12 Best Places To See Autumn Colors In China
From mid-October to mid-November, most of China’s landscapes start to transform from their summer shades of green into the reds, oranges and yellows, signs of the colorful autumn. You may choose one or two places to comfort your eyes and relax yourself with viewing the autumn leaves.
Here, we leafed through 12 best fall foliage destinations in China that we think are worth your exploration on your autumn trip.
1. Kanas, Xinjiang 新疆喀纳斯
Reputed as a small Switzerland, Kanas is the only scenic area in China that has Northern Europe flavor. Every year, it will turn toa colorful world in September and October. The blue sky and white clouds are reflected on the emerald Kanas Lake. On the lakeside, there are white birth forests and red maple trees, providing visitors a feast for the eyes.
2. Ejina Qi, Inner Mongolia 内蒙古额济纳旗
Ejina Qi is in the most west end of Alashan, west of Inner Mongolia. It has a drought, extreme arid desert steppe climate with four distinctive seasons. It features rainless, abundant sunshine, and great temperature difference.
Ejina Diversifolius Poplar Forest National Nature Reserve is one of the three largest poplar forests in the world with mesmerizing autumn scenes sought after by numerous tourists and photographers.
3. Tachuan Village, Anhui Province 安徽塔川村
Tachuan Village, known as the birthplace of Ancient Huizhou Culture, is located in Yixian County, not far from the Yellow Mountain. This village has a reputation of “Four Most Beautiful Autumn Scenery” in China. It is a small village with very natural landscape of typical Chinese style. Every autumn, many tourists and photographers visit the village just to take the photos of the very natural autumn landscape. Walking in the village, you would experience the pleasure of the locals who live in this pure wonderland.
4. Avatar Mountain, Hunan Province
张家界，湖南
Autumn is a romantic season and visitors who come to Zhangjiajie can appreciate a sense of poetry at this time.Many of the trees have turned to a golden yellow color, which paints a magnificent contrast against the backdrop of the mountains and the foliage.
With fewer misty days and rainy days, the weather will be fine and last for a long time. Be careful of the cold night in autumn season.
5. Miyaluo, Sichuan Province 四川米亚罗
Miyaluo, literally “Playful Pateau” in Tibetan, is located in Li County, Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture, about 263 km north of Chengdu, between Chengdu and Jiuzhaigou.
Miyaluo Scenic Area is the largest red leaves viewing landscape in China, with 3688 square km, 127 km long from east to west, and 29 km wide from north to south, 180 the size of Fragrant Hill Red Leaves Scenic Area in Beijing. When autumn comes, the whole Miyaluo becomes a sea of red leaves, a stunning view of the fall foliage seldom seen elsewhere.
6. Red Beach, Liaoning Province 辽宁红海滩
The red leaves form a popular attraction during China's autumn, but have you ever seen the season's red waters? The sea blites living in the mud flat of Panjin, northeast Liaoning Province, start to grow every April or May. They're green at first, but then gradually turn red. By September, they will have become a carpet of vivid red, stretching out across the whole beach.
The mornings of sunny September days are the best time to enjoy the spectacular views of the Red Beach. You may stand on the bridge extending onto the sea or paddle a boat to enjoy this 6,000-hectare- wide "red carpet."
7. Qixiashan, Jiansu Province 江苏栖霞山
Qixiashan Scenic Area is located in Nanjing. It is rich in ecological fossils and oft lauded as “Natural Geography Museum”.
Qixiashan is peppered with historical relics and sites. But its biggest draw is its autumn color. Qixiashan is reputed as one of the four most famous maple leaf viewing spots in China. When autumn comes, the while mountain area is blanketed with red leaves of maple trees.
8. Greater Khingan Mountains, Heilongjiang Province
黑龙江大兴安岭
Located in the north of Heilongjiang Province and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Greater Khingan Mountains covers a large forest area, totaling 84.6-thousand square kilometers. Its size is equal to the territory of Austria or 137 Singapores. It is located in the cold temperate zone and is mainly influenced by continental monsoon climate. As a result, its forest landscapes change throughout the different seasons. It is reputedly at its best in autumn, with a colored forest and clear sky.
9. Yellow Mountain, Anhui Provide
安徽黄山
Yellow Mountain is arguably the best place in China for seeing autumn in all its glory. The range’s vertiginous peaks are covered in trees that turn a beautiful, bright red throughout November. Its renowned wispy clouds give it a particularly ethereal, Chinese atmosphere. Head here at sunrise to see the foliage at its very best.
10. Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon, Tibet
西藏雅鲁藏布大峡谷
Located in Nyingchi, southwest China's Tibet Autonomous Region, Yarlung Zangbo River Grand Canyon is regarded as the deepest canyon in world, and is slightly longer than the Grand Canyon in the United States, the symbolic scenery of which is the U-shaped Great Bend near Nyingchi County.
In autumn, Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon is brightly colored, with a string of small villages clinging to both sides of the canyon like gems. The apples, pears, walnuts and mulberries are all ripe. In the village you can admire the canyon’s autumn view while tasting autumn fruits.
11. Bashang Grassland, Hebeing Province
河北坝上草原
Located about 240 kilometers north of Beijing, the Bashang Grasslands have long been one of the ideal sites to appreciate autumn colors. Horse riding, camping, watching local wrestling competitions, or staying in farmers' Mongolian yurts to eat roast whole sheep and other plain foods, are the main attractions for visitors.
Vast lakes, and sunrises and sunsets over the grasslands provide great views for city dwellers who've grown tired of the urban sprawl.
12 Daocheng Yading, Sichuan Province 四川稻城亚丁
Autumn is the season especially for Yading. In this season, Yading will show tourists its most charming and mysterious views. It seems just one night, the whole mountain and ground change entirely. The deep green leaves on the cedar trees and the golden yellow pine needles and aspen, as well as the red birch leaves, all of these make Daocheng a fascinating place to visit. From the late September to Middle October is the best time to see the red grassland.
