Location: Jinghong
Top Things to do in Jinghong
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What to do and see in Jinghong, China: The Best Places and Tips
Jinghong (Chinese: 景洪; pinyin: Jǐnghóng; Dai / Tai Lü: , pronounced [tsêŋhuŋ]; Thai: เชียงรุ่ง, RTGS: Chiang Rung, pronounced [t͡ɕʰīa̯ŋ rûŋ]; Lao: ຊຽງຮຸ່ງ; also formerly romanised as Chiang Hung, Chengrung, Cheng Hung, Jinghung, Keng Hung, Kiang Hung and Muangjinghung) is a city in and the seat of Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, in the far south of China's Yunnan province, and the historic capital of the former Tai kingdom of Sipsongpanna.
Restaurants in Jinghong
1. Xishuangbanna Tropical Nature reserve
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 141 reviews
Reviewed By Synthomer - Shanghai, China
This was one of the highlights of our visit to Xishuangbanna. The West section is a botanical garden, well laid out, well stocked, peaceful and with good signage. The East section is mainly rainforest and also worth a visit. The electric shuttle is worth taking into the garden but make sure to walk as well. There is a reasonable map available at the ticket office. Don't rely on catering inside the garden but you can get water, fruit and ice-cream! Allow at least 3 hours, ideally more. A long hour along a dusty road from Xishuangbanna cost us RMB200 in a taxi but my partner is an effective Chinese bargainer!
2. Xishuangbanna
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 82 reviews
Reviewed By KodoDrummer - Yekaterinburg, Russia
Places in Xishuangbanna Scenic Area, of Yunnan Province that we went to include: 1. The Manzan minority village. This is the place where the Dai ethnic minority live. Their costumes have gradually become Chinese-style. Young people no longer wear the traditional national costumes. They are in Menghai (Menghai County falls under the jurisdiction of Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture), Yunnan, where the temperature is fairly moderate and the daily mean for the year generally varies from 12.9C to 23.1C, and tropical daily highs varying from 21.5C to 29.8C, and annual precipitation averages 1,320 mm(52 inches), making it very suitable for growing tea. It was a very poor place, but they manage to grow very good tea leaves; 2. Dau Yi Zhuang Tea Horse Village, Ancient Road in Menghai; and, 3. Xishuangbanna Tropical Nature reserve (I submitted a separate review on this).
3. Gajah Liar Valley
Overall Ratings
4 based on 67 reviews
Reviewed By KodoDrummer - Yekaterinburg, Russia
Wild Elephant Valley (aka Gajah Liar Valley, and the Chinese name of Ye Xiang Gu) is a 747 to 1055 metres above sea level, rolling terrain, wildlife reserve. This 369-hectare tourism area includes dense Forests, subtropical Forests, tropical rainforests, subtropical evergreen broad-leafed Forests, and over 400 types and varieties of plant vegetation.
The wildlife includes about 100 Asian elephants, bears, wild water buffalo, northern white-cheeked gibbon (an endangered species, with a population of about 50 in Yunnan), leopards, Bengalese tigers, green peacocks, red-necked cranes, loris, and cobra. On our visit, we saw two gibbons up in the trees.
There are viewing platforms in trees and observation decks to enable visitors to enjoy great views of the roaming elephants.
The wildlife reserve includes a netted bird aviary, a peacock park, and a butterfly park.
There is also an elephant rescue centre. Asian elephants are an endangered species and thus have a Class A protected status. At present, it is estimated that the total population of Asian elephants approximated 300. Thus about one-third of all Asian elephants are at home in Wild Elephant Valley.
We went early in the morning to see the elephants, which are best encountered close to sunrise and sunset. These are the times that they generally go to drink water. We took carrots and bananas to feed the elephants.
We enjoyed watching an elephant performance. They seemed to be carefully taken care of and nicely treated. I would not consider this to be an “animal prison” but rather a safe sanctuary for a few endangered species.
A good way of getting an overview of the park is by taking a cable car ride.
From Guangzhou, we flew to Kunming, and there changed to a connecting flight which took us to Xishuangbanna Gasa International Airport. Our route selection was based on outr desired travel time and price.
4. Peacock Garden, Sipsongpanna
Overall Ratings
4 based on 43 reviews
Reviewed By Egli R - Tirana, Albania
Peacock garden in just a magic one...Very good organization, fabulous nature, very nice hotel and activities. The tropical forest is something everyone must see and go around. The nature is combined with the human work in a perfect way and balance. The peacock show (flying from one side of the lake to the other) is also something very special. Also the working staff are very kind and helpful. This is something that cannot be forgotten...
