Things to do in Mengla

Director Zhou Zhou's warm and attentive service to the elderly, along with her detailed and humorous explanations, made our trip to the Chinese Academy of Sciences Botanical Garden very enjoyable. A worry-free trip to Xishuangbanna, making travel with seniors safe and secure.

It's quite far from Jinghong City, about 150 kilometers away. I recommend driving there and spending a day exploring. First, take a boat trip on the Nanla River, a 4.5-kilometer journey. Then, walk along the Wangtianshu Canopy Corridor, a thrilling 15-section walk! After that, you can hike the Philip Trail, a 2-kilometer-long tropical rainforest trail with stunning scenery.

The scenic area is well-maintained with complete facilities and equipment. The scenery is beautiful, and the pristine rainforest is well-preserved, allowing for close-up observation of tropical plants and animals. Our guide, Mr. Qilin, was enthusiastic and professional, proactively introducing us to the flora and fauna we encountered along the way. He was also very patient in answering our questions. His photography skills are superb—no wonder he's a member of the Yunnan Photography Association, haha! The entire tour took about three hours. We arrived around 10:30 AM, and there were no other tourists today. The guide said we were the only two people there all day! 😂 Although there were few people, the experience wasn't compromised. After the tour, we enjoyed a wonderful rainforest meal—the ingredients were fresh, and the food was delicious! 👍

A highly recommended stop in Yunnan is Mengla. The pick-up and drop-off service is incredibly convenient. Our guide, Altman, was exceptionally kind; as expected of someone from the rainforest, he truly understands its beauty. Every corner of the rainforest is imprinted in his mind. His Dai heritage and childhood experiences allow him to sense both danger and wonder. While helping us take photos and create lasting memories, he introduced us to his friends—various plants and animals—telling us which ones are poisonous and untouchable, and which ones we could play with. He kept us entertained as we walked, providing timely rest and care. We even made our own contribution to the land by planting plum trees. It was truly a worthwhile trip!

It was fun, I really enjoyed it. It's the high-water season now, so although the water is a bit yellowish, it has a kind of Amazonian feel to it. You don't need to exert too much effort; just drift along the river and you'll reach the end. Then, I paddled a boat with the safety officer, chatting all the way. A few strokes and we were there! Hahaha! In the distance, there was a blue sky and white clouds, and green trees on both sides. Drifting on the river, I felt so far away from the hustle and bustle of big cities; my heart was very peaceful. If you want to paddle harder, you can, but I was in a relaxed, senior-friendly mode. I chatted with the safety officer on the boat and asked them about local life. It was a wonderful experience. When we passed a dragon fruit field, if anyone was there, you could pick a dragon fruit or ask them for one. The locals were very welcoming; just seeing dragon fruit was enough for them. When I got back, I peeled and ate one—it was delicious and sweet.

Legend has it that China is most like the place where Avatar takes pictures of scenic spots. This is where the reproduction of Avatar takes pictures. It's far from Jinghong City, and it's 300 kilometers to and fro. If there are three or four people, it's more convenient to hire a car. If you have a short time in Banna, you can play with another scenic spot for one day. (We are a one-day tour with Menglun Tropical Botanical Garden.) Local travel agency chartered cars may cost 500-600 yuan a day. We are looking at Xiong Shifu recommended by Ctrip netizens. Chartered cars cost 300 yuan a day. People are very good and strongly recommended!!! (Tel: 13887902067) Master Xiong bought us a discount package of 140 yuan, which is 5 yuan cheaper than online booking. Maybe it's a good luck. He accompanied us to the scenic spot once and served as a guide for half of us. Thank you, Master Xiong. Maybe because we are from the northeast, there are no such plants in the northeast, so it feels very strange, like, all the way stop and go. A lot of people are afraid to go to the air corridor. Maybe I'm brave enough to jump on it. I'm not afraid at all! _________ If it's too late, it's advisable to play.

Mohan is also a large port, one of the stunning places for going abroad in Yunnan. Its altitude is between 800-900 meters. The port is busy every day with a constant stream of vehicles passing through.

As the core area of ​​Xishuangbanna, there are many tourists here, and many people who like painting come here early. I found out after asking. You can apply for a card here. Many people live in the surrounding area and come here to feel the fresh air of nature.

For those who enjoy hiking and want to experience a tropical rainforest trek, I recommend visiting the East Zone if you're in this botanical garden. The Green Stone Forest and Tropical Rainforest sub-areas each require about an hour.

Even my parents in their seventies could enjoy this trip; it was perfect. The boat was stable, no need to get in the water, and there were people to help them get on and off. They could also stop to rest whenever they wanted. The elderly folks took photos non-stop the whole way, and afterwards they kept praising how beautiful the egrets were and how lovely the sound of the water was. The biggest fear when taking elders out is them getting tired, but this was just the right amount of exertion. They had a great time, and I felt relaxed too.