Don't want to deal with crowds? Save this map of off-the-beaten-path autumn spots! Try a "reverse travel" trip for the National Day holiday and reach these hidden gems with beautiful scenery and fewer people in just 3 hours✨
1️⃣ Taizhou Nanhuang Ancient Trail
A seriously underrated top-tier spot for maple viewing in the Yangtze River Delta!👀
Unlike the crowded Xiangshan or Qixia Mountain, Nanhuang Ancient Trail is tucked away in the mountains of Taizhou. It's completely free🆓, uncrowded, and stunning.
Centuries-old maple trees line the thousand-year-old stone path. When the October autumn breeze blows, the mountains are painted in layers of red maple leaves🍁. Golden rice paddies contrast with the crimson maple forests, and the stone steps are covered in colorful fallen leaves. Every step is a view, and every photo is a masterpiece📸
2️⃣ Wenzhou Taishun
As the hometown of covered bridges in China, Taishun is far from the city hustle and bustle, dotted with countless Ming and Qing dynasty covered bridges and ancient villages🏘️
There are very few tourists, no noisy crowds—just ancient trees, streams, old bridges, and the gentle autumn breeze🍃
In autumn, Taishun's mountains shed their green for a soft caramel hue🍂. Golden rice paddies surround the ancient villages, leaves flutter from century-old trees, and the rustic covered bridges rest quietly above clear waters, like a flowing ink wash painting🎨
3️⃣ Suichang
A natural oxygen bar in southern Zhejiang. The cloud sea terraces at Nanjianyan welcome their most beautiful season in October🌄
Layer upon layer of rice paddies glow with gold, and clouds wrap around the mountains, creating an ethereal atmosphere☁️
Dushan Ancient Village is quiet and rustic, with stone-paved roads, old walls, and ancient trees. As the autumn breeze sweeps through the fallen leaves, the ambiance is perfect. Xianxia Lake's waters are crystal clear, reflecting the autumn colors across the sky. With mountains and water intertwined, it's both quiet and healing💆♀️
4️⃣ Xuzhou Pizhou
Many people don't know that the Yangtze River Delta hides a national-level, niche hometown of ginkgo trees🌳
Featured in "National Geographic," the Pizhou Ginkgo Avenue boasts a 3km-long ginkgo tunnel that turns completely golden in autumn✨. The branches interweave into a natural dome. Walking along the leaf-covered avenue feels like stepping into a golden fairy tale world🏰
It's not just the ginkgo trees that are stunning; the Grand Canal Maple Forest here is even more breathtaking! With 400,000 maple trees layered together, the autumn red is as vibrant as clouds, painting the entire forest. It's definitely worth a special trip🔥
5️⃣ Anhui Ningguo Bald Cypress Wetland
Southern Anhui isn't just about Hongcun and Xidi; there's also the Ningguo Bald Cypress Wetland Park🏞️
In October, the bald cypress trees gradually shed their green, turning orange and caramel🍂. Rows of trees stand above the clear water, with the lake reflecting the colorful shadows. The mountains and water share the same hues, like stepping into a secret oil painting🎨
This place is far from the main tourist crowds—quiet and niche—perfect for a slow-paced road trip, a walk by the lake, or taking photos. As the evening breeze brushes the treetops and leaves drift onto the lake, it's incredibly gentle💕
6️⃣ Yixing Yaohu Town
Yaohu Town is nestled against mountains and water. In autumn, the plants are gentle and the lake water is clear🌿. With its antique architecture paired with the autumn colors of the mountains, it's not overly commercialized—just quiet and elegant.
The surrounding area connects bamboo forests, Longbei Mountain, and Shushan Ancient South Street. The autumn light is soft, the bamboo forests are breezy, and the old streets are full of life. Opening the window in the morning, you're greeted by a view full of autumn colors—a perfect, relaxing getaway⛰️
This National Day, get away from the crowds and head into the mountains of the Yangtze River Delta to find a gentle autumn scene!🍁✨