Beautiful Xishuangbanna | Strolling through the Dai King's Royal Garden (Manting Park)

Manting Park is located southeast of Jinghong, the capital of Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, about 2 kilometers from the city center. It was once the royal garden of the Dai King of Mengle, known as 'Chunhuan', meaning 'Garden of the Soul'. Legend has it that when the Dai King's consort came to play, the beautiful scenery here attracted her soul, hence the name. The scenic area embodies the three major themes of 'Dai royal culture, Theravada Buddhist culture, and Dai folk culture'. Manting Park is the oldest park in Xishuangbanna, with a history of over 1300 years. There are more than 500 well-preserved ancient ironwood trees and vegetation in the park, which also features hills and rivers, as well as cultural landscapes rich in ethnic characteristics, making it a natural village-style park. In the Dai language, 'Manting' means 'palace', and 'ting' means 'to plant flowers and grass'. As the former royal garden, Manting Park is lush with trees and blooming flowers, and is home to various precious plants. Gold is the main color of the buildings in Manting Park, and you can see architectural structures such as four-cornered pavilions, hexagonal pavilions, and octagonal pavilions, with uniquely shaped pointed roofs in red and yellow, representing nobility and sanctity. The highlight of Manting Park is undoubtedly the ethnic song and dance performances and bonfire parties in the evening. ✅Popular photo spot 1️⃣Dai King's Palace 2️⃣White Pagoda 3️⃣White Pavilion 4️⃣Red Royal Elephant Cafe 5️⃣Leaf Garden 6️⃣Statue of the Earth Goddess ☑️It is recommended to wear Dai or ethnic costumes for photos, which are super photogenic 🌟Performance times: 🔺Dai King's patrol: 11:00 (cancelled in case of rain) 🔺Royal Elephant Garden performance: 10:30, 14:50, 16:30 🔺Parrot Garden performance: 9:50, 12:00, 15:40 🔺Bonfire party: 18:30-21:40 (separate ticket required) (cancelled in case of rain) 📍Detailed address: 35 Manting Road, Jinghong City, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province 🚉Transportation strategy: 1️⃣{Board at Xishuangbanna Railway Station}, take the Jinghong No. 6 bus to Manting Farmers Market Station, and walk for 8 minutes to reach. 2️⃣{Board at Xishuangbanna Gasa International Airport Station}, take the Jinghong No. 4 bus to the Railway Station, then transfer to the Jinghong No. 6 bus to Manting Farmers Market Station, and walk for 8 minutes to reach. 🕙Business hours: 🔺Park: 08:00-17:00 🔺Bonfire party: Entry from 18:00 ⏳Recommended playtime: 2-4 hours 🎫Ticket price: 40 yuan (includes Dafo Temple + elephant performance + parrot performance) 🔺Bonfire party ticket: Regular ticket 280 yuan, VIP ticket 380 yuan, Distinguished guest ticket 480 yuan ☑️Play tips: The Dafo Temple, which is separated from Manting Park by a wall, can be entered for free, so visitors who have purchased park tickets can return to the park to continue their visit after visiting Dafo Temple. Keep your park ticket safe, as you will need to purchase a ticket to enter the park without one.