5. Tropical Flower Garden
Overall Ratings
4 based on 18 reviews
Reviewed By horst_8877 - Shanghai, China
The wonderful Tropical Flower Garden of Jinghong is a very popular place located in downtown Jinghong and destination of mass tourism. Most visitors arrive with tour busses and stay there from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.. Plenty of parking area and good traffic information signs for private cars are available near the main entrance. If there is a choice, don’t arrive too early to avoid the crowds. We went there at 3:30 p.m. with a rented car after the last tourist bus already had left. What a wonderful experience to share this exceptional park with similar minded people at late afternoon. What appears as a commercial tourist destination is, at the same time, a garden for the preservation of the diversity of genomes for rubber trees and other plants of economical significance. Regardless of being a place for science the area which is open for public has been landscaped for attracting tourists. The Tropical Flower Garden comprises several Sub-Gardens, which are focusing on entertainment and/or education about a distinct plant family or species: Palm Trees, Rubber Trees, Vines, Aquatic Plants, Calabash Trees, Commercial Fruit Trees, unusual flowers…etc. Botanical enthusiasts may enjoy labels with botanical names in Latin at every noticeable plant. We were especially excited about the “Rubber Tapping” area and the collection of varieties of decorative “Bougainvillea”. Visitors learn how “rubber milk” or “latex” is harvested as natural raw material for rubber goods like gloves, tires, sealing and other industrial products. Never before I’ve seen so many varieties of Bougainvilleas together at one place like here. Don’t miss the garden of tropical fruit trees far opposite of the entrance gate. There you can sit down and have a rest in the shadow of a tropical tree, and try out many different fresh tropical fruits from the little open market stall. It’s our second visit to this garden within 5 years. As we even found so many new flowers this time, which we have never seen before, we will certainly come here again, once we may have the chance to visit Jinghong in future. Don’t miss it, if you want to invest in your well-being and ecological/botanical education and if you have a full afternoon time. If “Greenery” doesn’t talk to you at all or if you are in a hurry, you should skip this place as there is no other entertainment available. But: If you already have a “Green Thumb” or you want to dive deeper into tropical flowers and gardening, go there! You may enjoy it very much alone or with family and friends as the whole park offers plenty of niches and places which are enjoyable.
6. Buddhist temple
Overall Ratings
4 based on 23 reviews
Reviewed By Leonardo T - Florence, Italy
Actually this is not a traditional Chinese buddhist temple, because the style is Thai. It was rebuilt and restored one year ago, therefore now is in a perfect shape. It is really gorgeous! And after seeing Manting Park, you totally don't expect to see such a building in a corner of the park. I was marveled by this structure and its beauty. Gold everywhere and full of statues and color.
If access the ground floor, you will also be able to see a buddha built by bamboo.
If you are curious about the history and other aspects of this temple, feel free to ask some buddhist monk. They are very nice and for sure some of them speak a very good English!
7. Manting Park
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 55 reviews
Reviewed By MinibearX - Shanghai
A nature park converted to a tourist trap day and night. Not really worth the entrance fee. Lots of new buildings inside and dressed up "so called" minorities.
8. Jinuo Mountain
Overall Ratings
4 based on 18 reviews
Reviewed By ZhongguoKM - Kunming, China
You will probably enjoy this experience if you have not already been to too many others in Yunnan that are very similar. They offer the usual mix of ethnic culture exhibits, complete with colorful costumes and arts and crafts, interspersed with quite a few shopping opportunities.
The steps are steep and rather long, so don't go in if you have trouble with your hips, knees or feet. At one stop, however, you could buy snake oil and snake extract to apply to whatever areas were ailing. Another stop included the sampling some fairly routine Pu'er tea, all "sheng" none "shou." Prices were reasonable (not exorbitant.)
The singing and dancing was not outstanding, but was definitely OK. Must admit I'm jaded by now since I've seen hundreds of these small shows. They did furnish tasty snacks at the show. The performers must do the same show over and over many times each day and I'm sure it becomes hard work before long.
The guide was helpful in answering questions and was not pushy about buying things. (I took a Chinese tour; don't know if they have English ones as well.)
9. Olives Dam
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 8 reviews
Reviewed By horst_8877 - Shanghai, China
Olives Dam, as it is listed on Tripadvisor , is better known as “Ganlanba”/ 橄榄坝which is Pinyin/Chinese and literally means Olive Dam or as “Menghan” in Dai language. It is located about 35 km southeast of Jinghong downstream the Mekong River (in Chinese Lancang Jiang). Ganlanba comprises the five overlapping Dai villages Manjiang, Mansunman, Manjia, Manzha and Manting. Beside the town is the touristic Dai Minority Park with a daily culture show and water-splashing fun.
We needed 1.5 hours from Jinghong by private car via the country road 179 along the east banks of the Mekong. Cars are not allowed inside the village complex. There are marked parking areas near the western access road.
While strolling through the old village we enjoyed the atmosphere of peaceful rural life. Local people are disarmingly friendly; they have been maintaining their most traditional way of life. At some places we watched them making wickerwork from bamboo strips, wood carving, spinning yarn, weaving, or writing their own Dai script with metal pens on pattra leaves which can endure many centuries, or preparing local delicacies. They sell what they have manufactured for reasonable prices. Plates in the villages provide information in different languages about especially remarkable activities, tools or buildings. People live in stilted houses; some are made from Bamboo, surrounded by nice Gardens with vegetables, chicken and flowers. Some families offer guestrooms; other operate restaurants where we enjoyed delicious traditional food, fish from the nearby Mekong. There were cages with gamecocks as cockfighting is a welcome entertainment in the village. Dai people believe in Thai style Buddhism thus their temples follow similar symbolic architecture like in Thailand, different to most other areas in China. In a certain way there is a strong contrast between the simple life of people and their magnificent temples. But we also were surprised to see a very naïve and simple temple made by local village people with locally available material. The Buddha sculpture was made from bamboo strips in wickerwork style.
The whole scenery is like an open air museum. It’s obvious that people in Olive Dam/Ganlanba adjusted their life to make money with tourism, but without getting too commercial and without losing their cultural identity. It’s a very nice place to visit and see into the authentic life of Dai.
10. Xishuangbanna Primitive Forest Park
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 18 reviews
Reviewed By TiddyWallapa
Another place to go for natural and some tribal cutural tour.
Better to check the timetable for peacock feeding show.
Wild animal show is a bit hopeless... it's hard to keep an eye on because the action of the animals are full of fear. Trainer also not active but always control the animals with a hard metal stick. Different from animal show I have ever seen in Thai and Austrarian zoo. I don't appreciate it.
Recommend to use golf car during your visit!
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