What should you pay attention to when traveling from Chongqing to Xishuangbanna and Shangri-La? Is this the better route?

Self-guided tour guide to Xishuangbanna

Climate: Xishuangbanna has a subtropical climate, which is divided into rainy season and dry season throughout the year. It is humid and rainy, with a large temperature difference between morning and evening. It is extremely hot during the day, and locals rarely have days during the day. Those who go out only come out for activities when the weather gets cold at night. There are frequent showers here, and they are usually thunderstorms, so an umbrella is a must. I went there at the end of April and the beginning of May. It could reach about 38 degrees during the day, and the sunshine was very strong, just like a natural sauna. The best time to travel is from October to May every year. Transportation: You can choose to take a car or an airplane from Kunming to Banna. There are many flights from Kunming to Banna every day. The number of flights will be increased during the Golden Week. The ticket price is 520 yuan, which can be discounted up to 40%. In addition, there are many There are flights to Jinghong from everywhere. If you choose to go there by car, you will have to suffer a little, because the road condition from Simao to Jinghong is not good and there are often traffic jams. I was stuck there for 12 hours. I heard that the highway is already under construction. If you are lucky and there is no traffic jam, the journey will take 12 hours. All buses leaving from Kunming Nanyao Bus Terminal are luxury sleeper cars, which are clean and comfortable, and the fare is about 175 yuan. Although there are only three buses in the urban area of ??Jinghong, taxis are very cheap. The fare in the urban area is 5 yuan without a meter. However, the local drivers drive a bit aggressively and often make dangerous moves. Buses from Jinghong to various scenic spots are easy to find, and there are shuttle buses to the Tire Retreading Factory Bus Terminal or South Railway Station. Clothes: Be sure to bring T-shirts and shorts that are cool enough. It is best to bring a thin jacket, because it will be a bit cold sooner or later. Slippers are a must. You will wear slippers almost every day when you get there. Sneakers are absolutely not allowed. Endurable. Needless to say, umbrellas must not be forgotten. It would be better if they have sun protection function. Mosquito repellent, sunscreen, and anti-heat stroke medicine (such as Huoxiang Zhengqi capsules) are all indispensable. Food: Speaking of the food in Xishuangbanna, I was extremely excited. Dai flavor is mainly glutinous rice, sour, baked meat, and aquatic products. It is sour, spicy, and very distinctive, making people want to eat. There are so many famous Dai-style restaurants in Jinghong City that I won’t list them all. It is worth mentioning that we accidentally discovered a cheap, good-quality and authentic small restaurant on a small street next to Manting Park. In the alley, opposite a martial arts school, is called "Daiweiju". The price is very low, but the food is well cooked, especially the spicy stir-fried beef with millet, spicy crab noodle, lemon jelly, boiled fish with sour bamboo shoots, and the best thing is the pounded ganba, which is crispy and delicious, the best I have ever tasted The most honest family. The barbecue industry in Xishuangbanna is very developed. The most famous one is of course Manting Xiaozhai, where thousands of people can enjoy barbecue on a large scale, and Jiangbei Mandou is also famous. But after comparison, I feel that the most delicious one is the "Sanweilou" highly recommended by my friends. It is next to Jinfeng Hotel. The environment is average, but the taste is amazing. It only costs about 100 yuan for four people to eat. Highly recommend pineapple purple rice, wrapped roast beef, roasted pig face, wrapped grilled marinated chicken hamstrings, roasted ganba, grilled chicken, lemongrass grilled fish, lemongrass grilled ribs, wrapped grilled pig brains, fried beef skin (speaking of this, I Swallowed), and then a glass of cold beer filled with ice cubes, which immediately felt so good to the bones. The cold drinks in Xishuangbanna are close to the taste of Myanmar. It is recommended to try them when you are enjoying the coolness in the afternoon. The Mianli cold drink shop on Jinlu East Street is not bad. Powder is my favorite, and the Sleeping Coconut is also very good. There are several famous Thai restaurants in Jinghong, including Caichunqing Restaurant, Meimei Coffee, and Mekong River Restaurant. There are many foreigners, and they are recommended in many professional travel books. I personally think the taste is average and the atmosphere is not bad. The most distinctive thing about Banna is the sour bamboo shoots, but many people find it smelly. I didn't like it at first, but after I went there, I suddenly fell in love with the taste. I recommend boiled fish with sour bamboo shoots and stir-fried shredded potatoes with sour bamboo shoots. Tropical fruits are also very attractive, especially pineapples from Olive Dam, which are sweet and juicy, so the steamed pineapple rice also tastes great. The green mangoes sold on the streets of Jinghong are mixed with chili peppers. The fragrance of the mangoes is overflowing. You can buy a big bag for one yuan. I recommend friends who like sour food to try it. Accommodation: Xishuangbanna is one of the first tourist attractions developed in Yunnan. There are many hotels and inns, and fewer people go there now, so it is easy to find a place to stay. However, housing prices will skyrocket during Golden Week and Water Splashing Festival.

