Xishuangbanna offers a large area of tropical rainforests with endemic animals to explore. If you love the nature and enjoy refreshing in the wilderness, it is recommended that you visit Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden – the largest botanical garden with the richest plants in China, Xishuangbanna Primitive Forest Park (Xishuangbanna Virgin Forest Park) where you will enjoy the natural beauty as well as experience the culture of Hani, Dai, Bulang, Jinuo and Yi through singing and dancing, Xishuangbanna Tropical Nature Reserve or Xishuangbanna Wild Elephant Valley Tropical Rain Forest Scenic Area offering interesting shows by Asian elephants and a Asian Elephants Museum.
If you are interested in cultures of the ethnic minorities, you could explore Jinuo Mountain Village where you will experience the traditions and customs of Jinou people, Manzhang Village where Dai people live a simple life, Mandan Village – a secluded Dai village in a tropical rainforest, or Zhanglang Bulang Ethnic Minority Village – the only Bulang village across China. Compared to some old towns in Dali and Lijiang, the villagers are less underdeveloped.
To start with a tour in a place, the first thing before the tour there is to visit the museum to get a general knowledge of the place. Xishuangbanna Nationalities Museum is such a place to you to know some about the culture of the 13 nationalities in Xishuangbanna and the history and development of Xishuangbanna.
Xishuangbanna also offers several old temples to explore, such as Mengle Buddhist Temple, Manchunman Buddhist Temple, Mange Temple and Manfeilong Pagodas.