Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden
The Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, the whole name of which is The Tropical Plant Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Science, is located in Menglun, a town in Mengla County which is about 80 kilometers from Jinghong City. The Menglun Tropical Botanical Garden is the largest tropical botanical garden in China. It was established in the 1950s by Chinese famous botanist Prof. Cai Xitao. The garden boasts more than 3000 species of tropical plants covering an area of 900 hectares, quite a few of which are rare elsewhere, forming a colorful botanical landscape. Twelve special sections are set up to grow plants separately and more than 100 major plants protected by the state are planted here.
Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden
In the park, there are thirteen special sections for plant growing: the tropic fruit tree section, the shade-growing plant section, the palm plant section, the water plant section, the national plant section, medicinal plant section, kapur plant section, the spiceberry section, the bamboo-section, the rare plant section, the banyan section, the famous flower and tree section. All these sections make up beautiful special scenery which makes you enjoy yourself so much as to forget to go home.
The Tropic Rainforest Scenic Spots
The Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden is one of the major attractions in Xishuangbanna. Situated on Hulu Island, the garden is surrounded by rivers and mountains which contains a wealth of rare and unusual plants such as the grand and magnificent "One Tree One Forest", the strange "Old Stalk Blooms" the cruel "Plants Strangle Each Other", the colorful "Aerial Flower Garden", the upas tree, to name a few and which gives you the insight to the mysteries of nature.
In the rare and endangered plants section, you can see the "looking-into-the-sky tree" tropical rainforest and Menglun botanical garden. These two scenic areas are for strolling in the forest and viewing tropical plants. Tall, evergreen Dipterocarpaceae (locally named "looking-into-the-sky tree") at Mengla, 60 meters in height on an average, 20 meters higher than any other vegetation types, form a landscape of "tree-over-tree" in the forest. Walk along the "air corridor" in the tall trees and one can get a bird's view of the entire forest and enjoy the head-on wind, fresh and cool. In the tropic fruitwood, you can taste the famous delicious Mansailong pomelo and Menglun jujube, and other mysterious fruits.
How to Get There?
You can take the bus from Jinghong to Menglun town for a fare of about RMB10 yuan. Another option is to use other vehicles to the garden which is about 5 kilometers in distance. The is the Luo Suo River is between the garden and Menglun town. If you take the way by crossing the suspension bridge, which is only for walking and non-motor vehicle, you can arrive in 10 minutes.
Travel Tips
Opening Hours: From 7:00 to 21:00
When you are finished visiting the tropical area, you could enjoy a trip drifting on the Luo Suo River with a drifting company. The fare is about RMB 25 yuan. You can stay in the guest house within the garden or in a hotel in Menglun.