Awash in bloom

Locals in Fukuoka, Japan, enjoy picnics under blooming cherry trees. [Photo/China Daily]

An early spring means travel destinations famous for flowers are already adorned in the brilliant colors of nature, Yang Feiyue reports. Yang Feiyue For those who have the luxury of free time after the Spring Festival, the best is yet to come.

Springtime sightseeing organized by domestic travel agencies usually features blooming flowers, and this year promises to be a real showcase of nature.

"Flowers will come into full bloom and be ready for appreciation by March 10, thanks to the warm temperatures this year," says Sun Libin, media officer with Tuniu.com, a domestic online tourism booking platform.

Hot bookings feature panoramas of rape flowers in Jiangxi's Wuyuan county and Yangshuo county in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, as well as the famous plum blossoms in Jiangsu's capital city, Nanjing.

"Green mountains and blue water will be complemented by golden yellow, as rape flowers blossom in March. The scenery will resemble a traditional Chinese painting," says Sun.

Cherry blossoms in Japan and tulips in the Netherlands have also become magnets for some Chinese tourists, he says.

Tourists, especially the elderly and college students, who have more time at their disposal, can enjoy many perks traveling after the Spring Festival.

Travel costs often rise 30 to 40 percent during the Spring Festival, but return to normal after the holiday, says Jiang Yiyi, director of the China Tourism Academy's International Tourism Development Institute. "Airplane tickets have taken a free fall across the board after the holiday."