Best Time to Visit China: When Should You Go?

China spans 50 degrees of latitude. When it's snowing in Harbin, it's beach weather in Hainan.

There's no single "best time" for all of China. But there are definitely times to go—and times to avoid.

Here's the honest breakdown.

Quick Answer

Best overall: April-May and September-October

Avoid: Chinese New Year, Golden Week (October 1-7), peak summer if you hate crowds

Budget travelers: November-March (excluding Chinese New Year)

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Season by Season

Spring (March - May)

Weather: Warming up. 10-25°C in most regions.

Pros:

• Comfortable temperatures
• Flowers blooming (cherry blossoms in spring)
• Fewer tourists than summer
• Good visibility for photography

Cons:

• April can have dust storms in Beijing
• Some rain, especially in south
• Variable weather (pack layers)

Best for: Beijing, Xi'an, Shanghai, Suzhou

Summer (June - August)

Weather: Hot and humid. 28-38°C in most cities.

Pros:

• Longest days
• Everything is open
• Good for northern China and mountains
• Green landscapes

Cons:

• Extremely crowded (school holidays)
• Hot and humid in most areas
• Typhoon season in coastal areas
• Higher prices

Best for: Tibet, Inner Mongolia, mountain areas (for escape from heat)

Avoid: Southern cities like Guangzhou and Chengdu (brutal humidity)

Autumn (September - November)

Weather: Cooling down. 10-28°C. Often clear skies.

Pros:

• Best weather of the year
• Clear skies, great visibility
• Comfortable temperatures
• Beautiful fall colors
• Harvests and festivals

Cons:

• October 1-7 is Golden Week (massive crowds)
• Popular—book accommodation early
• Prices rise in October

Best for: Everywhere. This is the sweet spot.

Winter (December - February)

Weather: Cold in north (-10 to 5°C in Beijing), mild in south (10-20°C in Hong Kong/Hainan).

Pros:

• Fewest tourists (except Chinese New Year)
• Lowest prices
• Snow scenes at Great Wall
• Harbin Ice Festival (if you like cold)

Cons:

• Chinese New Year disruption (see below)
• Cold and dry in north
• Some attractions have reduced hours
• Smog can be worse in winter

Best for: Hong Kong, Hainan, Yunnan (mild winters). Harbin for ice festival lovers.

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Holidays to Avoid

Chinese New Year (Spring Festival)

When: Late January to mid-February (dates change yearly—lunar calendar)

Why avoid:

• 1.4 billion people traveling simultaneously
• Transport sold out weeks ahead
• Many restaurants and shops close
• Prices spike dramatically
• Major attractions still crowded

2026 dates: January 29 - February 12 (peak travel)

Unless you specifically want to experience Chinese New Year, avoid this period entirely.

Golden Week (National Day)

When: October 1-7 every year

Why avoid:

• Over 700 million domestic trips
• Every attraction is packed
• Hotels book up and prices triple
• Traffic jams everywhere

October 1-7 is the worst week of the year to visit China as a tourist. Avoid if possible.

Labor Day

When: May 1-5

Why avoid:

• Another major holiday period
• Significant crowds at tourist sites
• Not as bad as Golden Week, but noticeable

Other Holidays

Dragon Boat Festival: June (3 days) Mid-Autumn Festival: September/October (3 days) Qingming (Tomb Sweeping): April (3 days)

These cause some crowding but are manageable.

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Regional Timing

China is huge. Different regions have different ideal times.

