Best times, places to enjoy fall foliage

Now is the best time to enjoy picturesque red maple leaves, and destination choices in both China and abroad are many.

The most popular domestic destinations are Beijing, Jiuzhaigou, Three Gorges, Lushan Mountain and Suzhou.

Fragrant Mountain in Beijing, which hosts its annual red leaves festival until Nov 10, is among the most famous.

The colorful and pretty scenery in Jiuzhaigou, Sichuan province, consisting of plants and rivers, also draws many tourists.

Tuniu.com, a tourism website, says some travel agencies offer packages to enjoy maple leaves in Japan, including favorite destinations like Okinawa and Tokyo. Hokkaido is flooded with beautiful maple leaves in mid - to late September, while in the southern Japanese island of Kyushu, one has to wait until late November to see the leaves.

South Korea and Canada are also popular outbound destinations in autumn. It's a good time to visit South Korea as fall is a slow tourism season in the country, with plenty of available hotels and airplane tickets. Also, St Anne Canyon in the Canadian province of Quebec offers a spectacular view with its red leaves and waterfalls.

Top 10 places in Beijing to enjoy red leaves

1 Xiangshan Park

2 Badaling Great Wall

3 Baiwang Mountain Forest Park

4 Miaofeng Mountain

5 Shangfang Mountain National Forest Park

6 Beigong National Forest Park

7 Mangshan Mountain National Forest Park

8 Lingshan Mountain

9 Jinhai Lake

10 Mutianyu Great Wall