Wild Elephant Valley

To the Dai people, the elephant is the symbol of good luck, might and longevity. The wild elephants of Xishuangbanna mainly live in the Wild Elephants Valley (yexiang gu), at the juncture of the western and eastern part of the Menyang natural reserve. In the valley, there is an observation tower, especially built for tourists. The best time to see these impressive beasts is at dawn or dusk. There are currently 300 elephants living in the dense forest in Xishuangbanna, known locally as the "kingdom of elephants".

How to get there: The park is 45km north of Jinghong by the highway linking Jinghong and Simao. You can take the bus to Simao from the main bus station in Jinghong and get off at the park.The fare is around RMB10.

Cost: Admission is RMB25,there is a sight seeing cable car that costs RMB30 one way. Tree house guest rooms are available for RMB180.