Jinghong
Introduction
Jinghong is the seat of Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, in the far south of China's Yunnan province. It is also the historic capital of the former Tai kingdom of Sipsongpanna, and that Dai heritage shapes the city's character.
Before you go
Before you go, plan around food safety, especially if you intend to eat mushrooms. Overeating them or eating them undercooked can cause food poisoning, so ask your waiter to confirm whether the food is edible, and do not eat mushrooms from unknown sources. For getting around, choose a regulatory compliant taxi vehicle, preferably booked through a mobile phone app. Avoid non-compliant taxis, and keep your belongings safe.Getting there
Xishuangbanna Gasa Airport (JHG) sits in Gasa Town, a short ride from the city centre, and handles daily flights from Kunming and a few other Chinese cities, plus a twice-weekly China Eastern service between Bangkok and Jinghong. It has separate international and domestic terminals. Note that airport restaurants cost several times more than food in Jinghong, so it pays to eat before you fly or wait until you reach town. Xishuangbanna Railway Station lies roughly two kilometres from the airport, with local buses and an express bus stopping outside; over twenty trains a day run from Kunming, taking about three to four hours, and one cross-border train from Laos stops here daily. By road, more than a dozen sleeper buses leave Kunming daily, a journey of around eight hours over some bumpy dirt roads, and coaches may be lie-down sleepers even by day. Coming from Yuanyang is trickier: either backtrack to Jianshui for a sleeper bus, or from Xinjie take a bus to Luchun, stay overnight and catch the single morning departure to Jinghong — a rough, often unpaved route through mountains, rice terraces and banana plantations that is best avoided in the rainy season, when landslides and flooded road sections can leave you stranded. Police checkpoints along the way involve quick passport checks. Arriving from Laos, most travellers change buses in Mengla, though a direct bus from the border town of Mohan takes three hours.Getting around
Jinghong is compact, and the few interesting parts of town are definitely walkable, so much of a short visit can be done on foot. Down by the Nancang, it may be possible to hire a boat for a bit of river cruising.
- By bus: The airport bus reaches the city from the airport, and the airport special line also passes through the night market and temple attractions. Ordinary city buses and tourist lines pass through many of the main attractions, and attractions are served by their own tourist bus lines, most of which are priced as round trips. Pay by card or with coins, so keep some change on hand. Several local routes also stop outside the railway station, along with a dedicated Railway Station Express Bus.
- By taxi: Taxis are an easy fallback, with a low starting fare that includes a small fuel surcharge. Given how compact the centre is, most hops within town should be short and inexpensive.
- By rented electric car: Electric cars are one of the main ways local residents get around, and there are many places to rent one, including shared battery cars parked on the side of the road and rentals in the Gaozhuang area. No motorbike licence is required, but you will need to leave a deposit and provide identification.
Where to stay
Budget options cluster around the bus station, where you'll find a number of acceptable places to sleep and the cheapest beds in town. The reservation booth at the bus station can also point you toward the city's four- and five-star properties at a discount. Just south of the bus station, Traveler's Hotel is a solid choice, with doubles that include air conditioning and an attached bathroom. On Man Ting Road, a long street near Man Ting Park, motels line up for budget travellers; most have squat toilets, though a couple offer western ones. Shang Ke You Hotel, a franchise property on the same road, has clean, new rooms with western toilets, a choice of one king or two queen beds, and ethernet and wifi in every room.
For a sociable stay, Caffy & Ken Backpackers' Hostel on Mengzhe Road sits in a little side alley with an English sign, close to Jindu Hotel near the Mengle Dadao crossing. All rooms have western toilets, and there's a plant-filled courtyard and rooftop terrace where western travellers gather; breakfast is served, and Caffy speaks good English and can advise on the area. North Bank International Youth Hostel occupies a safe, quiet villa area by the Mekong River on Jingliang Road, and most rooms take in a river view. At the top end, the city's international resort hotels include the Sheraton Grand Xishuangbanna, InterContinental Xishuangbanna Resort, Wanda Vista Resort Xishuangbanna, Crowne Plaza Resort Xishuangbanna Parkview, and Xishuangbanna Elephant Home Hotel.
Food & drink
Jinghong's eating scene mixes Dai cooking with Western cafe fare and a strong late-night barbecue culture. For a relaxed meal with a view of street life, head to Banna Cafe on Manting Road, which serves both Western and Dai dishes and can also point you toward tours and treks. Mei Mei Cafe on Menglong Road, run by the sisters Orchid and A-chun, has a large outdoor terrace and is known for its Dai food, highly rated pizzas, other Western dishes and delicious desserts. Manting Road is also the place for barbecue, with many BBQ restaurants turning out what the source calls special, very delicious food.
