Where to Enjoy The Best Foliage Around Shanghai & China
October is in full swing, and with it comes the amazing firework show of fall foliage. And while Shanghai isn’t particularly known for its autumn leaves, there are plenty of places nearby you can go take some Instagram-worthy autumn shots. Or if you’re feeling brave you can venture way out to see some of China’s incredible autumn landscapes, here are some of our top choices, but be sure to hurry up!
Tianping Hill of Suzhou
One of the most scenic areas around the Mudu Water Town, Tianping Hill sits just 15km west of Suzhou. At the halfway point up the hill you can find the White Cloud Spring, a beautiful and historically significant little respite along the way to the top. It’s named a ‘hill’ because it’s only 220 meters high, however, the view from the top is still spectacular. It’s most famous for its sprawling views of red maples and rock formations, which are at their most beautiful when the autumn leaves turn fiery auburn, yellow and maroon.
Ticket price: 30 RMB/person
Opening hours: 7:30am - 5:00pm daily
Address: Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, 15 kilometers west of the city
Nanjing Qixia Mountain
Photo source: Chinadiscovery.com
Qixia Mountain is famous in Nanjing for its stone sculptures and the pagoda, but especially for its burning red maple trees in autumn. This is a wildly popular spot to go in the month of November, as the foliage peaks somewhere around mid-month. It’s a beautiful journey, only 22 km from downtown Nanjing. Perfect for a scenic weekend trip or even day trip.
Ticket price: Off-season 20 RMB/ person, peak season 40 RMB/ person
Opening hours: 7:00am - 5:00pm daily
Address: Located about 22 kilometers northeast of Qixia town, Nanjing
Daming Mountain
Photo source: MildChina.com
Maples, Ginko trees and green bamboos highlight this stunning autumn landscape. The mountain scenic area is approximately 30 square km, sitting over 100 km from downtown Hangzhou. The highest peak in the area is Damingding, a 1500 meter-high perch that’s perfect for soaking up the glory of autumns shades and colors.
Ticket price:110 RMB/person
Opening hours: 8:00am - 5:00pm daily
Address: In the town of Ling'an, west of Hangzhou
Yangjia Village
Photo source: KUKLY BRATC
Visitors to Yangjia Village can say thousands upon thousands of China’s legendary Ginko trees, many of which are more than 100 years old. They mix and mingle with the surrounding landscape in a truly unique, one-of-a-kind visual experience.
Ticket price: No tickets required
Opening hours: All-day
Address: Located about 12 kilometers west of the Wanshi town, Fuyang
Sichuan-Jiuzhaigou Valley
Photo source: VU Student
As spectacular as anywhere throughout the country, Jiuzhaigou Valley is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and for good reason. Its waterfalls, mountains, lakes and expanse of different kinds of trees make it an almost mystical scene, never more so than in the throes of autumn foliage. The 3000-meter altitude gives the vegetation unique features that are found nowhere else in China, and if you get bored of the amazing views you can visit some of the area’s Tibetan villages strewn about.
Photo source: Rutas Por China
Ticket price: Peak season April to November: 220 RMB/person, off-season November to March: 80 RMB/person
Opening hours: Peak season: 6:30am - 6:00pm, off-season: 6:30am - 5:00pm daily
Address: Located in the territory of Sichuan Province, Jiuzhaigou County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture
Nanhuang Ancient Road
This ancient pathway was established by merchants seeking new trades routes in the region. Today it is best known for its lush Maple trees that line the roadways on both sides. It is considered a rival to Beijing’s famous Xiangshan Hill.
Ticket price: No tickets required
Opening hours: All-day
Address: Yang Nanping Village in Zhejiang province Tiantai County Township, about 200 km from Hangzhou
Beijing Xiangshan Hill
Photo source: Visit Our China
Just 28 kilometers northwest of Beijing, Fragrant Hills Park is a gorgeous, sprawling area comprised of 162 hectares of hills and forest. The apex of the park is Xianglu Peak (also known as ‘Incense Burner Peak’) which sits at 1,830 feet (558 meters) high. Every autumn this park comes alive with thousands of tourists, all hoping to get their fill of the expansive views of red smoke tree leaves over the mountains.
Ticket price: Peak season April to November: 10 RMB/person , off- season November to March: 5 RMB/person
Opening hours: Peak season 6:30am - 6:30pm daily, off-season: 6:30am - 6:00pm
Address: Located in the western suburbs of Haidian District, 25 kilometers away from the urban area of Beijing
Wuyuan County-Rustic Villages
If you need other reasons besides just beautiful autumn colors, this might be the choice for you. Wuyuan county has as stunning a view as any other China location, but its littered with old rustic villages that make the experience an authentic and cultural delight.
Ticket price: No tickets required
Opening hours: Peak season: 8:00am - 6:00pm, off-season: 8:00am - 5:30pm
Address: Located in the northeast of Wuyuan County, 42 kilometers from the county, Jiangxi Province
Gingko Porch, Changxing County
Photo source: 123F.com
If you’ve ever wanted to see 30,000 wild Gingko trees expanding out as far as the eye can see, this may be the trip for you. These Gingko trees are said to be the oldest of the species on the Chinese mainland. Their vivid yellow color makes this fall foliage spot a truly special one.
Ticket price: 35 RMB
Opening hours: 8:30am - 4:00pm daily
Address: Located in the small town of Changxing County，Zhejiang province
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