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Best Things to Do
Top 50 Best Things to Do near Yuanyang [2025]
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Stone Forest Scenic Area
4.7
/5
16055 reviews
8.8
From AU$ 60.08
Based on 54 reviews
>100 km from downtown
Phone +86087167711439
Address: Extension of Shilin Middle Road, Shilin Yi Autonomous County, Kunming
Recommended sightseeing time: 3–4 hours
Highlights:
See the bizarre karst peaks
Ashima rock: unique & captivating
Saved by 1624 users8087 positive reviews
Verified user reviews
I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of crowds at the Stone Forest Scenic Area! The karst wonders were even more breathtaking under the sunlight, and wandering through the stone forest allowed me to fully immerse myself in the awe-inspiring craftsmanship of nature. The Salomon Speedcross 5 under my feet provided stable grip, making walking incredibly safe, and the open environment made every step feel free, maximizing the overall experience.
The scenic area is about a 60-minute drive from downtown Kunming. It boasts well-developed facilities, including convenient electric shuttle buses that accept QR codes. The karst landforms are quite distinctive. Prices within the scenic area are reasonable. It's recommended to visit during off-peak seasons, as the entrance fee is slightly expensive.
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Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden
4.7
/5
15040 reviews
8.7
From AU$ 17.17
Based on 89 reviews
Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden.Chinese Academy of Scienc | >100 km from downtown
Phone +8606918715914
Address: 西双版纳傣族自治州勐腊县中国科学院西双版纳热带植物园-西门
Recommended sightseeing time: 0.5–1 day
Highlights:
Electric vehicles connect the east and west areas
Firefly tours & night views
Saved by 476 users11620 positive reviews
Verified user reviews
The botanical garden's trees, flowers, and many medicinal herbs are worth admiring. I especially liked the exotic flower garden and the flower garden; the bright blossoms against the blue sky and white clouds made for amazing photos. There are also hot air balloons to experience.
The botanical garden is 70 kilometers from the city center, so remember to book a car or hire a private vehicle.
If you prefer walking, don't take the sightseeing bus; the whole experience should take about 4 hours. If you don't want to walk, take the sightseeing bus; it costs 80 yuan per person and takes about 2 hours and 30 minutes. I recommend buying the West Zone ticket. Visiting the Dai Ethnic Garden in the afternoon to catch the Water Splashing Festival at 3:40 PM is perfect.
Visiting the Dipterocarp Garden at the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences
March 21, 2025, 14:51. The weather was very pleasant during the visit to the Dipterocarp Garden at the Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Dipterocarpaceae plants are mainly distributed in tropical Asia and are representative tree species of Southeast Asian tropical rainforests, comprising 15 genera and 580 species.
The 13 species from 5 genera distributed in China are all listed as nationally protected rare and endangered plants.
The Dipterocarp Garden covers an area of approximately 6.7 hectares and has collected and preserved all species from my country and some species distributed in Southeast Asia, making it a very valuable Dipterocarp Garden.
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Manting Imperial Garden
4.5
/5
14139 reviews
8.7
From AU$ 34.12
Based on 73 reviews
Manting Park/Ethnic Cultural Park | >100 km from downtown
Phone +8606912161061
Address: No. 35, Manting Road, Jinghong City, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture
Recommended sightseeing time: 2–3 hours
Highlights:
Enjoy ethnic song and dance performances in the evening
See beautiful peacocks up close
Saved by 348 users10395 positive reviews
Verified user reviews
A large-scale travel photography base… every beautiful spot has a Dai princess. Many of the girls are quite pretty. In the afternoon, you can see the Dai King and Queen's outing and performance.
It's astonishing! Although smaller in scale, its luxurious and opulent style exudes imperial grandeur. Golden decorations, Dai-style stilted houses, and roofs with their signature steep "A" shape, along with deep, overhanging eaves that provide both sun protection and drainage, are all present. The buildings extensively use vibrant colors like gold and red, complemented by auspicious Dai motifs such as dragons, phoenixes, and peacocks. The beams, pillars, doors, and windows are exquisitely carved, and some structures even incorporate pagoda spires and reliefs, creating a strong religious and royal atmosphere. The buildings and pavilions blend seamlessly with the natural environment. Roads extend along streams and flowerbeds, with palaces, temples, and pavilions scattered throughout, embodying the harmonious concept of coexistence between humanity and nature.
