Getting up close and personal with nature

"But during the Tomb-sweeping Day break in April and the Labor Day break in May, the prices will increase around 10 percent above normal levels, and those hottest flights and hotels will be hard pressed to meet the demand," Xiao said.

Last April, Du Ni, a 28-year-old office worker at a bank in Beijing, went to experience the magic of the cherry blossoms of Osaka and Kyoto in Japan. She said the hot spots were swamped with people, but there were far fewer travelers in some niche places.

"The cherry blossom was very beautiful and definitely worth the visit," she said.

"I booked the hotel a long time in advance. I will go there again in the future and go to those smaller places. The views are actually more special."

Most popular flower viewing destinations in China in 2018

1. Wuyuan, Jiangxi province, cole flowers, early March to early April

2. Wuxi, Jiangsu province, cherry blossoms, mid-March to early April

3. West Lake, Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, peach blossoms, late February to late March

4. Nyingchi, Tibet autonomous region, peach blossoms, late March to mid-April

5. Luoping, Yunnan province, cole flowers, late February to April

6. Wuhan University, cherry blossoms, mid-to-late March

7. Gucun Park, Shanghai, cherry blossoms, late March to mid-April

8. Luoyang, Henan province, peonies, early April to early May

9. Hunan Agricultural University, Hunan province, cole flowers, mid-March to mid-April

10. Jinggangshan, Jiangxi province, cuckoo flowers, late March to late May

Source: Pinchain, an online travel information website