Check out these great hiking and flower-viewing spots in February and March. Which ones have you visited?
Luoping, Yunnan
🚌Transportation: From other places, fly to Kunming Changshui Airport first, then take a train to Luoping Station (about 3 hours); the scenic area is scattered, it is recommended to hire a car (300-600 yuan/day) or rent an electric car, and you can take a sightseeing bus (30 yuan) in Jinji Peak Forest.
🎫Tickets: 30 yuan for the main viewing platform of Jinji Peak Forest, free for Niujie Luositian, 95 yuan for Jiulong Waterfall Group (including one-way cable car)[4].
⏰Opening hours: Jinji Peak Forest all day, Jiulong Waterfall Group 8:30-17:30.
📌How to play: Mid-February to the end of March is the peak flowering season. Go to Jinji Peak Forest to take pictures of the sunrise and morning mist from 5:30 to 7:00 in the morning, and go to Niujie Luositian to see the spiral flower sea in the afternoon. Combining it with Jiulong Waterfall Group will make the trip more fulfilling.
⚠️Tips: The temperature difference between day and night is large on the plateau. You need to wear a thick coat to watch the sunrise; wear red and white clothes to take pictures and be sure to protect yourself from the sun[5].
Xingyi Wanfenglin, Guizhou
🚌Transportation: Xingyi Wanfenglin Airport is about 15 kilometers from the scenic area, a 30-minute taxi ride; take bus routes 19 and 301 (2-4 yuan) or tourist lines directly from the city center.
🎫Tickets: 60 yuan in the off-season, 70 yuan in the peak season, 50 yuan for the sightseeing electric car (round trip required) [11].
⏰Opening Hours: 8:30-17:30 in February, 8:00-18:00 from March onwards.
📌Activities: Take the sightseeing bus to tour the East Peak Forest, and visit viewing platforms such as General Peak and Bagua Field; in the afternoon, cycle along the Nahui River loop in the West Peak Forest, passing through Buyi villages and rapeseed fields [11].
⚠️Tips: The Bagua Field is most beautiful during the morning fog (before 8 am), with fewer people and a quieter atmosphere; the main mode of transportation within the scenic area is by sightseeing bus and walking, comfortable shoes are essential. Nyingchi, Tibet
🚌Transportation: Direct flights to Nyingchi Mainling Airport, or high-speed trains (3.5 hours) from Lhasa to Nyingchi; attractions are scattered, so it is recommended to hire a car (800-1200 RMB/day in peak season) or share a car. Those driving themselves should bring snow chains [17].
🎫Tickets: Gala Peach Blossom Village 40 RMB, Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon 240 RMB (including sightseeing bus), Bomi Peach Blossom Valley free.
⏰Opening Hours: Open all day, sightseeing bus in the core scenic area operates until 18:00.
📌What to do: Enjoy wild peach blossoms from mid-March to early April; Gala Peach Blossom Village is suitable for altitude; Sosong Village offers opportunities to photograph Namjagbarwa Snow Mountain and peach blossoms together; a deep dive into Bomi Peach Blossom Valley reveals a sea of flowers in the valley.
⚠️Tips: Take precautions against altitude sickness and bring oxygen cylinders; the light is soft in the early morning and evening, suitable for photography; a telephoto lens is recommended for capturing snow-capped mountains and peach blossoms [16]. Yongfu Cherry Blossom Garden, Zhangping, Fujian
🚌Transportation: Take the high-speed rail to Longyan Station, then transfer to a minibus to Yongfu Town (approximately 1 hour, 18 yuan), then take a taxi for 5 minutes to Taipin Cherry Blossom Tea Garden; it is 1.5 hours by car from Xiamen and 1 hour by car from Longyan [24].
🎫Tickets: 50 yuan for adults, free for children under 1.2 meters and seniors over 65 years old, half price for students.
⏰Opening Hours: 8:00-18:00, Taiyuan Mountain Villa Cherry Blossom Garden is open until 21:00 at night.
📌What to do: The peak blooming season is from mid-February to the end of February. Climb Fangfei Terrace to overlook the panoramic view of the cherry blossoms in the tea garden, ride the cherry blossom train through the sea of flowers, and visit spots such as the Gate of Love and Sun and Moon Lake [24].
