April is a great month for traveling to China, because of thewarm temperaturesandpicturesque spring scenery. Whether you want to go hiking or witness breathtakingblossomsin peak bloom, you can fill your photo album with memories made in April.
In addition to the usual popular destinations in China, like Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai, we also recommend a number of destinations that are excellent fortraveling in Aprilfor a most beautiful time.
We have listed thebest nine placesto visit in April:1)Yunnan,2)Guilin,3)Tibet,4)Huangshan/Wuyuan,5)Luoyang,6)Western Sichuan,7)Guizhou,8)the Hakka Earth Buildings, and9)Wuyishan Mountain.
1. Yunnan — Flowers, Sunshine, and Vitality
Erhai Lake, Yunnan
Temperatures in April:around 10–25°C (50–77°F) inKunming,Dali, andLijiang; 1–10°C (34–50°F) inShangri-La; 17–33°C (63–91°F) inXishuangbanna
In April, everything is full of vitality inYunnan. The awakening of spring is abundantly apparent. Thus, it provides good conditions for many户外活动. In addition, April is a shoulder season in Yunnan withfewer touristsandfavorable airplane tickets.
Xishuangbannais a great place to travel in April for itsWater-Sprinkling Festival, which falls betweenApril 13thand15th. Join in the water splashing. With pots, pans, bottles, or whatever you have to hand, where you can unreservedly splash each other with water, whether close friends or even strangers.
Top things to do in April:
- Hike upJade Dragon Snow Mountainon a hidden trail and have a bike ride alongside Erhai Lake.
- Visit a local Tibetan family inShangri-La, take part in their day's work to experience ploughing or seeding, and enjoy a starry night with a bonfire on the grassland.
- Hike along theTiger Leaping Gorge, which is among the deepest canyons in the world, and exploreYubeng Village, which is hidden in the interior area of the holyMeili Snow Mountainsmassif.
- Experience staying in a "Tree House" in an animal kingdom inXishuangbannawhere you can feed a lively red panda, touch a mild deer, say hello to a lazy loris, and have a photo with a rhinoceros.
- Hike in the pristine tropicalrainforestin Xishuangbanna to enjoy the peaceful and beautiful forest scenery.
China Highlights,Asia Highlights, andGlobal Highlightscollaborate to provide families and couples with personalized and stress-free experiences in diverse destinations.
|
|
2. Guilin — a Masterpiece of Karst Landforms
Guilin
Temperature in April: around 13–22°C (55–72°F)
April is the beginning of theLi River's high flow period, but not the high flood risk period. Farmers plow their fields with water buffalos and plant their paddies with rice in April.
TheLongji Rice Terracesare irrigated, and the waterlogged paddies sparkle in the sunlight. In April, the lemon and white rape flowers along theYulong RiverinYangshuoare in full bloom.
Top things to do in April:
- Have anadventurous ATV drivingexperience along paths and between rice fields in Yangshuo.
- Try a 2-hour via Ferrata (cable-protected cliff climb) in Yulong River Ecological Park.
- Enjoy a relaxinghike along the Li River instead of the touristy cruise boats. Slow down your pace to enjoy the picturesque Li River more. Skim stones across the water, and pick lovely wild spring flowers.
- Explore Guilin'smountain-minority villagesby the terraced rice fields. Enjoy the incredible views created by local people's wisdom and hard work.
- Have an adventure in anunderground world, as you explore a cave that has never been touched by ordinary tourists. Discover amazing stalactites and stalagmites without any man-made effects.
3. Tibet — When Pink Peach Blossom Meets the Snowy Peaks
Nyingchi, Tibet
Temperatures in April: around -7–8°C (19–46°F) inLhasaandShigatse; -10–5°C (14–41°F) in theEverest Base Camparea
When the peach blossom ofNyingchiis blooming in the valleys below the snowy peaks, spring inTibetis coming. Snow and ice begin to melt on the plateau's mountains.Namtso Lakewill slowly wake up — it's half water, half ice in April. AndTibetan people开始种植大麦的领域.
Top things to do in April:
- Explore Lulang Forest and enjoy the valleys' peach blossom inNyingchi.
- Have a moderate hike to see Tibet's biggest glacier — Laigu Glacier — and marvel at its blue ice.
- Stand in front of the "apex" of the roof of the world at珠峰大本营. Witness the starry sky and the morning sunshine as never before!
4. Huangshan/Wuyuan — View Picturesque Flower-scapes
Huangshan
Temperature in April: around 6–15°C (43–59°F)
As spring returns, all kinds of species in Huangshan wake up.The Yellow Mountainsare covered withgreen plantsandblooming flowers. Some peaks are dotted with red azalea flowers. The fields around the ancient villages in Huangshan are transformed into seas of yellow rapeseed flowers.
Frommid-Marchtoearly April, you can take an hour's drive toWuyuan(from Huangshan) to see endless flowery seas and ancient villages.
Top things to do in April:
- Climb aboard your paraglider/paramotor, fly like a bird, and view the seas ofcanola flowersinWuyuan.
- Hike inHuangshan Scenic Area, where yellow rape flowers grow in the fields on both sides of the roads leading to the Yellow Mountains. Just prepare enough memory space for all the eye-catching photos.
- Cycle around the villages in Huangshan to take in the freshness of nature mixed with the best-preserved Anhui-style architecture. You won't be short of great shots for your Instagram!
- 3-Day Wuyuan Spring Tour
- 3-Day Ancient Villages and Yellow Mountain Tour
- 4-Day Trekking in the Yellow Mountains
5. Luoyang — a Sea of Peony Blossom
Longmen Grottoes
Temperature in April: around 7–19°C (45–66°F)
As one of the birthplaces of Chinese civilization,Luoyangshows its most elegant side as an ancient capital in spring, because of its peonies. April is the best time to see amazingpeony blossom— the national flower of China.
