Best time to visit China

Our verdict

The best time to visit China is May

Are you looking to travel to China and want to find out when the best times to visit are? You’re in the right place! The perfect time to visit China is May due to the excellent weather conditions, and you might even find that the cost of flights and accommodation are lower than if you travel during the peak holiday seasons.

In summer, temperatures can reach as high 37℃ (98℉) in the middle of the day in Beijing. The coldest it usually gets in winter-time in Beijing is around -12℃ (11℉). Temperatures can often differ in other locations in China, so be sure to continue reading if you plan on visiting elsewhere.

The days are longest in China in May, so if you want to see the sights during the day when the sun is up for the longest time, it’s best to visit around that time of year. On average it rains the most days in July, making it the wettest month of the year. Although it’s the wet season, it can often rain a little bit during the day or evening but have fine weather for a majority of the day too, so don’t let this put you off.

Continue reading to find out about when to visit China, including the climate, seasonal info, FAQs and more for loads of the top places you NEED to explore, as well as all the best tools to help you plan and book your next vacation.

Warmest month

July

Least rainfall

January

Most daylight

May

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China seasons

Before you plan your trip, it’s important to know when the seasons are as they may be different to yours depending on where you’re travelling from. China is in the Northern hemisphere, so the seasons fall on:

Season Months
Summer June to August
Autumn/fall September to November
Winter December to February
Spring March to May

Best time to visit the top destinations in China

We’ve put together a breakdown of the average minimum and maximum temperatures by month, as well as the best times to visit for each. To learn more about these destinations including detailed climate breakdowns and much more, click or tap the city/destination name below.

