Xishuangbanna Dai Garden

鹤云汀鹭

4.0/5

Excellent

The Dai Ethnic Garden is definitely worth a visit. It's on the same route as the Chinese Academy of Sciences Botanical Garden and can be combined into one day. However, we spent too much time at the botanical garden in the morning, and the water-splashing activity had just ended when we arrived. While this was a bit of a disappointment, it was probably better to avoid the water splashing with elderly people and children, as we were also worried the kids might feel uncomfortable. Because we visited during off-peak hours, the entire garden gradually quieted down, and the daytime festivities faded, making the quaint villages even more charming under the night sky. The five villages—Manjiang, Manzha, Manting, Manchunman, and one I can't recall—are connected, each with its own unique character. The Dai Ethnic Garden isn't very large; renting an electric scooter for a refreshing ride is quite pleasant. The fruits and souvenirs here aren't very expensive, so you can buy some if you like. When we left, there were almost no tourists left. Dai aunties were dancing in front of the water-splashing square, a very authentic and unique experience.