Autumn is the best time of the year to explore the wonders of East China. Photo: CFP

Autumn is the best time of the year to explore the wonders of East China as the golden ginkgo and red maple leaves add their gorgeous colors to the already picturesque mountains, lakes, woods and old villages close to Shanghai.

Taking a weekend off and driving out of the city and into the countryside makes a great break for families or friends and a perfect way to explore China in comfort. Qunar.com, a leading travel website has selected eight natural scenic spots in neighboring Zhejiang Province that are easy to reach by car and offer visitors breathtaking late autumn scenery.

Redwoods in Tongkeng village

A large tract of beautiful redwood forest can be found hidden away in hilly Tongkeng village in Zhejiang Province, tinting the secluded mountain area with autumn reds.

Nothing can be more attractive than suddenly coming across beautiful crystal blue lakes set in a heavily forested valley, reflecting cloudless blue skies - and all surrounded by tall redwoods now shimmering like giant flames. Walk through the woods and take a camera with you because this is nature at its finest and your pictures will be a great reminder of the colors and beauty of this wonderful part of the country.

Tongkeng village, Dongcheng town, Linhai city, Zhejiang Province

By road: G60 (Shanghai-Kunming Expressway) - G92 (Hangzhou Bay Ring Expressway) - G15W (Changshu-Taizhou Expressway) - S225 (225 provincial road)

Old ginkgoes in Baduka

In the north of Zhejiang Province there is a small village named Baduka. Located between two mountains, the village is known as the land of ginkgoes and every autumn it attracts thousands of visitors to visit its 12.5-kilometer magnificent "old ginkgo corridor."

In November, when ginkgo leaves turn from green to yellow, the 30,000 natural ginkgoes here turn this faraway village into a romantic golden world. Walking through the golden woods, stepping through the fallen fan-shaped leaves and glimpsing the sunlight glinting through the branches, it is easy to become lost in this colorful glorious natural wonderland.

Baduka village, Xiaopu town, Huzhou city, Zhejiang Province

By road: G25 - G318 (Shanghai-Tibet Expressway); follow the tourist attraction signs.

Terraced paddy fields in Gongyu

When people talk about the beautiful views of terraced fields in China, most immediately think of the terraces and paddy fields of faraway southwestern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Yunnan Province. But these exquisite scenes can be enjoyed in neighboring Zhejiang Province - Gongyu village there has splendid and imposing rice terraces.

Known as "East China's Shangri-La," the old village, tucked in between towering mountains, is home to some 2,000 residents. Dozens of small tile-roofed houses stand in the center of the village, which is surrounded by vast golden terraced fields. In the cold, early mornings, the outlines of the houses and terraced fields are shrouded in the mist that trails across the mountains and the valley, turning the village and its surrounds into an elegant scene from a classical Chinese ink and wash painting.

Gongyu village, Tianshi town, Taizhou city, Zhejiang Province

By road: G60 - G92 - G15W - S27 (Zhuji-Yongjia Expressway)

A stream at Daming Mountain Photo: IC

Daming Mountain

Daming Mountain in Zhejiang Province is always worth visiting but especially on a crisp November day, when the mountain is covered with red maple leaves that seem to sparkle in the clear sunlight.

As well as the vividly red leaves, the mountain attracts visitors with its vast grasslands that cover the peak, a wonderfully dramatic backdrop for the sightseer.

When night falls, visitors who camp out on the mountain can view the Milky Way shining in the sky - and that's a sight hardly ever seen in downtown Shanghai.

Ren village, Shunxi town, Hangzhou city, Zhejiang Province

By road: G60 - G2501 (Hangzhou Ring Expressway) - G56 (Hangzhou-Ruili Expressway)

Maple leaves in Shangxi village Photo: CFP

Shangxi village in west Zhejiang has long been known as a place of idyllic beauty - its huge waterfalls and woodland areas of maple trees have made it one of the most picturesque and popular villages south of the Yangtze River.

The quiet village is exceptionally beautiful in late autumn, with red maple leaves adding vivid coloring to the traditional white-walled grey-tiled Chinese-style cottages scattered in the hills.

While walking around in the village visitors can view a lot of the historic slogans left on old discolored walls including quotations from Chairman Mao's Little Red Book. The quotations, which were painted on the walls in red during the Cultural Revolution (1966-76), were once chanted repeatedly by millions of Chinese.

Shangxi village, Chun'an county, Hangzhou city, Zhejiang Province

By road: G60 - G2501 - G56 - Changwen Highway

Xiazhu Lake in Wukang town Photo: CFP

One of the largest wetland areas in the Yangzte River Delta region, Xiazhu Lake National Wetland Park in Zhejiang Province spreads over a vast space, and welcomes visitors to a natural wonderland rich in aquatic and bird life.

The lake is famous for its more than 600 small islands and hillocks scattered like a giant watery maze. In autumn, as well as enjoying the sight of egrets and other native birds flying over the water, visitors can enjoy delicious local and seasonal food including hairy crabs and bamboo shoots.

Suburban Wukang town, Huzhou city, Zhejiang Province

By road: G60 - S32 (Shanghai-Jiaxing-Huzhou Expressway) - S09 (09 provincial road)

A sea of flowers in Dipu village Photo: IC

Some think of autumn as a bleak season, as many flowers wither as the weather turns cold. However, walking in the southwest Zhejiang's Dipu village people can still enjoy scenes of flourishing renewal, as thousands of flowers, like chrysanthemums and sunflowers, bloom here like a colorful piece of rich brocade.

Named as a National Historical and Cultural Village in 2007, today the 900-year-old village still carefully preserves some 40 old buildings from the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties (1644-1911), including temples, teahouses and homes.

Dipu village, Jiangnan town, Hangzhou city, Zhejiang Province

By road: G60 - G92 - G60 - G25 (Changchun-Shenzhen Expressway)

Anchang Ancient Town Photo: CFP

Anchang town is not as well-known as similar attractions like Zhouzhuang and Wuzhen but this small, peaceful town is well worth visiting. Day trippers can enjoy and revel in the slow lifestyle of a remote water town largely untouched by floods of tourists.

It's relaxing and fun to sit in a small riverside restaurant in the afternoon and try some of the local specialty dishes, like the local sausages and aniseed-flavored kidney beans.

Visitors who arrive in January can enjoy lots of local folk activities at that time including traditional temple fairs and Chinese group weddings.

Anchang town, Shaoxing city, Zhejiang Province

By road: G60 - G92 - S2 (Hangzhou-Ningbo Expressway)

Compiled by Huang Lanlan from a report at qunar.com