Located in the south extension of the Hengduan Mountains, Xishuangbanna has over ninety-five percent of its territory occupied by mountainous and hilly areas. It is said by the Dai people that Xishuangbanna was known as Mengbanaxi in ancient time, meaning a miraculous and nice utopia. It had been a settlement where ethnic minorities live in compact communities. Thirteen minority groups have lived there for generations. Jino ethnic minority is peculiar to the prefecture.
The weather of this region features a combination of continental and oceanic climate with an annual average temperature of 18-22°C. The coldest November likes the summer in middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Therefore, Xishuangbanna is reputed as a happy land without winter. Generally, it only has two seasons. May to October is the rainy season and November to April the next year is the dry season.
The White Pagoda of Menglong
The White Pagoda of Menglong is located on the top of a small hill behind Manfeilong village, Damenglong, which is about 70 kilometers far from Jinghong. Stupa was build in 1204, the major one in the middle is 16.29 meters and eight minor ones around are 9.1 meters in height. This stupa group is very famous in Southeast Asia, there is a huge footprint in its niche, it is said was left by Buddha and very sacred to Buddhists.
Wild Elephants Valley
Xishuangbanna Wild Elephant & Nature Reserve lies at the crossroads between the eastern and western zones of the Mengyang Tourism Area, at 747–1055 meters above sea level. The reserve is made up of low hills and small hillocks, with wide valley bottoms rich in waterholes that contain enough salt to meet the biological needs of the wild Asian elephant. The wild elephant groups that roam about in the protection zone between Mengla and Mengyu are designated as National Elephants, while those that roam about inside the Mengla protection zone are designated as International Elephants, as the latter often come and go across the China-Laos border.
The Tropical Botanical Garden in Menglun
The Chinese call it the “Green Gem on the Crown of the Plant Kingdom ". Visitors can view many rare exotic and endangered plant species here; the dragon tree, the maytenwood, and the poisonous upas tree; the thirst-relieving "carriage-pole vine"; the "clock flower" that opens and closes along with the sunrise and sunset; the "dancing grass" that responds to sound; the "king lotus" which can support a seated child on the water; the "mystery fruit" able to turn sour to sweet, then sweet to sour; and the "King of Tea Trees", which authorities say is at least 800 years old; it continues to sprout, and give the flavour of its' homeland, the land of the Pu'er red tea .
Olive Grove of Menglun
Covering an area of 50 square kilometers at an altitude of 530 metres (the lowest point of Xishuangbanna), the Ganlan Basin derives its name from the fact that it's forever clothed in greenery, and that it takes the shape of an olive. A total of 64 Dai-inhabited villages are found on the Basin; bamboo huts shine in the sun amongst the coconut trees, water flows past them all the year round, and flowers bloom in all four seasons. Ganlan Basin, with its' bamboo huts hiding amongst the virgin rain forest, is a place where man lives at one with nature in timeless peace.
Mengla Tropical Rain Forest
The unique tropical climate here has created breathtaking rain forest scenery. Good communications by both land and water have been useful in developing both tourism and border trade. There is a very popular cross border tour route from Mengla to Loang Namtha, Phong Sali and Luang Phrabang in Laos, as well as into Thailand. One unforgettable experience in this area is the Sancha He Forest Park near Mengla. There is an aerial walkway about one kilometer long which connects the so-called "skygazing trees". From this vantage point, you can spot many endangered animal species - golden monkeys, wild peacocks and wild elephants.
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