China in October: Weather, Top Places to Visit & Highlights

- Fairyland on Earth with Extreme Beauty in Autumn

• Temperature: 6℃-20℃

Jiuzhaigou National Park in Sichuan is a UNESCO natural heritage, attracting tourists from all over the world with its unique blue lakes, waterfalls and colorful autumn leaves. The wonderful scenery of Jiuzhaigou varies from season to season, but it is the most beautiful in autumn, especially from October 15-30. At this time, most of the leaves have completely changed into golden yellow or flaming red, dotted with other colors all over the mountains.

Jiuzhaigou in autumn is like an unreachable fairyland when the emerald forest turns golden and the lake water becomes colorful and blue. Anyone who comes here will be shocked by such a beautiful world. In late October, it depicts the beauty of nature in different layers, from the bottom of the water to the mountain peak. All the colors are in uttermost harmony: the golden mountains look more magical under the reflection of the lake, while the illusions of stones, weeds, branches in the water compete with each other and add more glamours in the autumn scene.

- Broad View of Great Wall & Red Leaves in Xiangshan Park

• Temperature: 8℃-15℃

After the heat of Golden Week, the number of tourists begins to drop, while the autumn scenery is at its prime. Beijing in October is cool with little rainfall, which is comfortable to tour the imperial palaces and gardens such as the Forbidden City, Summer Palace, and the Temple of Heaven. It is also a good time to take some outdoor activities such as hiking the Great Wall. There are many choices near Beijing like Mutianyu, Jinshanling, Badaling, Juyongguan... They not only carry the strength of history, but also a pleasure to eye seeing the large stretches of colorful forests and winding Great Wall merge into one. Xiangshan Park (Fragrant Hill Park) is another famous site in Beijing to appreciate the red leaves, especially from late October. Actually, when it comes to red leaves, Xiangshan Park is usually the first place that comes into people’s mind. Due to the terrain, altitude, temperature and other reasons, the red leaves of Xiangshan Park are always particularly bright. Looking down from the mountain, it looks like a group of fiery red rosy clouds, very beautiful.

- Trek on A Pure Land on Our Blue Planet

• Temperature: 0℃-15℃

Daocheng Yading lies deep in western Sichuan, bordering Shangri-La in Yunnan Province in the south, Lugu Lake and Lijiang in the southeast. Its landscape maintains the pure natural beauty and has a relatively complete natural ecosystem, which is nearly nowhere to find on the earth. Therefore, it is reputed as the only pure land on the blue planet.

In the scenic area, there are magnificent sacred snow mountains, vast meadows, colorful forests and clear blue Haizi (lakes). Almost everything you can fancy about the beauty of highland is gathered here, which attracts visitors flowing in and reluctant to leave. In October, the forests and meadows have changed on their colorful garments, together with the holy snow mountain, their reflections in the blue lakes form a picture you will never forget. Daocheng Yading has an average altitude of about 3750 m, which is a challenge for some visitors and it is very cold in the early morning and at night but has strong sunshine at noon, so please keep warm and take some precautions to avoid altitude sickness.

- Meet Incomparable Mountain Scenery & Relax in Ancient Villages

• Temperature: 7℃-28℃

Yellow Mountain is a famous mountain in Huangshan City, Anhiu Province, southeastern China. It has enjoyed high reputation since ancient times because of its odd-shaped pines, spectacular rocky peaks, sea of clouds, and hot springs.

October is a great time to travel Huangshan. The autumn scenery of Huangshan is beautiful but short. The maple leaves covered by clouds are dotted with pine and green leaves, adding a touch of autumn beauty to the magnificent Huangshan. On a sunny day, you can fully appreciate the wonder of Huangshan. But there also may be some drizzling days and the mountain will be covered by a layer of mist. If you have more days, it is highly recommended to explore the nearby villages such as Hongcun and Xidi, not only to enjoy the idyllic scenery, but also get a tour of Huizhou culture, which is an important branch of Chinese culture. Strolling on the lanes sided by unique Huizhou architecture, biking on the vast fields, or just having a cup of tea in the distinctive inns… will add more cherished memories to your Huangshan trip.

- Leisure Cruise with Natural Beauty and Cultural Sites

• Temperature: 13℃-23℃

Yangtze River, the third largest river in the world and a mother river of China, what is it like to take a Yangtze River cruise? People usually take the 648 km part starting from Chongqing to Yichang or the other way around. In October, the temperature drops a little but the sky is clear and bright, and the leaves start to turn red, still a good time to take the cruise. During your stay on the boat, the meals and accommodation are covered. There will also be many activities such as welcome party, live performance, Chinese massage… It will be broadcast when approaching the famous sites so do not worry about missing the scenery. For some sites on land such as Fengdu Ghost City, you can step off the boat and enjoy or just stay on the boat leisurely. You will never be bored. Please be kindly noted that it may be a little chilly in October standing on the deck enjoying the view, remember to take a coat to keep yourself warm.

