Xishuangbanna Day 3: Manting Park + Chinese Academy of Sciences Botanical Garden

Early in the morning, we took a taxi to Manting Park, where the baby experienced feeding elephants. Manting Park is definitely worth a visit; it is truly beautiful. Manting Park is called "Chunhuan" by the Dai people, meaning "Garden of the Soul." It is known as the "Garden of the Soul" of Xishuangbanna because the Dai princess was so captivated by the park's scenery that it enchanted her soul. Manting Park has a history of more than 1,300 years and is the oldest park in Xishuangbanna. It was once the royal garden of the Dai kings of Xishuangbanna, rich in historical and cultural heritage. The park prominently features three main cultural themes: "Dai royal culture, Buddhist culture, and Dai folk culture." It houses over 500 well-preserved ancient ironwood trees and vegetation. With hills, rivers, and strong ethnic cultural landscapes, it is a natural village-style park. In the afternoon, we switched hotels to the InterContinental Xishuangbanna Resort. Compared to the Crowne Plaza, the InterContinental is more beautiful and better located. This hotel is situated on the site of the Dai King's palace from the year 1160 AD, surrounded by vast tropical rainforest. The hotel's design blends Thai and Dai architectural aesthetics, making you feel immersed in Dai culture, creating an elegant garden-style resort. However, I was quite surprised that such a large hotel did not offer a dinner buffet. We had to order the Manlinxuan-style grilled fish set meal at the restaurant, which tasted pretty good. The next day, we took a taxi to the Chinese Academy of Sciences Botanical Garden. The taxi ride took about an hour. The Botanical Garden is definitely worth visiting. We saw the long-admired giant water lilies and many other rare and unusual plants. The mosquito repellent sets sold at the garden are especially effective; I recommend everyone buy one when you go.