travel: Mangshi 芒市 Yunnan, China

Mangshi is very close to the border of Myanmar (Burma) with similar weather and architecture. Many of the Dai 傣族and Jingpo minorities 景颇族 are based in this area along with Han Chinese 汉族, there are also many Burmese migrants living here too. They also celebrate the water festival of the Thai new year (songkran) and Manau festival.

it's not a very touristic town but there are several beautiful temples and park to visit. it's also super cheap! 

https://www.trip.com/travel-guide/destination/mangshi-2199/

top sights include: 

MENGHUAN GRAND GOLDEN PAGODA

MENGHUAN SILVER TOWER

*MENGBANNA (NAXI) RARITY PARK

*PUTI TEMPLE 

 

Again after more security and Covid checks and stops we arrived in Mangshi 芒市 by bus from Tengchong 腾冲. it's very close, about an hour away. We stored our bags in the bus station and then went out to explore. It was even hotter here, close to the Burmese border it had a very different atmosphere, more tropical with lots of  Burmese / thai temples. 

  they had some weird "energy shot" thing in a glass "bullet" bottle we tried in the bus station shop. more like baijiu 白酒 (strong chinese rice liquer) not tasty at all 

We got a taxi to Puti temple, up on the hills overlooking the city. there were a few stalls selling things but must were closed as the holiday was over and Covid was killing tourism. It was very quiet and very hot! we strolled around and explored the temple and the grounds, we even spotted some random white rabbits hopping around! 

 random white rabbit hopping around!

the views from the viewing platform at the temple overlooking the city 

 we stopped at the white temple but didn't go in

 

after this we headed back into the town for some lunch and much needed cold drinks! It was super hot!

we then went to the park, *MENGBANNA (NAXI) RARITY PARK. it's a nice big park full of really old twisting bayan trees (one looks like the throne in Game of thrones, but instead of swords its gnarled branches of the Bayan tree) there's also lots of peacocks roaming around, some chilling in the trees! (yes peacocks can fly a little, and they like to Chill in trees proudly) and of course lots of different flora and fauna. 

 

 

 

  elephant stone 

peacocks chillin' on the trees 

 struttin'

After this we explored the town a little then went for a super cheap massage with "pool/sauna" included. 

again they gave you some drinks and snacks. there was a big movie screen too all based in a huge common sort of area, lots of full recline chairs, but there was no1 else there really. was great! turns out the 2 girls giving us massages were from Myanmar, they had learnt some basic Chinese and had moved over, living and working in the massage place. they were loving Ben, he kept joking and saying he was hot, maybe he should take off his short for them haha since they were being  all touchy feeling anyway even though it was mainly a foot massage with shoulders and back) well....I translated and the girl eagerly pulled it off for him HAHA. Was a good massage, 1,5 hours and they did fire cupping on our feet! after we went to the changing areas and tried the "pool" in china and other parts of Asia its a nude bathe (so awkward the first time I experienced this, in Korea too at the hotel 2 old ladies) was fine for me here though as it was empty, not however in the boy one HAHA!

We chilled for a while before heading to the airport and flying back to Kunming. Unlike with our last hotel were I hadn't double check din advance about foreigners, this one I did. It was near the airport and they did a shuttle. A guy was waiting to pick up and some others up when we arrived. We got in late and went for a much needed sleep! we had breakfast together then I went into the city to meet a friend and visit the zoo while the others relaxed at the hotel (hotel had a pool but wasn't the cleanest looking) later  Came back and got the flight back to Shanghai with Ben (malik had left on an earlier flight to Changsha)