Tourists enjoy plum blossoms and rape flowers in the countryside of Liuzhou in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region. [Photo/China Daily]

Flights connecting Nanjing to many domestic destinations, such as Harbin, Xi'an, Chengdu, Chongqing and Nanning, are offered at 70 percent off their original price throughout March, according to local carriers.

Another bonus: Scenic spots will have far fewer tourists after the holiday week, offering a more comfortable traveling experience, Jiang adds.

Most trips to domestic and international destinations have seen prices drop by half, says Dai Yu, marketing director at online travel giant Ctrip's tourism department.

"Taiwan, Wuhan, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Suzhou, Lhasa, Lijiang and Xiamen, as well as Japan and South Korea, are all ideal destinations for spring outings," says Dai.

For example, the best time to savor flowers in Taiwan is from March to May, she says.

The company now offers an eight-day tour of Taiwan from Shanghai in March for 3,499 yuan ($560). Tourists can take in the full view of spring vistas on the island, such as Oriental cherry blooms at Ali Mountain and red sandalwood in Kaohsiung, and travelers this week can enjoy distinctive Lantern Festival celebrations, according to Dai.

Those with their sights set on Japan－now considered a bargain thanks to the struggling yen－are in luck. Packages including Osaka, Kyoto, Hakone, Gifu and Tokyo for eight days in March and April cost roughly 10,000 yuan－the cost of a five-day stay in Tokyo alone during the Spring Festival, she says.

Tourists can see grand cherry-blossom vistas at Yokohama's Hakkeijima Sea Paradise and lavender displays at Lake Kawaguchi, while shopping and enjoying local food and drinks along the way.