Mid-Autumn Festival is the second most important festival in China after the Spring Festival. Celebrations are held throughout the country. Here are some recommended places to celebrate the festival in China.
1. Beihai Park in Beijing
Beihai Park was where Chinese emperors appreciated the moon. The moon reflection in the water makes the lake very beautiful. You can take a cruise with your family or friends on the lake, appreciating the moon and enjoying mooncakes and tea.
- Click for more places to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival in Beijing.
2. Echoing Sand Mountain in Dunhuang
Echoing Sand Mountain, also called Mingsha Mountain, is 5 kilometers (3 miles) south of downtown Dunhuang. The desert "mountains" stretching south from it are pale golden sand dunes dozens of meters high, covering an area roughly 40 km (25 mi) square. The popular tourist site consists of Mingsha Mountain, nearby dunes, and Crescent Lake, which is named due to its shape.
There you can enjoy the stunning desert scenery and experience sand dune activities. Visitors can explore the sand dunes by camel riding, sand sledging, desert motorcycle riding, quad biking, or by walking.
In Mid-Autumn's night, it's an ideal site for moon gazing. Climbing up to the top of a "mountain" (sand dune), you can see the moonlit shapes of the vast desert. Looking down from the sand dunes, you may see the full moon and stars reflected in Crescent Lake.
3. Master of the Nets Garden in Suzhou
Master of the Nets Garden (网师园 Wǎngshī Yuán) is the smallest and yet the most delightful landscape garden in Suzhou city. It consists of a residential quarter and the garden proper.
Master of the Nets Garden presents another charming side at night. Visitors can not only enjoy the night scenery of the garden, but also have a chance to view an evening performance including kunqu (Suzhou opera), folk singing in the Suzhou dialect, and traditional instrument playing.
Performers dressed in local ancient costumes stage various shows. These performances are staged in different halls, pavilions, or chambers, so that when you walk into another room there will be a different show.
4. The Oriental Pearl TV Tower in Shanghai
Shanghai boasts skyscrapers offering good places to see the moon over the city. One of the best places is the Oriental Pearl TV Tower. It is 468 meters (1540 ft) high. There is a revolving restaurant where you can enjoy a dinner, and a sightseeing platform, from which you can view the moon and get a beautiful panoramic view of the city.
- Learn more about Mid-Autumn Festival in Shanghai.
5. Elephant Trunk Hill in Guilin
The "elephant's trunk", known as 'Water-Moon Cave', is an excellent place to appreciate the moon in Guilin. When the moon rises, you can go boating there and will see a magic sight: three "moons" around you...
At night the reflection of the moon can be seen through the arch of Elephant Hill, and it looks as if it is under the water and floating on the surface of the water at the same time: one moon in the sky and two reflections — "the three moons".
- Recommended Guilin tour: 5-Day Dynamic Guilin and Yangshuo Tour
6. Victoria Park in Hong Kong
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, there are various celebrations in Hong Kong, including huge, expertly-designed lanterns displays, big fire dragon dances, folk music, traditional stage shows, and lantern riddle quizzes.
The grandest of all these is held in Victoria Park. Victoria Park is also the best place to gaze at the moon (in the city). Every year, many people come to the park with their families and friends to appreciate the moon.
- Learn more about places to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival in Hong Kong.
7. West Lake in Hangzhou
Three Ponds Mirroring the Moon has been a best place to appreciate the moon since ancient times. It is one of the famous scenic spots on West Lake and can be found on the back of the 1 yuan bill.
On Mid-Autumn Festival, when the moon shines full and bright in the sky, candles are lit on the three pagodas, reflections of the candlelight and the moonlight mingle with each other. The moonlight and candle light, and the moon and pagoda shadows create a picturesque scene.
See our Mid-Autumn Festival in Hangzhou page for more interesting activities and places to enjoy Mid-Autumn Festival.
Recommended West Lake tours:
- 2-Day Hangzhou Highlights Grand Canal Heritage Tour
- Shanghai and Its Neighbors Tour by High Speed Bullet Train
8. Erhai Lake in Dali
The Erhai Lake Moon is one of "the Four Best Sights" of Dali. Every year on night 15 of lunar month 8, locals go boating on Erhai Lake. With the full moon hanging in the sky, reflections on the sparkling water make Erhai Lake very beautiful.
People appreciate the moon and eat mooncakes on the boats with their friends and family. Young men and young women usually sing in antiphonal style (responsively) to express their love to their loved ones.
9. Night Cruising on the Pearl River in Guangzhou
The Pearl River is picturesque, adorned by charming views. In the evening, both banks of the Pearl River are lit brightly. With the moon in the sky, the sparkling city lights and the moon reflecting on the river create a magical atmosphere.
Mid-Autumn is a wonderful time to take a cruise on the Pearl River. You can appreciate the moon on the cruise while chatting with your family or friends, and enjoying music. Mooncakes, tea, and wine are served on the cruise.
- Click for more places to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival in Guangzhou.
Tour China During the Mid-Autumn Festival
If you want to visit the places mentioned above or other places in China to experience the Mid-Autumn Festival, China Highlights can offer you our assistance. Contact us and we can help you arrange a tour according to your requirements.
Our most popular China Mid-Autumn tours:
- 6-Day Xiahe, Langmusi and Zhagana Tour — Get a True Taste of Tibetan Culture Outside Tibet
- 5-Day Dynamic Guilin and Yangshuo Tour — Indulge in Summer Fun in the Karst Landscape
- 4-Day Shangri-La Exploration Tour — Find 'The Sun and Moon in the Heart'
Want to share the Mid-Autumn Festival story with your family? The 3-minute video below will show you all about it.
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