I heard that the "Jinbanna Hotel" in the city is not bad. I saw someone's travel notes on the Internet introducing "Little P Boy Traveler" to book hotels and attraction tickets at group prices. After searching, I found out that the prices are real. There is a big price difference with other hotel booking websites. For example, the price difference between the same standard room at "Jinbanna Hotel" and that at Xiancheng.com and Yilong.com is 88 yuan. But I still chose "Jinfeng Hotel" because the little P kid told me that Jinbanna Hotel has a good external environment and Jinfeng Hotel has good guest rooms. The two hotels are right across the street and there is no difference in location, so I chose the 140 yuan standard room at Jinfeng Hotel, which has better rooms. What surprised me even more was that the traveler who booked the hotel picked me up at the airport for free. You know, it would cost 30 yuan to take a taxi from the airport. Travel: There are many attractions in Xishuangbanna, but especially due to time and transportation reasons, most people will not choose places too far away, but those places are classic places, such as Manfeilong Pagoda, Mengla’s Wangtianshu Sky Corridor, etc. There is no need to go to Daluo. The security in the border area is very chaotic and there is nothing to see. I followed the crowd and went to some popular attractions. It is worth mentioning that if you have a student ID card, you must bring it with you. All attractions have discounts. I used an expired student ID card, but no one saw the flaw. . Manting Garden: It is located in the urban area of ??Jinghong. After going there, I felt that I was cheated. The ticket is 40 yuan. There are regular water splashing times inside, but the tourists are not enthusiastic and stay away. There is nothing to see in the park, and you can finish it in one or two hours. There is a village of the Jinuo people that will invite tourists in to watch performances and taste glutinous rice wine. It was said to be free at first, but later it would invite male tourists inside. If they don't give it, they will not only fall out with each other, but also take back the wallet they gave to them. Remember not to be fooled. Olive Dam: The only attraction in Olive Dam is the Dai village, and the ticket is 50 yuan. When you first enter, you feel like you've been cheated, because they are all run-down villages, but you will find them interesting after wandering around. There will be a performance at 3 p.m., followed by a large-scale water-splashing activity in the square, which is much larger than Manting Park. Hundreds of people crowded together and splashed water crazily. If you don’t want to join in, please protect your cameras, DV and other valuables to prevent sneak attacks, because people are splashing like crazy. There are several bamboo restaurants in the village that cook delicious Dai dishes, but the prices are also relatively expensive. Tropical Botanical Garden: You can get to Menglun by taking a bus from Lanxiba to Mengla. There are no buses after 6 o'clock. The Tropical Botanical Garden is located in Menglun city and can be reached on foot. The ticket is 80 yuan, which feels very worthwhile. You can play for a whole day and the scenery is nice. If you have time, you can avoid the tourist peak and take a leisurely stroll. Wild Elephant Valley: Primitive Forest Park, Tropical Flower Garden and Wild Elephant Valley are all on the same route. Since I have already been to the Tropical Botanical Garden in Menglun, I don’t plan to see the plants again. To go to Wild Elephant Valley, you can take a bus from Simao or Kunming. It is easy to find on the roadside. The ticket price has increased to 65 yuan. Of course, it is 40 yuan with a student ID. If you don’t take the cable car, you have to go out from the gate and then take the car to the back door, which is very troublesome. If you have a leisurely mood, you can stay in a tree hotel in the valley, but the conditions are poor and very expensive. You can see wild elephants at night, which is not a lot of fun. . Summary: I rented a car in Banna for two days. The price per day is 350 yuan, but I have to cooperate with the driver to enter the store 4 times (it does not affect the normal schedule). If I don’t enter the store, the fare for 2 days is 500 yuan. Everyone You can measure it yourself. If you choose to enter the store, the driver will remind you not to buy any products, especially jade. When visiting the Dai family, they will also sell some jewelry called sand silver. Please be sure not to buy it. There are some shopping spots at the entrance of the Tropical Botanical Garden of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. You can buy some souvenirs. Remember to bargain hard. T-shirts with elephants printed on them are 30 yuan for 2 pieces. The Dai silver bracelet mentioned above is 5 yuan/piece. (The above prices are based on personal bargaining ability). It is recommended that you eat some fresh fruits produced in the botanical garden at the surrounding fruit stalls. Also, I would like to remind everyone that there is a fruit market opposite the farmer's market. Do not go there to buy anything, as the name will be deceptive. Two custard apples actually weighed a pound. If you want to eat fruit, you can go to the fruit market and buy it on the road next to it. They grow it themselves and then drive out to sell it at very low prices (the disadvantage is that there are few varieties of fruit). Or go to the supermarket to buy them (the disadvantage is that the fruit quality is not good and the price is high).

Special reminder: Most of the items such as "Myanmar Jade" that tourists buy in the market are fake. Don't be greedy for small gains. It is best to buy in a reputable large shopping mall and ask for an invoice. You can go to "Xishuangbanna Jinbanna Jade" and "Baoxiangtang Jewelry" (No. 23, Galan Middle Road) at No. 28 West Road, Jinghong City, which are local stores with good reputations. Thoughts: Going to Xishuangbanna is second to fun, and eating is the first enjoyment. It is inevitable that conditions in border areas are not good, so you don’t have to be picky and just take things as they come so you can experience the wonders.

If you want air tickets, you can check it out