No.
4
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Dianchi Lake
4.7
/5
9097 reviews
8.5
Based on 295 reviews
>100 km from downtown
Phone +86087164310175
Address: 1318 Dianchi Road, Xishan District, Kunming City
Recommended sightseeing time: 2–4 hours
Highlights:
Surrounded by mountains & Daguan Tower
Majestic plateau freshwater lake
Saved by 1189 users4575 positive reviews
Verified user reviews
It's beautiful, don't take the cable car unless you just want to experience it. Xishan District is very large, just go to Haigeng Park and the Seven-Arch Floating Bridge. You can visit these two attractions on two separate trips.
The scenery is quite beautiful. It's about 2 kilometers long, with 1 kilometer on Dianchi Lake and the other kilometer or so uphill. The uphill part is a little scary, but overall I would recommend giving it a try.
No.
5
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Dongfengyun Scenic Area
4.5
/5
10371 reviews
8.5
From AU$ 17.17
>100 km from downtown
Phone +8608736292698
Address: Hudong Highway, Maile City, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture
Recommended sightseeing time: 3–4 hours
Highlights:
Scenic platform & trail
Enjoy a choir of thousands and terracotta art
Saved by 522 users9011 positive reviews
Verified user reviews
To be honest, there aren't many things to do. Most people just concentrate on taking pictures at the "big bottle" area. The flower mound is bare and uninteresting in winter, but it should be nice in spring and summer. One more thing: the entrance fee is a bit pricey. 😅
Good for photo op esp the Kaleidoscope Museum where the bricked amphora-like shaped buildings are. Go around 1pm- - 2pm less crowd as they dispersed for lunch or other activities provided by their tour group.
No.
6
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Wild Elephant Valley
4.3
/5
9348 reviews
8.4
From AU$ 12.45
Based on 73 reviews
>100 km from downtown
Phone +8606912431024
Address: Sancha River, Mengyang Town, Jinghong City, 36 km from Jinghong City
Recommended sightseeing time: 3–5 hours
Highlights:
Observe traces of wild elephants on the 4,000m trail
920m elevated walkway overlooks rainforest
Saved by 290 users6187 positive reviews
Verified user reviews
The Wild Elephant Valley isn't very big; you can walk through it quickly. There are only two shows in total. It feels like going to Wild Elephant Valley is just a quick stop in Xishuangbanna—you can feed the elephants and watch an educational program. The kids seemed okay with it too. 🤭
Wild Elephant Valley is a must-visit in Xishuangbanna. The park isn't very big; 1-2 hours is enough. We took a taxi from the city center for about 80 yuan for the three of us, and the shuttle bus back cost 20 yuan per person. The main attraction is the elephant show, which isn't very long, and there's also a performance of ethnic minority song and dance. That's about it.
No.
7
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Yunnan Nationalities Village
4.3
/5
14272 reviews
8.3
From AU$ 20.39
Based on 513 reviews
Dianchi Lake Scenic Area/ Sunac World | >100 km from downtown
Phone +86087164311255
Address: 1310 Dianchi Road, Xishan District, Kunming City
Recommended sightseeing time: 3–5 hours
Highlights:
12 villages & 26 cultures
Experience lively folk shows & festivals
Saved by 859 users6219 positive reviews
Verified user reviews
The ethnic village is relatively close to the Haigeng Dam, and there weren't many tourists. The experience was decent. It houses about 25 ethnic groups, and I heard that the five ethnic groups at the entrance put on dance performances and other activities in the evenings.
Hiring a guide for 200 yuan is definitely worth it. The guide will take you on a walk around and will take you to three intangible cultural heritage sites, such as silver jewelry sales, medicinal incense, and tea. You can buy things or not.
No.
