the first stop, the Tropical Botanical Garden. We followed the guide’s itinerary throughout, which clearly marked must-see spots like the Exotic Flowers Garden, Palm Garden and Dancing Grass, giant Victoria water lilies, and an efficient route to avoid backtracking. Seeing is believing—previously, I often saw posts about aquatic plant exploration and exotic flower appointments here, and it truly lived up to the hype. The most impressive was the clock flower that opens and closes on time, as precise as a clock. We also saw tree waterfalls🌳, flowers🌸 that felt like porcelain, acid ants🐜 (the ant-on-tree dish really uses ant eggs), and vines used by the Dai people for door curtains... all eye-opening. Second stop: [Manting Park] If the botanical garden showcases nature’s craftsmanship, Manting Park, with over 1300 years of history, is a living, three-dimensional painting of Dai history and culture. As the former royal garden of the Dai King of Xishuangbanna, every corner here is steeped in rich cultural heritage. Unlike the pure natural shock of the botanical garden, Manting’s charm lies in its harmonious cultural landscape: ancient buildings blending with lush vegetation. The magnificent Dai-style Buddhist temple, exquisite octagonal pavilions, and the solemn Dai King’s palace ruins are nestled among towering ancient trees and blooming greenery. Honestly, I highly recommend doing a bit of homework before entering to understand the historical background. Otherwise, rushing in blindly will likely only let you see the spectacle without understanding the buildings or stories! Fortunately, our guide gave us a briefing on the way, explaining the Dai King and the royal garden’s origins. With this foundation, seeing the splendid temples and the Dai King’s parade performance inside felt completely different—you can really appreciate the details! Of course, besides admiring the architecture and scenery, you can also encounter elephants and catch the Dai King’s parade performance, depending on your interests. Those interested in the parade can wait at the Dai King’s palace at 10 a.m. Third stop: [Wangtian Tree Scenic Area] This was the best experience of the trip and my personal favorite. Our guide enthusiastically introduced the scenery along the way: rubber plantations, Dai bamboo houses, and the story of how Wangtian Tree Scenic Area transformed from a primitive forest to a protected area... These little stories made the journey less tiring. Thanks to the guide’s experience, knowing there would be a lot of walking inside, he reminded us early not to bring too much baggage. We happily entrusted him with our big and small bags and miscellaneous items. He was incredibly thoughtful, preparing mosquito repellent for us in advance and repeatedly urging us to apply enough. With him as our “logistics chief” outside, we could relax and enjoy the area without worries! Stepping into Wangtian Tree Scenic Area, a cool breeze greeted us, sharply contrasting with the outside heat. The most stunning sight was being surrounded by overwhelming greenery. The Wangtian trees are incredibly tall, their trunks seemingly piercing the clouds, with leaves spreading out like giant sleeves filtering the hot air repeatedly, and the breeze that falls carries coolness. We even tried hugging one Wangtian tree—it was so huge that one person couldn’t wrap their arms around it. The most thrilling experience was the aerial walkway. This corridor is over 500 meters long, with the highest point 36 meters above the ground. When stepping on the first steel plate, my legs really felt weak, especially at the highest section—I dared not look down, my heart was in my throat. But after steadying myself, it felt much better. After descending from the aerial walkway, we continued exploring deeper into the rainforest along the Philip Trail. Here we truly saw the “codes” hidden in the tropical rainforest: huge buttress roots firmly supporting the trees like table legs emerging from the ground; strangler figs coiling around other trees, vividly illustrating nature’s competition rules. Compared to the botanical garden and ancient park, this place’s primitive, wild, and mysterious landscape better matched my imagination of a tropical rainforest. It was definitely worth the trip. After the tour, sitting in a cozy little local eatery filled with life, enjoying a warm and authentic Dai meal soothed my stomach and was the most comforting and satisfying end to the journey. The taste is truly unforgettable. Next time anyone comes to Yunnan, I highly recommend trying a private car tour for peace of mind!