Jinghong · Chinese Academy of Sciences Tropical Botanical Garden - A beautiful plant kingdom.

On the second day in Jinghong, our main focus was the Chinese Academy of Sciences Tropical Botanical Garden in the southwest. In fact, this was one of the most anticipated attractions on my Yunnan trip, and I even arranged a whole day for it. It turned out to be completely worth it, and I firmly believe that the Tropical Botanical Garden is a must-see for any visitor to Xishuangbanna. Early in the morning, we drove to the Botanical Garden and were among the first to enter the park when it opened at 9:00 am. Although I had done some research beforehand, the sheer size and beauty of the garden still exceeded our expectations. We spent a full 8 hours wandering around the Botanical Garden until 5:00 pm, feeling like we were on a magical plant journey. The Botanical Garden covers a vast area, stretching 7 kilometers east to west and 2 kilometers north to south, with the widest point exceeding 3 kilometers. It is surrounded by the Nanban River, a tributary of the Lancang River. The Botanical Garden is divided into two sections, east and west. The west section is the landscaped botanical garden and the headquarters of the Botanical Garden. It is located on a peninsula formed by the Nanban River, measuring 2 kilometers long and 1.5 kilometers wide. This is the essence of the Botanical Garden, and most visitors only visit this section. It is divided into dozens of exquisite botanical gardens, showcasing various types of tropical plants. The east section is a pristine tropical rainforest, full of wild charm, as if walking deep into the dense forest. Here, the population is sparse, allowing you to fully experience the beauty of the unmodified primeval forest. The west section is densely landscaped and can be visited on foot. It has relatively complete service facilities and is the main tourist area. The east section is vast, with attractions scattered around. Visitors need to take a sightseeing bus to get between attractions. The Tropical Botanical Garden is one of the few places I have visited where a sightseeing bus is necessary. Considering physical strength, we explored the west section together in the morning. In the afternoon, I went to the east section by myself, while my parents continued to explore the west section at a leisurely pace. After all, the primeval forest in the east section is more physically demanding and has an adventurous element. I think even 8 hours of sightseeing is not enough. It only allows for a quick overview of each area of the Botanical Garden. If you really want to appreciate each plant carefully, I'm afraid even a week wouldn't be enough. Next, I will introduce this beautiful tropical plant kingdom in detail with a long article.