⚠️Tips: There are fewer tourists and better lighting in the morning, which is suitable for taking photos; the parking lot in the scenic area costs 10 yuan/day, and there are electric vehicle charging stations at Service Center No. 1 [24]. Plum Blossom Hill, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province
🚌Transportation: Take Metro Line 2 to Muxuyuan Station, Exit 1, and walk 5 minutes to Gate 3 of Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, directly reaching the core area of Plum Blossom Hill; or take bus routes Y1, 20, or 315 to Ming Xiaoling Station [27].
🎫Tickets: Included in the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum ticket. Reservations are required 1-3 days in advance during the plum blossom season. 70 RMB/person.
⏰Opening Hours: February 6:30-18:30.
📌How to Visit: During the peak blooming season in February, enter through Gate 3 of Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum and visit Yanque Lake, Plum Blossom Hill, and Bo'ai Pavilion in sequence. The red walls and ancient buildings complement the red plum blossoms. Take a stroll along the Stone Elephant Road [29].
⚠️Tips: Weekends are crowded during the plum blossom season; it is recommended to enter the park before 8:00 AM. Parking is limited around the scenic area; public transportation is preferred [28]. Maolan Forest Hiking, Libo, Guizhou
🚌Transportation: Take the high-speed rail to Libo Station, then take a bus or taxi (about 1 hour) to the scenic area; driving from Guiyang takes about 4 hours, and hiring a car within the scenic area costs 300-500 yuan/day.
🎫Tickets: 50 yuan, sightseeing bus 100 yuan, and a guide is required for the funnel forest hike (about 200 yuan/team) [33].
⏰Opening Hours: 8:00-17:00.
📌Activities: Classic Funnel Forest Hiking Route (4-6 hours): Yaogu Village → Black Cave → Fairy Cave → Jiudongtian → Funnel Forest → Gaowang Exit, traversing the karst primeval forest, seeing the clear stream flowing through the forest and the light and shadow of the karst cave; an easier route allows you to visit Qinglongtan and Crab Gully [33].
⚠️Tips: Wear non-slip shoes for hiking, bring enough water and dry food, follow the guide throughout the entire journey, and do not act alone; the temperature in the forest is low, so bring a light jacket. Yunnan Yuanyang Rice Terraces
🚌Transportation: Take a bus from Jianshui to Nansha Town (31 yuan, every half hour), then share a ride to Duoyishu; drive from Kunming for about 5 hours, or hire a car within the scenic area for more flexibility [40].
🎫Tickets: 100 yuan for a 3-day pass covering key locations such as Duoyishu, Bada, and Tiger Mouth.
⏰Opening Hours: All day, sunrise viewing platform opens before 6:00 AM, sunset viewing is best after 5:00 PM.
📌How to Enjoy: During the irrigation season in February and March, go to Duoyishu in the early morning to photograph the sunrise, where the rice terraces reflect the morning light like a mirror; visit Aichunlan Rice Terraces and Azheke Village mushroom houses in the morning, and watch the sunset at Bada in the evening, where the changing light and shadow resemble a palette of colors on earth [39]. ⚠️Tips: The temperature difference between day and night is extreme, so a thick coat is necessary; bring a tripod for taking photos, and reserve a good spot at the front of the viewing platform 30 minutes before sunrise [39].
West Lake, Hangzhou, Zhejiang
🚌Transportation: Take Metro Line 1 to Longxiangqiao Station, then walk 5 minutes to the lakeside; take bus routes 4, 7, or 52 to Su Causeway Station or Broken Bridge Station; motor vehicles are prohibited within the scenic area, so walking or riding shared bicycles is preferred [45].
🎫Tickets: Free admission to the Su Causeway, Bai Causeway, Broken Bridge, and other areas around the lake; 55 yuan for Three Pools Mirroring the Moon (including boat ticket) [46].
⏰Opening Hours: All day, some exhibition halls within the scenic area are open from 8:00 to 17:00. 📌How to enjoy: In early spring, stroll along the Su Causeway in the spring dawn to see the willow branches turning green and the peach blossoms beginning to bloom; start from the Broken Bridge and walk along the Bai Causeway to Gushan, passing by Pinghu Qiuyue, to feel the gentleness of spring in Jiangnan; in the afternoon, you can take a boat tour on the lake and look out at Leifeng Pagoda [44].
⚠️Tips: Traffic restrictions apply to the scenic area on weekends and holidays, so avoid driving with out-of-town license plates; the lakeside musical fountain has shows at 19:00 and 20:00, which you can watch along the way [46].