The Mid-Autumn Festival, the 15th day of the 8th lunar month, falls on September 19 this year according to the Gregorian calendar. On this traditional Chinese festival, besides eating moon cakes, enjoying the full moon with family and friends is also a must.

??Lushan Mountain, Jiangxi Province

??Located on the southern bank of the Yangtze River south of Jiujiang City in northern Jiangxi Province, the Lushan Mountain whole scenic area covers an area of 302 square kilometers, with the 1,474-meter Hanyang Peak as its highest summit. Featuring magnificent peaks, strange stone formations, unique waterfalls, flourishing trees, and many historical sites, the mountain is labeled as one of the most famous sites in the country and was included in the UNESCO world heritage list in 1996.

??Huangshang Mountain, Anhui Province

??Huangshan Mountain, listed as a UNESCO cultural and natural heritage and World Geopark, boasts of spectacular landscapes thick with vegetation and lofty peaks. The 154-square-kilometer sight-seeing area possesses four unique scenes: peculiarly shaped granite rocks, waterfalls, pine trees and views of the clouds from above. The Flying over Rock, the Stone Monkey Gazing over the Sea of Clouds, the Brush pen-liked Rock and many other renowned scenic spots attract streams of visitors to the marvelous mountain every day.

??Emei Mountain, Chengdu, Sichuan Province

??Located 150 kilometers away from Chengdu and only 28 kilometers from Leshan, Emei Mountain has been designated a World Heritage Site due to its breathtaking scenery, mysterious natural wonders and historical Buddhist sites.

??West Lake, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province

??Located west of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, the West Lake is a fresh water lake renowned for its natural surroundings and history. Its beauty earned itself the nickname"paradise on earth." Surrounded by mountains on three sides, the lake covers an area of 6.5 square kilometers (650 hectares). On average, the lake is 3 meters deep. It has numerous temples, pagodas, gardens, and artificial islands located within. The lake's 11 sections flaunt over 100 scenic spots!

??Dongting Lake, Hunan Province

??Located in northern Hunan Province, Dongting Lake is the second largest fresh water lake in China, which is usually praised as "the picturesque Dongting Lake with 400 kilometer span." The lakeside Yueyang Tower is one of the four famous Chinese towers.

??There is an island located right in the lake named Junshan where, or so legend has it, two wives of the ancient Shun Di Emperor, Ehuang and Nuying, died to become goddesses of the Xiangjiang River after searching thousands of miles for their husband.

??The vast lake, the famous tower, the mysterious island and the legend, all these have made the lake a popular site throughout the decades.

??Laoshan Mountain, Qingdao City, Shandong Province

??With its highest peak rising up to 1,133 meters above sea level, Mount Laoshan is situated in Qingdao, on the southeastern Shangdong Peninsula. Facing the Yellow Sea, it is one of China's major scenic resorts and has long held the reputation as China’s most famous mountain overlooking the sea.

??The mountain is known for its oddly shaped rocks, ancient trees and crystal-clear springs. The entire mountain covers 446 square kilometers (44,600 hectares) and features 218 places of interest, both large and small. There is neither intense heat in summer nor is there severe cold in winter.

??Lijiang River National Park, Guilin

??Located in southeastern China, this park is renowned for its karsts, limestone cones, cylinders and hills with colorful names like "Elephant Trunk," "Dragon Head" and "Five Fingers", these have inspired countless Chinese poets and artists and even been depicted on the country’s paper currency. The best way to drink in this breathtaking scenery is to take a 30-mile boat trip along the Lijiang River, from Guilin to Yangshuo.

??Erhai Lake, Dali City, Yunnan Province

??Erhai Lake is situated 1,972 meters above sea level and covers an area of 250 square kilometers. It is the second largest highland lake in China, after Dianchi Lake. Its average depth measures 11 meters. The best way to tour the lake is to ride horses, bikes or camp around it.

??The Peak, Hong Kong

??Known as one of the Hong Kong's most conspicuous landmark, The Peak is the best place to enjoy the colorful night scene of the surrounding city skyline, the famous Victoria Bay, towering skyscrapers and peaceful green hillsides.

??The mountain, the tallest in the city, is located in the western Hong Kong Island and tourists take the Peak Tram to ascend the mountain. Reaching the summit, visitors will see a seven storied building in the shape of a ship – one of Hong Kong's most striking landmarks, The Peak Tower. There are several attractions in the tower such as Madame Tussauds exhibit of over 100 wax models of celebrities.

??Jinshanling Great Wall, Beijing

??Straddling the demarcation between Hebei province and Beijing, the Jinshanling Great Wall is rich in architectural history and natural scenery. In summer, the temperature here is at least five degrees cooler than in the capital, making it an ideal destination for weekend excursions. This particular section of Great Wall is said to be particularly photogenic. [China.org.cn]