- Unclimable Holy Mountain in Yunnan

• Temperature (Deqin County): 3℃-18℃

Meili Snow Mountain, also known as Prince Snow Mountain, is one of the four holy mountains of Tibetan Buddhism. The main peak is Kawakarpo, 6740 m above the sea level. It is also the highest peak in Yunnan. Kawakarpo in Tibetan means the steep white snow peak in the canyon. It is one of the eight sacred mountains in the Tibetan area. Meili Snow Mountain is a mountain that has not been conquered. Since 1902, many mountaineering teams have tried many times to climb to the top of the mountain, but they all failed. In 1996, the Chinese government banned climbing the snow mountain, giving the mountain eternal peace. “Sunshine over the Golden Mountain” is a rare sight that many backpackers dream of. October starts the best time to Meili Snow Mountain because it is more likely to see the rare scene. If you are an outdoor enthusiast, an exploration to Meili Snow Mountain and a hiking in nearby Yubeng Village is something you will not regret.

- Immerse Youself in Vast Golden Poplar Forest

• Temperature: -3℃-20℃

Ejina Poplar Forest National Nature Reserve is located in Ejina oasis, the westernmost end of Inner Mongolia. With a total area of 26,253 square kilometers, this is the hometown of poplars and the residence of the desert. It is one of the most representative autumn sceneries in China, especially in October when the leaves all turn golden. Poplar is known as the heroic tree as it "lives a thousand years after it is born, stands a thousand years after it dies, and remains imperishable for a thousand years after it falls". It is tall and stands straight, like a stalwart soldier in the endless desert. The first bridge to the eighth bridge in the reserve are distributed with different poplar landscapes, which is a paradise for photographers. The second bridge is the best place to see sunset, fourth bridge is the most popular for the dense poplar trees and flocks of sheep. If you are interested in exciting activity, the Sand Sea Kingdom in the eighth bridge provides many entertainment options such as sand sledging and camel riding. It is also a good place to catch the sunrise.

- Enjoy the Beautiful Autumn Village Scene and Joy of Harvest

• Temperature: 10℃-28℃

Wuyuan County in northern Jiangxi is reputed as one of the most beautiful villages in China. If Wuyuan in spring is a landscape painting, then Wuyuan in autumn is a colorful oil painting with bright sunshine, gorgeous colors, harvested fruits, heartfelt joy and the satisfied smile of Wuyuan people. The most attractive scene in Wuyuan in October, except for its Hui-style residences, is definitely the autumn sunning. Among the multiple villages, Huangling is the most famous.

As the villages are surrounded by rolling hills, there are no large openings to dry the crops for better storage, Wuyuan people develop the unique culture of autumn sunning with their wisdom. On the eaves of the white-wall and grey-tile houses, they are full of big round baskets with pepper, cabbage, radish, persimmon, pumpkin, sausage... Wuyuan people will wash, slice and dry all the fruits and vegetables harvested in this season. The tradition is well inherited by Wuyuan people. So if you walk into Wuyuan in October, you will see a spectacular scene of autumn sunning at the stone steps at the gate, the wooden fence in front of the house, the sun terrace protruding from the eaves, and even on the window frame and windowsill... anywhere the sun baskets can be hung or placed.

- Green & Yellow Wonderland in Autumn

• Temperature: 12℃-20℃

Zhangjiajie in early October is green in a large area and then there are small patches of yellow and red leaves dotted on the mountain. After the heat of Golden Week and with the tourists returning home, it is a rare opportunity for you to enjoy the exclusive beauty of Zhangjiajie.

Zhangjiajie National Forest Park is the highlight of a Zhangjiajie trip and it covers many scenic areas. Yuanjiajie is the inspiration of Hallelujah Mountain in Avatar. On foggy days after the rain, it is like you are really entering a magical world and when the fog disperses, you can see peaks rising one higher than the other. Tianzi Mountain offers you various oddly-shaped peaks, and Huangshi Village is like a village in the sky with cliffs and dense forests around and it is also a perfect viewing platform giving stunning views over the mountains. Another must-see in Zhangjiajie is the famous Glass Bridge. Walking on the transparent glass hanging on the valley must be an unforgettable experience.

- Paradise City with Sweet Scent of Osmanthus

• Temperature: 15℃-18℃

Hangzhou is a paradise and romantic city in China that many people yearn for. In October, at the prime of autumn, the city is more charming with comfortable weather, gentle breeze and the sweet scent of osmanthus.

In addition to the classic scenery such as the West Lake and Lingyin Temple, Hangzhou in October can also take you to appreciate many different autumn colors. At that time, Longjing Road is as colorful as an oil painting. The Sapindus trees on Lingyin road all turn to amazing golden. And the French sycamore trees on Nanshan Road and Beishan Road add more poetic and pictorial splendor to Hangzhou. If you want to travel a little further, Qiandao Lake with over 1000 islands will meet all your needs no matter it is boating on the lake, playing with the animals, exciting drifting or exploring nearby ancient villages.