Mengbala Kingdom Garden

Mengbala Kingdom Garden

"Mengbalanaxi" is the ancient name of Xishuangbanna, meaning "a beautiful place" in the Dai language. The "Mengbala Kingdom Garden" is a unique tourist attraction full of ethnic charm. This garden is built in Olive Dam, and the entire site brings together the natural and cultural landscapes of Xishuangbanna, blending the history, culture, religion, and ethnic customs of the Dai people.

In the garden, tall coconut and areca trees stand proudly, while banana and mango trees form lush groves. The phoenix-tail bamboo sways in the breeze, and the yellow-streaked bamboo glows brilliantly in the sun. Over a hundred years old wild lychee trees offer dense shade, and the tropical forest’s unique strangler trees spark deep thought and imagination. The grand and solemn Grand Buddha Temple of the Dai people’s Sixth Buddhist Realm stands impressively; meanwhile, uniquely styled Dai bamboo houses are nestled among the greenery. Friendly Dai families welcome you to their bamboo homes, where you can enjoy their fragrant, distinctive glutinous rice tea.

Surrounding the Grand Buddha Temple are more than ten uniquely designed stupas, along with various sculptures and reliefs that showcase the Dai people’s legends of creation. The Dai Ethnic Village displays the evolution of first-, second-, and third-generation Dai bamboo houses, right up to primitive dwellings built in trees. Visitors can walk across sky bridges to explore the Dai villages, experiencing the original environment where individual Dai families lived deep in the jungle. To guard against attacks by wild animals or other dangers, these sky bridges were built for mutual aid. Descending from the sky bridges, you’ll find small streams, ancient trees, tangled vines, and tall palm trees, offering a taste of the beauty of a tropical primeval forest.

Finally, there is the approximately 15,000-square-meter restored ancient Mengbalanaxi Kingdom. The kingdom includes reconstructions of the Dai King’s council hall, palace halls, guesthouses, royal gardens, as well as servant workshops and living quarters. Visitors can watch traditional court dances of the ancient Dai kingdom, sample royal cuisine, and also observe Dai brocade weaving, rice noodle pressing, cooking, as well as elephant taming, snake handling, and peacock rearing. This series of unique experiences offers a glimpse into the atmosphere of an exotic ancient kingdom.