"The Beautiful Xishuangbanna" is indeed exceptionally beautiful

Finally, I made it to "the beautiful Xishuangbanna." As a child, I didn't fully understand the meaning behind the lyrics, but I often sang, "The beautiful Xishuangbanna, is there a home for me there..." After visiting, I discovered that Xishuangbanna is truly breathtaking—a beauty beyond my imagination. Xishuangbanna has so many attractions. If time allows, I’d even love to explore nearby cities. After all, whether in Yunnan or Sichuan, stunning scenery is everywhere. Since my first self-drive car rental experience, I’ve completely fallen in love with road trips. Now, every trip is either in my own car or booked through a car rental service. **Day 1: Mengle Cultural Tourism Zone** After picking up the car in the morning, we drove to Mengle Grand Buddha Temple. Surprisingly, there weren’t many tourists during the May Day holiday, and no traffic jams. The tickets were expensive, so we just took some photos outside and headed to Gaozhuang. Seeing the golden Buddha statue from afar was satisfying enough. Across the street, the municipal Rainforest Theme Park is worth a leisurely stroll—shady, cool, and refreshing. The park is scenic, perfect for jogging or walking. The fiery red flame trees and fragrant frangipani were in full bloom. In Gaozhuang, the rain comes and goes abruptly—pouring one moment, sunny the next, leaving the sky strikingly clear and blue. The puddles hadn’t even dried before the sun returned. The quiet Starlight Night Market comes alive after 6 PM. As dusk falls, the market glows under orange-red twilight, becoming dazzlingly vibrant. Surprisingly, there was a Ferris wheel, though its cabins were missing. Walking through the night market, I soaked in its lively atmosphere. The top level is mostly occupied by couples and women in Dai costumes posing for photos. The market has multiple levels, selling Dai clothing, fridge magnets, and souvenirs. Descending the red-brick stairs to the central square, vendors offer Dai cuisine, cold drinks, skewers, and even grilled insects. Near the river, the deafening beats of Dai-style EDM mix with live music and dance performances from bars, creating an electrifying vibe. One corner of the market, lit up in all its glory, is truly spectacular. The sight of live insects was unsettling—I couldn’t bring myself to try them. A delightful surprise was the twice-nightly fireworks during the May Day holiday (8:30 PM and 10 PM). Having not seen such grand fireworks in over a decade (since Chengdu banned them), this was an unexpected visual feast. The fireworks erupted brilliantly, lighting up the night sky. Everyone stopped to watch, capturing the magical moments on camera. Xishuangbanna’s tourism department sure knows how to thrill visitors. **Day 2: Chinese Academy of Sciences Tropical Botanical Garden** A must-visit in Xishuangbanna, the garden is in Mengla County and divided into East and West zones. The East Zone features pristine rainforests and karst landscapes, while the West Zone showcases meticulously designed gardens with over 10,000 tropical plant species. Tickets cost 80 RMB, with an additional 50 RMB for shuttle buses (180 RMB for a full pass). A full tour requires at least six hours, though most visitors only explore the West Zone. The East Zone is vast—definitely take the shuttle, or you’ll exhaust yourself. It includes the Green Stone Forest (a hike) and the Tropical Rainforest (flat terrain). Few tourists venture east, even during holidays, making it feel like a private tour. The dense foliage keeps it cool and shady, but the solitude was slightly unnerving—I worried about encountering snakes or insects. The viewpoint at the summit overlooks the Luosuo River, the largest tributary of the Mekong. The towering buttress roots of Tetrameles nudiflora, known as "big plank roots," are awe-inspiring. The massive plank roots resemble a wall—photos don’t do them justice. Strangler figs exemplify nature’s fierce competition for sunlight and nutrients. The "tree waterfall" phenomenon occurs when banyan trees grow aerial roots that eventually form supporting pillars, creating a "forest of one tree." The West Zone, with its manicured gardens, is more photogenic and crowded. The iconic Victoria water lilies, replanted in April, weren’t fully grown yet—they can reach two meters in diameter and support up to 60 kg for paid photo ops. Xishuangbanna’s skies are photogenic anytime. The famous flame tree drew crowds, while the red-and-yellow frangipani emitted a delicate fragrance (apparently common in Sanya). The vibrant hot air balloons against blue skies and green lawns could be desktop wallpapers. On the way back, we experienced sudden downpours and sunshine—classic tropical "rain-drench" climate. From the car window, I saw bananas growing in protective covers and vast dragon fruit plantations in bloom. **Manting Park (Royal Garden of the Dai King)** Once a royal retreat, it’s now filled with tourists in Dai costumes for photoshoots. We joined in—when in Rome! Most of my photos ended up being of photographers’ backs. The White Pagoda was lovely, but we didn’t have time to explore thoroughly. Adjacent to the park is the Grand Buddha Temple, accessible without a ticket (though re-entering the park costs 40 RMB). The free temple was more majestic, with a serene prayer hall on the second floor. Xishuangbanna has nearly 600 Buddhist temples, hierarchically ranked. The Grand Buddha Temple in Jinghong is the highest-grade, featuring golden, intricately carved architecture influenced by Southeast Asia. Oddly, the main gate and hall aren’t aligned—the gate faces due south, but the reason for this design remains a mystery. The temple’s second-floor staircase is adorned with golden dragons, shimmering brilliantly in the sun. Later, we visited Banruo Temple, nestled on a hill in Jinghong’s Manzhen Village, far from the city’s hustle.