Predictions for top 10 most popular destinations during the National holiday

Located 500 meters off the coast of Xiamen in southeastern China's Fujian province, Gulangyu island got its name from the reefs to the southwest of the island, which when pounded by waves, produce a sound like the beating of a drum.[Photo/IC]

Ctrip.com, an online travel service company in China, recently announced its predictions for the most popular domestic and overseas destinations during the National Day holiday based on the amount of bookings. The company advises tourists to avoid overcrowded scenic spots during the first three or four days of the holiday. The top 10 most popular overseas destinations are South Korea, Thailand, Japan, Singapore, the United States, Australia, Indonesia, Italy, France and the Maldives.

Top 10 scenic spots in China:

1. The Palace Museum The museum received 175,000 tourists on Oct 2 last year. Ctrip advises visitors to avoid the peak visiting hours from 10 am to 1 pm and to buy tickets in advance on its official website.

2. Gulangyu Island, Fujian province Home to about 20,000 residents, the island draws hordes of tourists because of its pristine beaches, distinctive shops and diverse architecture. On Oct 3, 2013, 93,000 visited the island. The ferry from Xiamen transports about 10,000 visitors to the island per hour, with rides every five minutes.

3. The Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Located opposite the Bund on the Huangpu River, the 468-meter-high tower has an observatory and a revolving restaurant to enjoy a bird’s eye view of Shanghai. The Bund is one of the most popular destinations in the city, where tourists can see buildings of different architectural styles and take a cruise.

4. Jiuzhaigou Valley, Sichuan province This nature reserve and national park is known for its picturesque and colorful pools of water and snow-capped mountains. Autumn is the best time to visit, when the forests radiate a mixture of rich colors.