Olive Dam (Ganlan Ba)

Olive Dam (Ganlan Ba) Known in the language of the Dai people as Menghan, the Olive Dam (Ganlan Ba) on the Lancang Rivers a world-famous "peacock tail ", meaning the most beautiful part of Xishuangbanna.

"No trip to Xishuangbanna is complete without a visit to Olive Dam", as the popular saying goes. Ganlan Ba is located in the lower reaches of Lancang River, about 40kms from Jinghong city and it is the fourth biggest dam of the 23 dams in Xishuangbanna. The area has a typical tropical zone landscapes with low terrain and moist climate. Ganlan Ba covers an area of 50 square kilometers at an altitude of 530 meters, which is the lowest place in Xishuangbanna. The Olive Dam derives its name from the fact that its forever clothed in greenery and that it takes the shape of an olive.

A total of 64 Dai-inhabited villages are found on the sandbar, and bamboo abodes gleam in the verdure of coconut trees, with water flowing past them all the year round, and flowers in full bloom in all four seasons. The Olive Dam, its tropical landscape looking sylvan in the ethnic Dai tradition, evinces an air of classic sanctity and natural repose.

 Weather in the region is hot, humid, which brings in various tropical fruits like coconut, areca, banana, mango, litchi, carambola, pineapple honey, etc, as well as great amount of candied fruit.