Cultural Activities, what to experience in Xishuangbanna

Xishuangbanna not only boasts abundant tropical rainforests but also offers numerous traditional Dai cultural activities that attract countless visitors. Tourists can experience Dai customs like the Water Splashing Festival and traditional Peacock Dance performances. The region is also renowned for its Pu-erh tea and coffee beans, where you can explore tea culture and learn about coffee bean processing.

You can gain a deeper understanding of local life by visiting Dai family homes, where you can learn about their customs and cooking traditional Dai dishes, adding a lot of enjoyment to your trip in Xishuangbanna.

Yunnan Pu-erh Tea Cultural Experience

• Type: Cultural Immersion/ Food
• Tour Length : Half a day
• Location: Xishuangbanna County

Pu-erh tea or dark tea is a type of fermented tea that is produced in Yunnan. Farmers in Yunnan have been growing tea for thousands of years. Drinking Pu-erh tea has a lot of health benefit, including aiding in weight loss, strengthening immune system, and reducing cholesterol. In this half day journey, you will take part in pressing tea leaves into a dense block, sampling of Pu-erh tea and more. Also, you can experience tea leave picking at the plantation area in March and April. Tea leaves can be harvest from February to November but those picked before May taste the finest. At the end of this session, you can bring home the compressed tea cake you have made. Tea lovers would not want miss this half day journey.

Yunna Coffee Bean

• Type: Cultural Immersion/ Food
• Tour Length : Half a day
• Location: Xishuangbanna County

Always known for Yunnan Pu-erh tea, people rarely know about the coffee produced in Yunnan too. Originally, coffee tree was introduced from France to Yunnan. After centuries, vast coffee plantations are found in many parts of Yunnan. Coffee produced in Yunnan has a fruity fragrance, aromatic but not overwhelming, refreshing with a mild bitter taste. Harvest coffee once a year when most of the coffee cherries are ripe.

From October to December you can experience coffee bean picking and see how coffee beans are produced in the factory. If the factory has stone mills, which is used in the past to grind processed coffee beans into powder, you will have the chance to try your hand at grinding coffee beans in the traditional way.

Cooking Class

• Type: Cultural Immersion/ Food
• Tour Length : Half a day
• Location: Xishuangbanna County

A cooking class in Xishuangbanna offers a unique opportunity to learn authentic Dai cuisine. Visit Dai family in the Dai Village, join a cooking class, you'll explore traditional ingredients and cooking techniques, creating flavorful dishes like grilled fish wrapped in banana leaves and spicy papaya salad, Bamboo Tube Rice. It's a hands-on experience that not only teaches you how to prepare delicious Dai meals but also gives your insight into the rich culinary culture of the region.

Water Splashing Festival

• Type: Cultural Immersion/ art /history
• Tour Length : a day
• Location: Xishuangbanna County

The Dai Water Splashing Festival usually takes place in mid-April and is one of the most important traditional festivals for the Dai people. The celebration typically lasts for three days, beginning with Buddhist rituals in the morning, followed by the lively water-splashing activities in the afternoon. People gather in the streets or at designated squares, joyfully splashing water on each other as a symbol of washing away bad luck and bringing blessings. You can join them and experience the lively atmosphere of the Water Splashing Festival.

The festival creates a festive and playful atmosphere, where both locals and visitors can join in to experience the culture and fun.

Admire New Dai Show

• Type: Cultural Immersion/ art /history
• Tour Length : 1.5 hours
• Location: Xishuangbanna County

The New Dai Show is not only a visual feast and an international art performance but also a cultural experience. It beautifully showcases Xishuangbanna's rich natural and cultural charm, immersing the audience in a magical world. The entire performance lasts about 70 minutes, featuring a stage that can transform into a water stage in an instant. The show includes stunning lighting, extravagant sets, exquisite costumes, and a variety of performances such as singing and dancing, water acrobatics, sand painting, and traditional Dai dance, all creating a captivating spectacle.

Making Bai Ye Sutra (Palm Leaf Manuscripts)

• Type: Cultural Immersion/ art /history
• Tour Length : 2 hours
• Location: Dai Minority Village, Xishuangbanna County

The Bai Ye Sutra (Palm Leaf Manuscripts) can be traced back to the time of Buddha Shakyamuni. The Bai Ye Sutras have a history of over 2,500 years and are often referred to as the " Treasures of Buddhism" due to their rarity. The Bai Ye Sutras were inscribed in Pali on palm leaves, recording the teachings of the Buddha. These palm leaves are taken from the Beiye Palm tree and undergo a special process before the scriptures are engraved on the leaves and bound into books using string. Compared to regular paper books, these manuscripts are resistant to moisture, pests, and decay, allowing them to last for centuries without damage. The writing tool is a specially made iron stylus. After engraving, a mixture of plant oil and soot is applied to the script to make the writing stand out and remain unfaded. The leaves are then polished with sawdust for added shine.

At the Dai Ethnic Park, with the guidance of a master, you can experience preparing the palm leaf, engraving, applying ink, and preserving it, completing the process of creating a Bai Ye leaf manuscript to take home as a lasting keepsake.

Customize Your Unique Yunnan Tour

If you are interested in one of the Yunnan itineraries mentioned above, please contact us, and we will be happy to customize it and provide a quote tailored to your preferences.

Alternatively, if you would like to customize your Yunnan Tour, please visit our Yunnan Tour Customized Center. We assure you that you will receive a reply within 24 working hours.

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