China Guide
Yunnan
The Sancha He Wildlife Reserve
Price: ¥50
Address: 53km north of Jinghong on the Kunming road (90min by bus from the Banna bus station)
The Sancha He Wildlife Reserve is a dense chunk of rainforest based around the Sancha Stream. The main attractions for visitors are the fifty or so wild elephants resident at Sancha He, which are most frequently seen at dawn from creaky wooden riverside hides. The jungle gets more interesting the further you venture along the overgrown, partially paved trails – you're sure to encounter elephantine footprints, along with brightly coloured birds, butterflies and snakes. Give the elephant displays here a wide berth, however, unless you enjoy watching captive animals perform circus tricks while being jabbed with a spear. In order not to miss the wild elephants' early morning appearance, many visitors opt to stay the night in the park's treehouse accommodation. If you simply turn up at the park, it'll cost almost ¥400, but if you book beforehand it's just ¥100 – any of the Jinghong tourist cafés can help you with this. For those who don't fancy a night in the treetops, the reserve also has a hotel; once again, book the day before and you'll save at least a couple of hundred yuan.