CityBest time to visitJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
BeijingMay
1℃
-7℃
4℃
-4℃
13℃
2℃
21℃
9℃
28℃
15℃
31℃
19℃
32℃
22℃
31℃
20℃
26℃
15℃
19℃
9℃
9℃
1℃
2℃
-5℃
ChengduSeptember-October
10℃
3℃
13℃
5℃
19℃
10℃
24℃
15℃
28℃
19℃
30℃
21℃
31℃
22℃
31℃
23℃
26℃
19℃
22℃
16℃
16℃
11℃
11℃
5℃
ChongqingSeptember-October
12℃
6℃
16℃
9℃
21℃
13℃
25℃
17℃
28℃
20℃
30℃
22℃
34℃
24℃
34℃
25℃
28℃
21℃
23℃
17℃
18℃
13℃
13℃
8℃
DaliOctober
13℃
-0℃
16℃
1℃
19℃
5℃
22℃
9℃
24℃
12℃
23℃
15℃
22℃
15℃
23℃
14℃
21℃
13℃
19℃
9℃
16℃
4℃
13℃
1℃
DunhuangApril
-3℃
-11℃
3℃
-6℃
12℃
1℃
20℃
9℃
25℃
15℃
29℃
21℃
32℃
23℃
31℃
22℃
25℃
16℃
17℃
8℃
7℃
-1℃
-1℃
-8℃
FenghuangApril-May
8℃
2℃
11℃
4℃
16℃
8℃
21℃
13℃
25℃
16℃
28℃
20℃
31℃
22℃
31℃
22℃
27℃
18℃
22℃
14℃
16℃
8℃
10℃
3℃
FuzhouApril-May
14℃
8℃
15℃
9℃
18℃
11℃
22℃
15℃
25℃
18℃
28℃
22℃
30℃
23℃
31℃
23℃
28℃
21℃
24℃
18℃
20℃
14℃
15℃
9℃
GuangzhouSeptember
19℃
12℃
21℃
14℃
23℃
17℃
27℃
21℃
31℃
24℃
32℃
26℃
33℃
26℃
34℃
27℃
32℃
25℃
29℃
22℃
25℃
18℃
20℃
13℃
GuilinOctober
12℃
5℃
15℃
8℃
18℃
11℃
23℃
15℃
27℃
19℃
28℃
21℃
30℃
22℃
31℃
22℃
29℃
20℃
26℃
16℃
20℃
11℃
14℃
6℃
HaikouSeptember
21℃
18℃
23℃
19℃
26℃
21℃
29℃
23℃
31℃
26℃
32℃
27℃
32℃
27℃
32℃
27℃
30℃
26℃
28℃
25℃
26℃
22℃
22℃
19℃
HangzhouSeptember
9℃
2℃
11℃
4℃
16℃
7℃
22℃
12℃
27℃
17℃
28℃
20℃
33℃
24℃
32℃
24℃
27℃
20℃
23℃
15℃
17℃
10℃
11℃
4℃
HarbinMay
-14℃
-23℃
-9℃
-19℃
1℃
-9℃
13℃
3℃
21℃
11℃
26℃
16℃
28℃
18℃
26℃
16℃
20℃
9℃
11℃
3℃
-1℃
-8℃
-12℃
-19℃
Huangshan CitySeptember-October
18℃
12℃
19℃
14℃
21℃
16℃
24℃
19℃
27℃
22℃
29℃
25℃
30℃
26℃
30℃
26℃
29℃
25℃
27℃
22℃
23℃
18℃
19℃
14℃
KashgarSeptember-October
-2℃
-10℃
3℃
-5℃
13℃
5℃
21℃
12℃
26℃
17℃
30℃
21℃
33℃
23℃
31℃
22℃
25℃
17℃
18℃
10℃
8℃
1℃
-1℃
-7℃
KunmingSeptember-October
14℃
3℃
18℃
4℃
21℃
8℃
23℃
11℃
25℃
14℃
24℃
16℃
23℃
15℃
24℃
15℃
22℃
14℃
20℃
11℃
17℃
7℃
14℃
4℃
LijiangApril
19℃
7℃
23℃
8℃
26℃
13℃
28℃
15℃
29℃
18℃
28℃
19℃
27℃
18℃
28℃
17℃
27℃
16℃
25℃
14℃
23℃
11℃
19℃
8℃
MacauApril
18℃
15℃
20℃
17℃
22℃
19℃
25℃
22℃
28℃
25℃
30℃
27℃
30℃
28℃
31℃
28℃
30℃
27℃
28℃
24℃
24℃
21℃
20℃
16℃
NanjingSeptember
7℃
1℃
10℃
3℃
15℃
6℃
21℃
11℃
27℃
17℃
30℃
21℃
32℃
24℃
31℃
24℃
27℃
19℃
23℃
15℃
16℃
9℃
9℃
3℃
NanningSeptember-October
17℃
10℃
20℃
13℃
23℃
16℃
28℃
20℃
31℃
23℃
32℃
24℃
32℃
25℃
33℃
25℃
31℃
23℃
28℃
20℃
24℃
16℃
19℃
11℃
QingdaoSeptember-October
3℃
-2℃
5℃
0℃
10℃
4℃
15℃
9℃
21℃
15℃
25℃
19℃
28℃
23℃
28℃
24℃
25℃
19℃
20℃
15℃
13℃
8℃
6℃
1℃
SanyaSeptember-October
22℃
15℃
26℃
17℃
29℃
19℃
31℃
22℃
33℃
24℃
33℃
24℃
33℃
24℃
32℃
24℃
31℃
23℃
29℃
21℃
26℃
19℃
23℃
16℃
ShanghaiApril-May
9℃
3℃
10℃
4℃
15℃
7℃
20℃
11℃
25℃
17℃
27℃
21℃
32℃
25℃
32℃
25℃
27℃
21℃
23℃
17℃
18℃
12℃
11℃
6℃
ShantouMay
18℃
13℃
20℃
14℃
22℃
17℃
25℃
20℃
28℃
23℃
30℃
25℃
31℃
26℃
31℃
26℃
30℃
25℃
27℃
22℃
24℃
19℃
20℃
14℃
ShenzhenOctober
19℃
14℃
20℃
16℃
23℃
18℃
26℃
21℃
29℃
25℃
30℃
27℃
31℃
27℃
31℃
27℃
31℃
26℃
28℃
23℃
25℃
20℃
20℃
15℃
SuzhouMay
8℃
3℃
10℃
4℃
15℃
6℃
21℃
11℃
26℃
17℃
29℃
21℃
32℃
25℃
32℃
25℃
27℃
20℃
23℃
16℃
17℃
11℃
10℃
5℃
UrumqiSeptember-October
-6℃
-15℃
-4℃
-14℃
5℃
-4℃
15℃
7℃
20℃
12℃
25℃
17℃
28℃
20℃
27℃
18℃
21℃
12℃
13℃
5℃
3℃
-4℃
-3℃
-11℃
WuhanApril-May
9℃
3℃
12℃
5℃
18℃
9℃
23℃
14℃
28℃
19℃
30℃
22℃
33℃
25℃
33℃
25℃
29℃
20℃
24℃
16℃
17℃
10℃
11℃
5℃
Xi'AnApril
15℃
7℃
18℃
9℃
22℃
13℃
26℃
16℃
30℃
20℃
33℃
23℃
34℃
24℃
34℃
24℃
31℃
22℃
27℃
17℃
21℃
11℃
17℃
9℃
XiamenMay
17℃
11℃
18℃
13℃
20℃
15℃
24℃
18℃
27℃
22℃
29℃
24℃
31℃
26℃
32℃
26℃
30℃
24℃
27℃
21℃
23℃
18℃
19℃
13℃
ZhangjiajieMay
8℃
0℃
10℃
2℃
15℃
7℃
20℃
11℃
24℃
15℃
28℃
18℃
30℃
21℃
30℃
20℃
26℃
17℃
21℃
12℃
15℃
7℃
9℃
2℃
ZhuhaiSeptember
18℃
15℃
20℃
16℃
22℃
19℃
25℃
22℃
28℃
25℃
30℃
27℃
31℃
28℃
31℃
28℃
30℃
27℃
28℃
24℃
24℃
21℃
20℃
16℃
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Top FAQs

You can check out the full list of awesome destinations and hidden gems to explore in China here.
The warmest month of the year in Beijing, one of the most popular places to visit in China, is July.
The driest month of the year in Beijing, China, is usually around January each year.

China map