Hanging towers, totem poles, tropical rainforests, tropical fruits, water-splashing festival, torch festival... Being in this world, I feel like I have returned to the time of traveling in Xishuangbanna.

However, this is not Yunnan, but the "Xishuangbanna in Beijing"-Yalu Palaeotropical Botanical Garden.

Yalu Ancient Tropical Botanical Garden is a large tropical botanical garden in Beijing. The scenic area covers an area of more than 300 acres. The buildings are all thatched wooden houses and hanging buildings in the style of southwest ethnic groups. More than 3000 species of plant species from the tropics and subtropics are planted here. Entertainment areas such as dinosaur museums, elf tribes, and mini zoos have various interactive experiences, which are very suitable for bringing children to play.

For me, the most attractive thing in the scenic spot now is the 6th Water-Splashing Festival and the 3rd Torch Festival that are being held. The event lasts from July 10 to August 29. Every weekend, festival ceremonies, ethnic performances, and specialty delicacies full of ethnic minorities in Southwest China are presented one by one.

I have always regretted that I haven't experienced the Water-Splashing Festival in person before. Now, I don't have to go to Yunnan, and I can't go to Beijing to experience two grand festivals at once. The summer of water and fire carnival is definitely exciting and exciting ~

Songkran Festival

The water-collecting ceremony for the Water-Splashing Festival begins at 2 p.m.

After the ceremony, the Water-Splashing Festival kicked off amid the sound of dynamic music. Everyone started carnival mode and launched a nationwide wet battle next to the fountain and pool, splashing good wishes on each other. On a hot summer afternoon, the splashing water shines with fine light, cooling this happy world.

torch Festival

At eight o'clock in the evening, the dark night sky was lit up by flames, and the quiet night was broken by cheers. The sacrificial ceremony of the Torch Festival began.

People dressed in ethnic minority costumes gathered together happily, celebrating the festival around a bonfire, and using torches to convey friendship. The strong exotic customs gave me a trance as if I had traveled to villages and tribes in Yunnan.

Ethnic minority performances

When the scenic area opens, there will be a very wonderful opening dance ceremony. Elder brothers and sisters from Yunnan Dai, Yi, Wa, Lisu, Hani and other southwestern ethnic minorities will sing and dance, allowing us to feel the festival early in the morning. Happy atmosphere.

Walking into the scenic spot, they were also performing and welcoming tourists along the way. I couldn't help but get closer and want to have a good look at their exquisite national costumes.

The intangible cultural heritage cultural performances performed on the national stage were packed, and the intangible cultural heritage cultural performances such as Axi jumping on the moon, blowing leaves, and breathing fire attracted bursts of cheers and applause. Being able to enjoy so many wonderful and rich national performances at one time can only be realized in Yalugu.

Tropical Botanical Museum

This place is like a small tropical rainforest, with vines intertwined and lush vegetation. It is worthy of being the "Xishuangbanna in the North".

The museum collects coffee, cocoa, egg yellow fruit trees introduced in Cuba, yellow pears with grimac-like texture, Garbo fruit trees with "grapes" on their trunks, and "blood sealing throats" that have been heard of but seen for the first time... It's an encyclopedia of tropical plants, which makes adults and children can't help but sigh at the wonder of nature.

children's entertainment area

In the Dinosaur Museum next to the Tropical Botanical Museum, the dinosaurs hidden in the forest are lifelike. After sensing the crowd, there will be various movements and sounds, which will cause the children around them to scream.

Elf Tribe is a fantasy jungle experience park that combines thousands of tropical plants with cute pets, and uses immersive jungle stories and zero-distance interactive experience methods for cute pets.

Shuttling through tropical rainforests, get close contact with meerkats, alpacas, kangaroos, ostriches, and peacocks, and then check in multiple checkpoints to let children learn some little knowledge about plants and animals while feeling the fun of nature and ambition, killing two birds with one stone.

Summer food

The toast bars and fast food restaurants in the scenic area use solid wood, totems, stones and other elements to reproduce the impression of Yunnan with its original flavor. The restaurant has Yalugu specialty farmhouse firewood pot stews and various Yunnan ethnic specialties.

During the Water-Splashing Festival and Torch Festival, the scenic area also launched a buffet barbecue dinner for 88 yuan, allowing unlimited enjoyment of beer, drinks, barbecue, crayfish, and various late night snacks. Absolutely great value ~

There is a band performing next to the restaurant, and actors from every ethnic minority will sing a toast during meals. After an afternoon of water fighting and hunger, such a ceremonial barbecue feast really made this summer weekend perfect ~

I have been playing here all day from morning to night. Although my whole body is soaked through, it is like returning to the simplest and happiest times of childhood. I regret not knowing about this treasure place earlier, so that I could experience Yunnan's local customs, environment and food without leaving Beijing, and feel the ethnic festival atmosphere that I never had the chance to see.

The day in Yalugu was really very happy, very summer ~

[Travel tips]

1. Attractions: Beijing Yalu Ancient Tropical Botanical Garden

2. Activity: "A Summer of Water and Fire Carnival" The 6th Water-Splashing Festival and the 3rd Torch Festival (every Saturday from July 10 to August 29)

3. Address: North Exit of Zhuzhuang, Changziying Town, Daxing District, Beijing City

4. Transportation: It is about 1 hour's drive from the city by car, parking is free; get off at Zhuzhuang Station on Bus No. 940/926/976/826/20

5. Tickets: The original price is 80 yuan, and the special event package is 69.9 yuan (some ticketing platforms can also rush up tickets for matinee performances of 9.9 yuan/night performances of 39.9 yuan)

6. You will definitely get wet when participating in the Water-Splashing Festival. Be sure to prepare a separate set of clothes and make mobile phones/cameras and other equipment waterproof.

7. Beijing is humid and sultry after entering the city, so we should pay attention to sunstroke prevention and sun protection.