Yalong Bay Earthly Paradise Birds Nest Resort

Yalong Bay Earthly Paradise Birds Nest Resort sits in the Yalong Bay national tourist zone, inside a forest park — near where scenes from "If You Are the One 2" were filmed, and close to Lanhua Orchid Valley. Yalongwan Railway Station is 8 km away.

The format is unusual: individual cabins scattered through the tropical forest, each with a terrace and panoramic views, with an on-demand shuttle you can call over WeChat. The orchid valley has a small petting zoo where you can feed ostriches and peacocks, and while breakfast is more modest than at big chain hotels, it's genuinely good.

Who it suits: travellers looking for an unusual stay in a tropical forest rather than a standard beach hotel, and who don't mind that the grounds are large and require a shuttle between points.

Worth knowing: getting around the sprawling property can take 30–40 minutes from cabin to lobby, especially in bad weather. There are some serious complaints about individual cabins — insects, geckos in the bathroom, damp bedding with a musty smell — as well as an inflexible upgrade policy for late check-ins. It's worth asking about your specific cabin's location relative to the lobby and restaurants when booking.