Where to Eat in Xishuangbanna

The best local delicacies of Xishuangbanna can be found at night markets, offering a full range of ethnic snacks that suit the tastes of people from southern China. At night, you can savor delicious food while admiring the night views of Jinghong City. Amid the colorful lights, countless tasty treats will make you linger on and never want to leave.

Located in Manjinglan Village in the southeastern part of Jinghong. Walk to the end of Nonglin Road and keep going for another 10 minutes to get there. Once a traditional Dai village, it has been developed into a food street featuring authentic Dai cuisine, with numerous restaurants lining both sides. While dining, you can also enjoy local song and dance performances.

It is the largest barbecue night market in the urban area, near the New Jinghong Bridge over the Lancang River. There is a great variety of snacks here, and you will feel full before you manage to try them all.

This traditional Dai village has seen many new restaurants open in recent years. The food here features authentic flavors at affordable prices, and it is a popular dining spot among local residents. Take Bus No.2 and get off at the final stop, Liusha River Bridge.

As a renowned "Dai Food Town" in Xishuangbanna, Damanmo is home to over a hundred Dai bamboo houses for dining. Must-try specialties include roasted free-range chicken, fresh herbs dipped in nam prik, fragrant bamboo glutinous rice, grilled dried beef strips, leaf-wrapped steamed dishes, mixed vegetable soup and boiled jelly noodles.

The village stands by the Lancang River in the southeast of Jinghong. A taxi ride from downtown costs just 5 yuan.

If you travel to Mengla County, head to Manlongdai Village for genuine Dai flavors. All the eateries here are run jointly by local villagers and are always bustling with customers. The village is about 5 kilometers away from Mengla County seat.

Directions: Take a coach from the bus station bound for Yao District or Mengban, alight at the Fourth Farm Headquarters, then walk dozens of meters and follow the gravel road on the right. Alternatively, take a rickshaw (1 yuan) to Mengla Town in the county, then transfer to a tricycle (5 yuan) to reach the village.

A favorite dining place for locals. Just tell taxi drivers the name, and they will know where it is. The taxi fare is 5 yuan. Don’t miss local specialties such as banana leaf-wrapped roasted pork brain, pork eyes and chicken combs, as well as sour bamboo shoots. Feel free to give them a try if you are adventurous.