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Bloomin’ Lovely: Top Five Places in the World to See Cherry Blossoms
Written by Sahar Andrabi
Behold nature’s most gorgeous spectacle – cherry blossoms! The hues of pink swaying in the gentle breeze will steal your heart and make you giddy.
If you haven’t witnessed the miraculous flora painting towns pink, this should convince you to take advantage of cherry blossom season. This charming phenomenon takes place in various destinations, usually between late March and mid-April. Japan, Taiwan and Canada are some of the best places to catch the picture-perfect blossoms, known in Japan as Sakura.
Read on to see top our picks for the best destinations to see the cherry blossom season.
Yoshina, Japan
One of the best places to enjoy a good cherry blossom is Yoshina in Japan. Popular belief is that the first trees were planted more than 1300 years ago, and today the mountain is covered by almost 30,000 cherry trees! The blooming starts around the last week of March and fully flourishes in early to mid-April.
As you go up the mountain (insider tip: walking up is more fun as you get to witness the various areas with different species of trees), you pass through the town and can stop at temples and shrines, as you feast your eyes upon the beautiful flowers in the parks and viewpoints along the way. You can even enjoy a picnic under the trees in some of the parks and be a part of the fairy tale setting.
Check out our handpicked Japan escapes here.
Discover Japan
Taipei, Taiwan
Among all the destinations, Taiwan’s capital gives you a good window to enjoy the cherry blossom season – here it starts in January and ends in April. Yangmingshan National Park is where you want to go to see the pretty pink flowers coming alive.
Plan a trip with your friends and enjoy hiking in this gorgeous park. Along the way, you’ll see neat lines of the most strikingly beautiful cherry trees, welcoming you into a wonderland. The hike takes about 1.5 hours so dress comfortably (insider tip: it’s often a bit chilly in these months so best to dress warmly). You can also visit the Xiaoyoukeng Recreation Area and experience the hot springs and steaming volcanic vents and see stunning sulfur crystals.
In Taipei, stay at the Ultra-Lux Mandarin Oriental.
Washington DC, USA
From late March to mid-April, Washington DC’s National Cherry Blossom Festival is where you want to be! Never has there been a grander welcome of the spring season than this celebration of traditions, culture, natural beauty and community spirit. The festival commemorates the Mayor of Tokyo gifting Japanese cherry trees to the US capital as a symbol of friendship.
You can see colourful kites flying, art, street fairs, Japanese percussion and marching bands from across the country and much more during this festival. But best of all, the tufts of pink that cover the city are awe-inspiring in every way.
Check out our Washington DC escapes here.
Seoul, South Korea
Marvel at the dreamy pink wonderland that comes to life in Seoul in the first two weeks of April at the Seokchon Lake Cherry Blossom Festival. Walk amid the cherry blossoms while enjoying mood music and art installations, buy flowers at the markets, and simply be mesmerised by the gorgeous trees (insider tip: you can get some amazing pics of the trees with their reflection in the water).
Plus add some thrill-seeking fun to your trip at Lotte World Magic Island, where you can hop on joy rides and soak up the wonders of this adventurous amusement park.
Visit Seoul in five-star luxury at the award-winning The Shilla Seoul.
Vancouver, Canada
A pink heaven you seek? The city with 40,000 cherry blossom trees beckons you for a peek! Vancouver’s Stanley and Queen Elizabeth parks are the perfect locations to enjoy the cherry blossom season from early March to mid-April, with the city as a magnificent backdrop.
The Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival each April lures you in with walks under the trees, fun fairs and picnics, plus of course the promise of a pink utopia where you can feel one with nature’s rarest of beauties. If you are keen on finding a piece of Japan in Canada, then head to the Nitobe Memorial Garden where you see a traditional Japanese garden and enter an authentic tea house at the University of British Columbia.
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Looking for more travel inspiration? Read Icons of the USA: 7 Bucket-List Experiences