Luoyang is a city with ahistory of over 3,000 yearswith many ancient relics. How fantastic to visit one of the top four grottoes in China at sunset! The smile of the Buddhas seems more mysterious under the golden light. Be amazed by the incredible grotto art, dating back to more than 1,500 years ago.
High-speed train service betweenBeijingandLuoyangis available, with a travel time of around 4½ hours.
Top things to do in April:
- Visit the amazingLuoyang National Peony Gardenwith the classical architecture of the Tang Dynasty (618–907). Understand why the peony is the national flower of China.
- Be amazed by the incredibleLongmen Grottoesdating back to more than 1,500 years ago. Catch the magnificent view of the grottoes illuminated at sunset.
- Enjoy a kung fu show in the celebratedShaolin Temple, which is the birthplace and home of Chinese kung fu. Experience the culture of Zen and the spirit of Chinese kung fu.
6. Danba — a Beautiful County in Western Sichuan
Yala Snow Mountain
Temperature in April: around 0–15°C (32–59°F)
You probably already knowChengdufor itsgiant pandas. But did you know that there is a peaceful county about 350 kilometers (220 miles) west of Chengdu City where white pear blossoms appear frommid-Marchto early April?
DanbaCounty is a fine place to appreciatesplendid spring flowerson thesnow-capped plateau.
Many of Danba's visitors are photographers who drive there, stopping along the way atDujiangyan, which is home to an ancient irrigation system and a panda base, Balang Snow Mountain, andMt. Siguniang.
Top things to do in April:
- See sacred Yala Snow Mountain up close. Its virgin peak has never been climbed. A newly-opened scenic area, its beauty is recognized and accessible, but not spoilt by crowds.
- Hike in the forest ofWolong National Nature Reserveto learn about the life of wild pandas.
- Skip the commercial Tibetan villages and discover the real Tibetan lifestyle in an authentic one. Learn the differences in Tibetan culture between Sichuan and Tibet.
7. Guizhou — Cherry and Azalea Flowers
Camp in a cave
Temperature in April: around 10–20°C (50–68°F)
It doesn't matter if you still cannot visit Japan for cherry blossom this spring. In the southwest of China, the cake-like scenes of cherry and matcha tea flavors never fail to delight.
You will be amazed by the azalea blossoms of different colors and species: white, mauve, pink, purple, and red.
Top things to do in April:
- Camp in a cave.Stay in a vaulted masterpiece of the karst landscape. Enjoy a meal cooked by local Buyi people (one of China's official ethnic minorities) and listen to their stories.
- Visit the biggest 'natural garden' in the world. Walk in the colorfulazalea forest. It is just like wandering in a fairyland.
- Enjoy the magnificent view of theHuangguoshu Waterfall. It has a powerful "melody" created by water and land.
- Hike among thePeak Forestto admire the quirky landscape, peaceful villages, and optimistic people who make their living there, which are all highlights.
8. Fujian's Hakka Buildings (Tulou) — Mysterious Earthen Castles
Hakka Buildings
Temperature in April: around 16–23°C (61–73°F)
The HakkaEarth Buildingsare a peculiar kind of family-inhabited communal building, which can accommodate two to three hundred households.
They embody the traditions of unity and friendship passed down from generation to generation by the Hakka people. The Tulou are mainly distributed in Nanjing County andYongding County.
The most magnificent andwell-preservedHakka earth buildings are in the Tianluokeng Tulou Cluster in Nanjing County (not the city), which is a region about 150 km (100 miles) across the Fujian-Guangdong border, 2½–3½ hours by bus west of Xiamen.
还发现Which Fujian Tulou to Visit
Top things to do in April:
- Walk around "Mulan's hometown" in Tianluokeng Tulou to find the exact set of Mulan's home in the movie.
- Be invited by theHakka peopleto their rooms. They'll show you the upstairs floor, which is not allowed to be accessed in most of the other earthen buildings.
- 3-Day Gulangyu Island, and Yongding Tulou Relaxed Tour
- 5-Day Xiamen, Nanjing Tulou, and Wuyi Mountain Tour
- 9-Day Gulangyu Island, Yongding Tulou, and Xiapu Photography Tour
9. Wuyishan Mountain — a Heritage Site near Xiamen
Float down the Nine Bends River
Temperature in April: around 16–23°C (61–73°F)
TheWuyi Mountainsis one of the most spectacularly beautiful areas close toXiamenCity. It is well known for its abundance of deep canyons, dense forests, waterfalls, animals (many of them endangered), and plant life.
In April,tea leavesunfurl fragrantly all over the mountains and fields. It is very convenient to reach Wuyishan by a 3-hourtrain ridefromShanghai.
Top things to do in April:
- Hike on theWuyi Mountains, the World Cultural, and Natural Heritage Site, to learn ancient Fujian culture and see Danxia landforms (red sandstone cliffs).
- Float down theNine Bends Riverto find scenes that look like they're straight from traditional Chinese paintings and poems.
- Discover timelessXimeili Villagethat cherishes the traditional culture and lifestyles of Fujian province. Order a cup of tea there, taste its unique cliff soil aroma, and feel the slow pace of local life.
- 5-Day Xiamen, Nanjing Tulou, and Wuyi Mountain Tour
- 3-Day Wuyishan Refreshing Tour with Tea Experience
Find Out More Places to Visit in April?
If you have a preferred place to visit in addition to the above, contact us and we could also make an itinerary for you.
