Another pastime in Jinghong is to take a 1 hour trip down the Lancang (Mekong) River on engine powered inflatable rafts. The trip covers approx 16 km. For those of you who have never traveled on this major river, it's a great oppertunity to get a feel for the power and vastness of this body of water.

The price per person is Y160 (The rafts will only leave with a minimum of 2 people and anything up to 10).

It can get very hot in the summer in Jinghong. One of the best ways to get some relief from the heat is to go swimming.

Some of the higher rated hotels have pools which you can visit. The charges can vary from Y25 to Y50 for the day.

Two of these hotels are the 'Dai Garden Hotel' and the 'Golden Banna Hotel'. The 'Dai Garden Hotel' (Daiyuan) is on Minhang Lu and the 'Golden Banna' (Jinbanna) is located on Mengle Dadao. You can buy drinks and food by the pool side.

A cheaper alternative is to visit one of the public pools. There's one close to the 'Tropical Plant and Flower Garden' on Xuanwei Dadao. Entrance is Y10.

There are many places in Jinghong where you can get yourself a massage. Probably the one which is the most visited by foreigners is the 'Blind Massage School', it's located on the corner where 'Jingde Lu' meets 'Mengle Dadao', on the 2nd floor. The price is Y40 for an hour.

On cooler nights an excellent way to warm up is to visit the 'Hot springs'. They are not actually located in Jinghong city but in the next small town to the west, called 'Gasa'. It has no real address so the best way to get directions is to ask in the various travelers cafes or contact us and we'll help. Entrance is Y25. Taxi ride there is around Y25 each way. Finding a taxi to return to Jinghong can sometimes be difficult.

There are two main markets in Jinghong which are well worth a visit. Both are always busy everyday of the week selling anything and everything. Many of the vendors here wear their traditional clothing.

One is between Jingde Lu and Mengla Lu, near the stadium. The other is opposite the north long distance bus station on Galan Zhonglu behind the shops.

There are Jade shops all over Jinghong but the highest density of them is in 'Jade Street' or 'Zhuanghong Lu'. It's just before the north bus station. Most of the jade shops are owned by the Burmese population. Other souvenirs can also be bought here, wooden ornaments, clothes and other trinkets. It's open all day and into the evening.

The 'Night Market' is every night unless it's raining because it's an open air market. Here you can buy local and not so local souvenirs. It's on 'Mengla Lu', opposite the 'Sightseeing Hotel', and starts around 8.00pm.