8
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Xishuangbanna Primeval Forest Park
4.3
/5
5955 reviews
8.2
From AU$ 9.23
Based on 26 reviews
>100 km from downtown
Phone +8606912759888
Address: Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture is 8 km from the suburb of Jinghong City
Recommended sightseeing time: 3–5 hours
Highlights:
Cultural dance & Water-Splashing Festival
Peacock flight & Dai culture
Saved by 239 users3802 positive reviews
Verified user reviews
Overall, it was great. It would have been even better if the electric carts could be used for round-trip transportation; going up the mountain was too tiring. We originally planned to watch the peacock release before participating in the activities, but we were lucky to see the peacocks displaying their plumage on the way down! The jungle trek (Section A) was a bit pricey, but the kids had a lot of fun. They even fed the monkeys and saw the Tyndall effect, which we explained to them.
Of all the places I visited in Xishuangbanna, this was the most satisfying. The scenery was beautiful, and one of the actors there even looked a bit like Li Qin. I recommend bringing extra clothes if you go in the morning, as it can get a bit chilly in the mountains. Also, don't take the sightseeing bus; hiking up and down the mountain in half an hour is very easy, and the natural oxygen bar in the mountains is much better for your health.
No.
9
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Xishuangbanna Dai Garden
4.4
/5
4400 reviews
8.1
From AU$ 4.10
Based on 81 reviews
Daizu Park Scenic Area | >100 km from downtown
Phone +8606912504601
Address: Xihan Garden, Jinghan City, Jinghong City, Xishuangbanna (near Mangan Town)
Recommended sightseeing time: 2–3 hours
Highlights:
Experience Dai's warm welcome ceremony
Explore villages & pagoda stilt houses
Saved by 195 users2878 positive reviews
Verified user reviews
Getting to the Dai Ethnic Garden is very convenient! At the Peacock Garden, enjoy the peacock dance performed by Dai girls, visit the White Pagoda Temple and Golden Pagoda Temple, see the Dai stilted houses, and try the lemongrass-grilled fish. Young people can participate in the water-splashing activities at the Water Splashing Square for a refreshing blessing.
Yunnan's hospitality is ingrained in its DNA. It's so beautiful and fun! We happened to catch the Water Splashing Festival, and joining everyone in the fun was incredibly enjoyable! Dai clothing and water splashing equipment are available for sale nearby, and there's also plenty of delicious food to enjoy!
The Dai Park is quite large, with many Dai villages integrated into one. Be sure to plan your visit carefully, as you won't be able to visit many areas after closing time!
No.
10
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Jinuo Mountain Rainforest Hiking
4.8
/5
692 reviews
8.1
From AU$ 27.47
>100 km from downtown
Phone +8618088079194
Address: 西双版纳傣族自治州景洪市基诺族乡司土村委会司土老寨4号
Recommended sightseeing time: 0.5–1 day
Highlights:
Rubber trees & bamboo vipers
See plants, streams, & waterfalls
644 positive reviews10K views in last month
Verified user reviews
This group-buying package offers the best value for money online. Not only did we have a fantastic time, but it also included a rainforest meal. The air in the mountains was so fresh, the streams were crystal clear, and the scenery was breathtaking. Highly recommended! 👍
Friends, when you come to Xishuangbanna, don't just focus on the Starlight Night Market!
I just hiked the newly opened rainforest trail in Jinuo Mountain last year. Six hours of hiking, and my phone's photo album was completely full!
Wading through the clear stream in rain boots, you could pick up any stone in the water and smear it on your face.
There are swings at the beginning and middle, but the ones in the rainforest are even more thrilling. Swinging across the water so close to the surface, your screams were swallowed by the rainforest! No need for filters in the photos!
A special shout-out to our local Jinuo guide! A "walking encyclopedia": This flower spider used to make me jump three meters, but now I actually find it kind of cute; he even pulled out his own sour ants and urged us to eat them alive—they were so sour and addictive, and it was hilarious to see those who were too scared to try them grimacing at others!
The last part was simply divine! Climbing up the natural stream, grabbing vines and stepping on stones, it was a real-life wilderness survival game, but the guide was there the whole time, making it super reassuring! Having a picnic at a rest stop along the way and listening to the tour leader tell ancient stories of the Jinuo people is a much better experience than just visiting tourist attractions!
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