Warning! Don't come to Xishuangbanna during the rainy season unless you want to...

**🔥Xishuangbanna 3-day, 2-night popular guide! Play like this to save money💰 and take great photos that will flood your social circle!**

**📍Day 1: Immersive Dai ethnic customs**
✅ **Morning**: Go straight to **Manting Park + the Main Buddhist Temple**. The Dai King's Royal Garden is super photogenic! Rent Dai clothing (rent at the night market for CNY 30–50). Snap a photo and you'll have a blockbuster📸
✅ **Noon**: Eat **Dai-style hand-grabbed rice** (recommended: "Manfeilong Grilled Chicken". You can eat until you're stuffed for an average of CNY 50!)
✅ **Afternoon**: Stroll through **Starry Night Market** (Asia's largest night market!). Go after 5pm to avoid the crowds and see the sunset 🌇
✅ **Evening**: Take **CNY 199 Dai-style photos** (bargaining tips: ask around at several places, choose clothes that look good, and 5–10 retouched photos are enough)

**🌴Day 2: Tropical rainforest + niche secret spots**
✅ **Morning**: **Chinese Academy of Sciences Botanical Garden** (must-see: the Giant Water Lily Pond. People under 80 kg can sit on it!)
✅ **Noon**: Eat **mashed chicken feet + Paoluda** (the "Xiaoyu Dai Flavor" at the night market is super popular!)
✅ **Afternoon**: **Wild Elephant Valley Rainforest Herding Elephants** (walk and take photos with elephants 🐘. It's super healing!)
✅ **Evening**: **Six Nations Water Market** (take a fruit boat and cruise the Mekong River at night. It's super dreamy!)

**💡Day 3: Locals' private play guide**
✅ **Morning**: **Jinuo Mountain Rainforest Hike** (stream tracing + tree climbing + eating wild fruit. It's super exciting!)
✅ **Noon**: Eat **Dai-style barbecue** (recommended: "Youxiang Food Plaza". It's half the price of the night market!)
✅ **Afternoon**: **Borei Temple** (pure white pagoda, niche but super photogenic!)
✅ **Before returning**: Buy **Laos iced coffee + dried mango** as souvenirs. They're cheap and delicious!

**⚠️Avoid-the-pitfalls guide**
❌ Don't buy fruit in scenic areas (go to **Mange Fruit Market**. Durian is CNY 20/kg!)
❌ Don't trust cheap chartered cars on the roadside (you can easily get ripped off. It is recommended to use DiDi or rent an electric car)
❌ Bring an umbrella during the rainy season (June–August). It may rain at any time ☔

**📸Photo Tips**
✔️ The light is softest at 8am & 4pm
✔️ Wear bright clothes (red/yellow/white). They go great with the green rainforest!
✔️ Use a wide-angle lens to photograph Buddhist temples and a telephoto lens to photograph the rainforest. You'll get a cinematic feel in minutes 🎬