Beijing

| Season | Temperature | Notes | |--------|-------------|-------| | Spring (Apr-May) | 10-25°C | Good, occasional dust storms | | Summer (Jun-Aug) | 25-35°C | Hot, humid, crowded | | Autumn (Sep-Oct) | 10-25°C | Best time | | Winter (Nov-Mar) | -10 to 5°C | Cold but clear, few tourists |

Our pick: September-October

Shanghai

| Season | Temperature | Notes | |--------|-------------|-------| | Spring (Mar-May) | 10-25°C | Pleasant, some rain | | Summer (Jun-Aug) | 28-38°C | Hot, humid, typhoon risk | | Autumn (Sep-Nov) | 15-28°C | Best time | | Winter (Dec-Feb) | 0-10°C | Cold, damp |

Our pick: October-November

Xi'an

| Season | Temperature | Notes | |--------|-------------|-------| | Spring (Mar-May) | 10-25°C | Good, occasional dust | | Summer (Jun-Aug) | 25-38°C | Hot but drier than coast | | Autumn (Sep-Oct) | 10-25°C | Best time | | Winter (Nov-Feb) | -5 to 8°C | Cold |

Our pick: September-October

Guilin/Yangshuo

| Season | Temperature | Notes | |--------|-------------|-------| | Spring (Mar-May) | 15-25°C | Misty, photogenic, some rain | | Summer (Jun-Aug) | 25-35°C | Hot, rainy, lush green | | Autumn (Sep-Nov) | 18-28°C | Best overall | | Winter (Dec-Feb) | 5-15°C | Cool, fewer tourists |

Our pick: April-May or September-November

Yunnan (Kunming, Dali, Lijiang)

| Season | Temperature | Notes | |--------|-------------|-------| | Spring (Mar-May) | 10-25°C | Pleasant, flowers blooming | | Summer (Jun-Aug) | 15-28°C | Rainy but mild | | Autumn (Sep-Nov) | 10-25°C | Best time | | Winter (Dec-Feb) | 5-18°C | Mild, great escape from cold |

Our pick: Year-round (Yunnan has "eternal spring" weather)

Tibet

| Season | Temperature | Notes | |--------|-------------|-------| | Spring (Apr-May) | 0-15°C | Cold but opening up | | Summer (Jun-Sep) | 10-25°C | Best time | | Autumn (Oct-Nov) | 5-20°C | Good but getting cold | | Winter (Dec-Mar) | -15 to 10°C | Very cold, some areas closed |

Our pick: June-September (warmest, best for trekking)

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Weather vs. Crowds vs. Price

| Time | Weather | Crowds | Prices | |------|---------|--------|--------| | Jan-Feb (not CNY) | Cold | Low | Low | | CNY period | Cold | Extreme | Very High | | Mar-Apr | Variable | Medium | Medium | | May | Good | Medium-High | Medium | | Jun-Aug | Hot/Humid | Very High | High | | Sep | Best | Medium | Medium | | Oct 1-7 | Best | Extreme | Very High | | Oct 8-Nov | Good | Medium | Medium | | Dec | Cold | Low | Low |

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Our Recommendation

First-time visitors: Go in September (after Labor Day) or late October (after Golden Week).

You'll get:

• Best weather
• Manageable crowds
• Reasonable prices
• Everything open

We visited in September 2025 and the timing was perfect.

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Planning Tips

Book Early For:

• Chinese New Year (if you must go)
• Golden Week
• Major city hotels in October
• High-speed train tickets during holidays
• Popular attraction tickets (Forbidden City, etc.)

Flexible Dates Save Money

If you can shift your trip by a week, you can often:

• Avoid holiday surges
• Get better hotel rates
• Find easier train availability

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Quick Checklist

Best months overall: September, October (excluding Golden Week), April, May

Avoid:

• [ ] Chinese New Year (late Jan-mid Feb)
• [ ] Golden Week (Oct 1-7)
• [ ] Peak summer unless you love crowds and humidity

Book ahead for:

• [ ] Any holiday period
• [ ] October travel
• [ ] Popular hotels in tier-1 cities

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Need Help Timing Your Trip?

If you want advice on the best dates for your specific itinerary, our Guardian package includes trip planning support for $19.

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Related Guides:

• China Travel Budget
• 3 Days in Beijing
• 3 Days in Shanghai