The Best Time to Visit China

Visiting China in February

Winter is still in full swing in China during February and much of the country is still very cold. Temperatures in Beijing still hover around freezing and you may experience snow on the Great Wall although the region is generally dry with clear skies.

The rest of China is cold and damp during this time although slightly more pleasant in the south and in Yunnan. By the end of the month the first signs of spring are appearing and sites will generally be quieter. Chinese New Year generally falls in late January or early February and is to be avoided as most of the country is on the move during this time.

Festivals and Events

• Harbin Ice Festival

  One of the of the world's biggest winter festivals, Harbin is brought alive with magical ice sculptures and numerous ice and snow events such as skiing, skating and even ice golf. Fireworks illuminate the sky and the sculptures are lit with multi-coloured floodlights giving the whole area a magical atmosphere.

  • Festival
  • Winter
• Lantern Festival

  Also called Yuan Xiao Festival, the Lantern Festival dates back over 2,000 years. People light lanterns to pray for their futures and their families, children go out at night carrying paper lanterns and solve riddles on the lanterns and women who are hoping for a child walk under a hanging lantern.

  • Festival
  • Culture
  • Winter

• We have no events in February matching your criteria, please update your preferences.

Visiting China in March

Spring has arrived, especially in central and southern China, and this is a great time to travel around the country. Temperatures are warming up everywhere although it can still be chilly around Beijing with daytime highs around 12 degrees. Flowers are blossoming and although the cherry blossom season is not such an event as in Japan – it is still a colourful time of the year to visit. The water towns around Shanghai are especially beautiful at this time of year.

Festivals and Events

• Peach Blossom Festival

  Spring is a beautiful time to visit China with the countryside bursting into colour. The country’s fruit trees are particularly resplendent and a number of Peach Blossom festivals are held all over the country. The most famous is in Shanghai where, along with enjoying the blossom, the parks host music and dance performances.

  • Festival
  • Spring
  • Nature

• We have no events in March matching your criteria, please update your preferences.

Visiting China in April

April is a great time to visit China with comfortable temperatures almost throughout, perfect for touring and sightseeing. Fruit trees are in full bloom and parks and gardens look spectacular. Although you may experience some rainy days, you may also benefit from beautiful misty conditions around some of China’s magnificent landscapes.

Festivals and Events

• Peach Blossom Festival

  Spring is a beautiful time to visit China with the countryside bursting into colour. The country’s fruit trees are particularly resplendent and a number of Peach Blossom festivals are held all over the country. The most famous is in Shanghai where, along with enjoying the blossom, the parks host music and dance performances.

  • Festival
  • Spring
  • Nature
• Qingming Festival

  A three day public holiday the Qingming Festival is also known as the Tomb Sweeping Festival as families visit the tombs of their ancestors and give them a thorough spring clean. Kite flying is also very popular at this time

  • Festival
  • Spring
  • Culture

• We have no events in April matching your criteria, please update your preferences.

Visiting China in May

May could be one of our top picks for travel in China with warm temperatures and low humidity. You can expect daytime highs in the low to mid-twenties almost everywhere and the countryside is lush and verdant. The greenery provides a great backdrop to sites like the Great Wall and flowers are blooming in the highlands of Yunnan. Lhasa, Tibet and the Silk Road are warm and dry and the south is hotting up with temperatures in the mid to high twenties.

Visiting China in June

July is exceedingly hot just about all over the country. Daytimes highs can reach 40 degrees and central and south China swelter with high humidity. Many Chinese also take their holidays in July so the sites can also be crowded. The only way to escape the heat and humidity is to get some altitude so the mountains of Yunnan province in the west and Tibet are still pleasant to visit.

Festivals and Events

• Duanwu Festival

  The Dragon Boat Festival has been celebrated for over 2,000 years to commemorate the ancient poet Qu Yuan and has been held in recent times on 5th day of the 5th month of the traditional Chinese calendar, hence the alternative name, the Double Fifth Festival. Dragon boats are raced and sticky rice wrapped in lotus leaves Zongzi and rice wine are consumed. Celebrated all over the country, Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong is one of the easiest places to catch a race.

  • Festival
  • Summer
  • Tradition

• We have no events in June matching your criteria, please update your preferences.

Visiting China in July

July is exceedingly hot just about all over the country. Daytimes highs can reach 40 degrees and central and south China swelter with high humidity. Many Chinese also take their holidays in July so the sites can also be crowded. The only way to escape the heat and humidity is to get some altitude so the mountains of Yunnan province in the west and Tibet are still pleasant to visit.

Visiting China in August

August is hot and wet all over China, even in Beijing and Xian, which receive their highest rainfall this month. Tibet is cooler than the rest of the country but still experiences rainy days. August is also one of the busiest months for the Chinese to travel with many attractions very busy indeed.

Visiting China in September

September is a wonderful month to be travelling almost anywhere in China with comfortable temperatures and humidity falling throughout the month giving rise to very pleasant touring conditions.

Festivals and Events

• Hungry Ghost Festival

  Due to an ancient belief that ghosts are released from hell to roam the earth during this month, numerous traditions have sprung up to appease them. Fake money is burnt, special ceremonies are performed, incense burned and food is laid out to feed the hungry ghosts. Night time feasts are also often held with an empty place left for the ghost.

  • Festival
  • Autumn
  • Tradition

• We have no events in September matching your criteria, please update your preferences.

Visiting China in October

October is an absolutely lovely month to be travelling in China with sunny dry conditions the norm. The north enjoys daytime highs around twenty and whilst the east and south are a little wetter, don’t let that put you off – the conditions are just about perfect. Bear in mind the first week of October is Golden Week, a national holiday in China, so everywhere is extremely busy at this time.

Festivals and Events

• Golden Week

  China’s National Holiday, also known as Golden Week, occurs on October 1 to commemorate the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. Millions of people return home for this holiday so transport, accommodation and attractions are extremely busy.

  • National Holiday
  • Culture
  • Autumn
• Mid-autumn Festival

  Also called Moon Festival, the mid-autumn festival is the second most important festival in China, after Chinese New Year. Traditionally, families gather together and enjoy a dinner with mooncakes, and worship the moon with gifts and lighting lanterns

  • Festival
  • Autumn

• We have no events in October matching your criteria, please update your preferences.

Visiting China in November

Temperatures are falling in November, especially in the north (Beijing experiences daytime highs around 10 degrees) and days are definitely crisper. Skies are wonderfully clear and the crowds have disappeared making this a good time to be exploring the country. The autumn foliage is in full flow so the landscapes look particularly colourful. In the south temperatures are still very pleasant and rainfall is low.

Visiting China in December

December is cold almost all over China, the north extremely so; you might encounter snow in Beijing or Xian. Although the temperature graphs look more enticing in the south, the wetter conditions can make travelling here during this time very gloomy indeed.

Festivals and Events

• Dongzhi Festival

  The Winter Solstice Festival is held on the shortest day of the year to mark the turning of the seasons. Visits are made to temples and special foods eaten, dumplings in the north, wontons or glutinous rice in the south.

  • Festival
  • Winter

• We have no events in December matching your criteria, please update your preferences.