For a bigger barbecue night, try Hao Bao Jiang Dou Fu, also known as Number 4 Exploding Juice Tofu, the largest BBQ place in the city, where you order meat and vegetables up front, sit indoors or outdoors, and find beer girls selling different brands early in the evening; it draws a crowd after the bars and KTV close. Yunnan's wild edible mushrooms star at Junxiangyuan Wild Fungus Straw Hat Steam Hot Pot, where the mushroom soup is the draw. When you want a drink, the bars along the Mekong river on the left side of the New Bridge are a bit expensive but beautiful at night and worth a stroll even without stopping. Jiang Bian is full of open-air bars where people eat and drink beer, with the more inland bars drawing more customers, while Xin Zhen Ai is cheap and attracts a younger crowd than Muse, which is considered the best club in town. Mountain Cafe, now in the newer part of Jinghong about ten minutes outside town, focuses on coffee but also serves quesadillas and pizza and does custom baking.
What to see and do
Jinghong's sights cluster around its Buddhist heritage and its riverside setting. The Xishuangbanna Zongfo Temple on Baji Road is one of the first Pali-speaking Buddhist monasteries established in the region, while the Mange Temple, a typical Theravada monastery in the Mange Cottage just north of the Lancang River Bridge, is the oldest Buddhist temple building in the city. Manjinlan Temple is free to enter, and Mengle Temple, the biggest in Xishuangbanna, sits in the southern part of town and can be reached by hired bicycle. Further afield you'll find Manduan Buddhist Temple, Manbeng Copper Pagoda and Manlei Temple, a tranquil spot offering insight into local Buddhist practice.
For green space, the Manting Imperial Garden southeast of the centre is divided into eight parts, including a Tropical Orchid Garden, a Peacock Garden and a Dai Cultural Teahouse, with singing, dancing and fire performances at extra cost. The Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden in Mengla is the largest in China, and the Tropical Flowers and Plant Garden on Xuanwei Avenue draws many Chinese tour groups. Peacock Lake Park has an artificial lake and fountain, and on dry evenings locals gather to dance on the open ground by the roundabout outside. Elsewhere, the Wangtianshu Scenic Area offers rainforest, towering trees and a skywalk, Nannuo Mountain is a renowned tea-growing area, and the forests around Menghai are good for eco-tourism. Learn about the region's ethnic groups at the Xishuangbanna Nationalities Museum on Yulin Avenue, browse the morning and night markets for street food, and visit traditional Dai villages with their bamboo houses and festivals. If you're in town for the Dai New Year, expect dragon boating and a city-wide water fight on the final day, and at any time of year the wide Nancang River, a tributary of the Mekong, offers excellent riverfront walking.
When to go
Jinghong has a humid subtropical to tropical monsoon climate, with a long warm summer and no real winter. The year splits into a dry season and a wet season, so your timing depends on whether you prefer clear skies or a lush landscape.
- Dry season: Rainfall is scarce and the weather is generally sunny and dry. December and January are the coolest months, while temperatures climb toward their April peak just before the monsoon arrives. Expect clear skies and comfortable conditions for exploring the city and the Lancang River.
- Wet season: Monsoon rains dominate, bringing frequent downpours and high humidity. June is the warmest month, and the season is long and hot. Travel can be hampered by heavy rain, but the landscape is lush and green.
Three days in Jinghong
Day one: Arrive at Xishuangbanna Gasa Airport (JHG) in Gasa Town, or by train at Xishuangbanna Railway Station. From Kunming you can fly with China Eastern, or come overland via Yuanyang, Jianshui, Xinjie, Luchun, Mengla and Mohan. Coming from Laos or Bangkok, note the border procedures at Mohan and Mengla, where police checks apply. Settle into Jinghong and take the Railway Station Express Bus or a taxi into town. Spend the afternoon walking the streets of Jinghong, getting a feel for the Dai character of the city in Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan, China. In the evening, eat lightly — overeating is easy to avoid if you pace yourself.
Day two: Explore Jinghong and its surroundings, keeping in mind the Tai and Sipsongpanna heritage that shapes the region. Use taxis or the express bus to move between neighbourhoods. Pay attention to local customs and dress modestly. Several options exist for day trips, but the city itself rewards a slow day of wandering. For meals, stick to modest portions; overeating is best avoided.
Day three: If you are heading onward, the railway station connects you toward Laos and beyond, while the airport at Gasa Town serves flights to Kunming and Bangkok. Coming from or going to Yuanyang, Jianshui, Xinjie, Luchun, Mengla or Mohan means long road journeys, so plan accordingly. Before departing, take one last walk through Jinghong's ordinary streets and markets. Arriving and leaving both involve police checks in the border areas, so carry your documents.