4 of the best places to see autumn leaves in Beijing

Top locations to see autumn leaves in Beijing and beyond

Autumn is arguably the most pleasant season in Beijing, as the skies clear and the foliage bursts into colour. Go in search for golds and reds at these key spots.

Fragrant Hills

The most popular destination for admiring the autumn leaves, Fragrant Hills transforms into a blanket of vivid red. If you can, go in the weekdays to avoid the crowds. The park is situated 28km north of Beijing and stretches across 395 acres of forestry, hills and lakes. Explore the dozens of ancient sights that dot the park, such as Biyun Temple or the Vajrasana Pagoda, and make sure to take the cable car to the top of Xiang Lu for stunning views.

A good route is to follow the signs to Mo’s residence (Shuangqing Villa) for an hour-long stroll through the gardens. Be sure not to miss Jingcui Lake on your left. With lily pads resting on the glistening water and wilting willow trees all around, the lake looks like a classic Chinese watercolour, so picture perfect it almost feels clichéd.

Get there Take bus 360 from Beijing Zoo (137 Xizhimenwai Dajie, Xicheng district, 6839 0274; 西城区西直门外大街137号) and get off at Fragrant Hills (Xiangshan; 香山) after 25 stops.

Badachu Park

Nestled in the Western Hills, these slopes host an array of Buddhist temples, nunneries and shrines. Centred around the Temple of Divine Light and its ‘Buddha Tooth’ relic, Badachu Park offers a real sense of spirituality. Monks, nuns and Buddhists far outnumber tourists here; the shrines are active places of worship where locals come to pray for guidance, health and luck in the lottery.

Don’t take the cable car to the top if you don’t want to miss the temples and shrines – although that option might be good for taking some aerial snaps of the autumn leaves. For going back down, delight your kids by taking the exhilarating toboggan slide (60RMB) back to the entrance.

Get there Take the subway to Pingguoyuan station (Line 1); leave via the north exit and take bus 972 to the entrance of Badachu Park.

Botanical Gardens

For less wild forestry and more pretty flowers, head to Beijing Botanical Gardens in Haidian district. Within its four million square metres (990 acres) of conservatories, hot rooms and outside gardens, the attraction boasts over 6,000 species of plants. These include tropical varieties, water plants such as lotuses and lilies, and species used to make Chinese medicines and rarities such as a sequoia that was discovered in China after it had been thought extinct for millions of years.

Don’t miss Wofosi Temple, which hails from the Tang dynasty. Set into the mountain cliffs, the temple contains a five-metre (16.4 feet) long reclining Buddha.

Get there Take subway Line 1, get off at Pingguoyuan Station. Then transfer to bus 31.

Mutianyu Great Wall

No list of autumn destinations is complete without the Great Wall, whose location on mountain ridges makes it ideal for foliage viewing. There are a few places you can go to, but the most family-friendly spot is Mutianyu. Located about 70km from central Beijing in Huairou district, this section of the wall is about an hour-and-a-half away by car. While further away, it’s less tourist-infested than nearby Badaling.

Walk a couple of kilometres along the historic structure and climb to the top of the many watchtowers. Most of the wall has been renovated which means it’s safe for kids but you can easily make out untouched – or in parts, crumbling – sections stitched along the surrounding mountains. If you don’t want to walk up, you can get a cable car for a leisurely ride up to the foot of the wall. And then slide 1.5km back down on a toboggan.

Get there The easiest way is to drive or be driven.

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