Jingmaishan 景迈山

Jingmai Mountain, located at an altitude of 1600m, is one of the six tea-producing mountains in the Xishuangbanna region. It is home to tea-growing inhabitants of the Dai and Bulang ethnic groups. The Bulangs have been there for over 1400 years. It was in the 18th century that the region was annexed by the central government and a significant trade in tea and horses was established with the populations of the Tibetan highlands, as far as India. The summit of Jingmaishan Mountain has a majority of old trees. This is felt in the cup: more character, more bitterness, more power. Tea cultivation is planned for the long term, current producers work for their grandchildren. A tea plant only produces acceptable tea from 50 years old. The young shrubs are mainly intended to make Shu Cha (cooked Pu Er) or are used in the blends of large factories. The entire mountain, which is very vast, is dotted with small traditional villages, each with its Buddhist pagoda or temple. It is accessed by a paved forest road through the forests of ancient tea trees. Don’t forget to stop for a walk in the villages, to meet the inhabitants and their tropical way of life. The pagodas and temples offer some very nice surprises, carved woods several hundred years old, and some very intense singing ceremonies.

A very small village of the Bulang ethnic group has many wooden houses in the architectural tradition of this minority. The walk is very pleasant, the village is full of flowers and some houses are being renovated or rebuilt, which allows you to see the craftsmen at work. You come across women smoking the local cigar, made of dried tobacco leaves. The costumes are embroidered and colorful, the inhabitants friendly, the village superb. There is a small market at the top of the village in the parking lot, where you can buy family tea and some typical objects. At the very top of the village is the temple, which has a beautiful large terrace to get a general overview of the small village and the surrounding mountain. A very pleasant and exotic stopover in the mountain, to discover the different minorities. Access to the village is free, there is a very small, very simple guesthouse in the village, for lovers of total immersion in local life…

Another village of Jingmai Mountain, very colorful, of the Aini minority, which can be found along the Vietnamese border in the rice terraces. The houses are also traditional, with architecture typical of the minority. The walk is also free in the village, take the opportunity to meet the inhabitants, discover their homes, their lifestyles and their working methods. Communication remains limited because the level of Mandarin of the inhabitants remains basic or non-existent, the guides have less difficulty communicating with them if they have rudiments of local dialects, but it remains very basic. The museums of Jinghong provide many explanations on the architectural, clothing and cultural differences of the minorities, as well as on their histories and origins through the ages.

Located in a valley neighboring that of Jingmaishan, this small village is recognized for the quality of its songs, dances and traditional shows. Nestled in a valley with rich and diverse cultures, the village is made up of wooden houses with typical roofs inhabited by friendly farmers and local artists in colorful costumes. The walk in the village is free, without entrance fee, and you can if you wish organize and participate in a show of traditional dances and songs (to be organized in advance or upon arrival). The inhabitants of this village are renowned for their lively and rhythmic shows. The main square provides a perfect setting for these festivities, with a church at the top of the village. It is a beautiful valley planted with tea, rice fields and various tropical crops, a stop off the beaten track to discover local life.