Xishuangbanna: A Tried-and-True Guide to Avoiding Tourist Traps

I was terrified after reading 800 negative reviews before my trip, but my bestie and I had a blast! Here's our foolproof guide to a perfect Xishuangbanna experience, complete with bargaining tips 👇 🌴Day 1: Embrace Your Inner Dai Girl in Gaozhuang 👉Gaozhuang Xishuangjing (Free) Book the Mekong Scenic Lancang Hotel on Trip.com! It's right next to the Big Golden Pagoda, and the pool offers stunning reflections of the water pagoda. Rent a Snoopy electric car, but haggle the price down to CNY 20/hour—don't pay a penny more! 👉Starlight Night Market (Free) The market truly shines after 7pm when the lights come on! For Dai clothing, head straight to the tricycle stalls by the river (they're half the price of the shops). You can snag a three-piece set with a shawl for just CNY 30! Skip the CNY 199 photo packages and book a session with Camellia Photo Studio on Trip.com for just CNY 299, including complimentary eyelashes! 👉Six Nations Floating Market (Free) Don't miss the Lao iced coffee! The pouch packaging makes for great photos. Ask the vendor for extra condensed milk! Opt for the 7pm fruit boat tour; Trip.com tickets are CNY 15 cheaper than at the venue. 🦚Day 2: Explore Like You're in Thailand 👉Manting Park (CNY 40) Arrive before 8am to capture stunning photos of the white pagoda before the tour groups arrive around 10am. At the Royal Elephant House, feed the elephants for CNY 10/basket and watch them smile when you touch their trunks! 👉Wat Xishuangbanna (Free) Enter directly through Manting Park's south gate! If you're wearing a strapless Dai outfit, bring a jacket, as you won't be allowed in otherwise. There's a fortune-telling cylinder in the right corner of the Buddhist temple. My friend got the best fortune and was ecstatic! 😂 👉Riverside Night Market (Free) Locals swear by this market for its affordability! Get two boxes of smashed chicken feet for CNY 15, and don't forget to ask for extra mango! The beef brisket at Xiaoyu BBQ is divine, and you get a 10% discount paying through Trip.com! 🌿Day 3: Relax and Explore the Forest 👉Xishuangbanna Primeval Forest Park (CNY 45) Don't skip the sightseeing bus; walking will leave you exhausted. Arrive 20 minutes early for the peacock show to snag a front-row seat and touch the peacock feathers! Section A of the zipline is enough; Section B will leave your legs shaking for three days (don't ask how I know). 💣Lessons Learned: 🚗Transportation: Use Trip.com to book taxis in Gaozhuang! Unlicensed taxis will charge you CNY 50 upfront. 🍍Food: Go to the second branch of Wantai Dessert; the first one in Gaozhuang has hour-long queues! Get to Mamalao Sticky Rice early; the beef patties sell out by the afternoon. 📸Photos: The Big Golden Pagoda looks best at 5pm. Don't trust photographers with reflectors; use your phone's flash and the "Coconut Grove" filter for instant radiance. Looking at my photos makes me crave pao luda again! 😭