China is a year-round travel destination. Regardless of when you go, there is always a place that is worth visiting.
However, weather-wise, the best times to visit China are spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October). These periods offer tourism-friendly weather in the most popular destinations throughout the country.
In the following article, we will provide recommendations for the best destinations and activities to explore in each season and month.
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Best Times to Visit China for Great Weather, Sightseeing, Festivals, and Low Prices
The best time to visit China could vary significantly depending on your China vacation purposes, budget, and weather preferences.
- Spring and autumn are the best times for the most pleasant weather and stunning natural landscapes. They are also good times for enjoying outdoor activities.
- If you're looking to enjoy good weather and avoid crowds, we recommend April, September, and mid to late October.
- For families with children, the available time usually revolves around the summer vacation period. If you prefer a quieter environment and less crowded attractions, June could be a good choice.
- If you are interested in experiencing China's festivals, we recommend visiting during Chinese New Year, which usually falls in late January and early February.
- November to March is the off-season. It is a time to benefit from less-crowded attractions and favorable prices. March and November could be smarter choices. The weather in these two shoulder-season months is better compared to other months in the off-season.
Most sightseeing in cultural and historical destinations, such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi'an, is hardly affected by weather conditions. These destinations are suitable for visiting all year round.
No matter in what season you visit, we will carefully customize your itinerary based on your travel time to ensure that you enjoy the many charms of China without any hassles.
Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family's best-rated service across trusted platforms.
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The tour was of The Greta Wall of China
The tour was excellent. Selinda was very knowledgeable about all the aspects of our tour. Selinda was very interesting and knew so much Chinese history more
Mar 2024, Alice W
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Beautiful Beijing with Ethan & Mr. Chen
Ethan, our wonderful guide, whose praises we can not sing loudly enough, was compassionate, caring, and overall endearing! His sense of ease and familiarity with each sight, which were unfamiliar wonders to us, provided a sense of peacefulness that facilitated full enjoyment - helped too by his punctuality and attention to detail. more
Feb 2024, apisn2023
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The Highlights and High Life of Beijing with Ethan & Mr. Chen
Ethan, our wonderful tour guide, made our entire trip an absolute joy for us as he was extraordinarily caring, considerate, and generous. Having had the pleasure of taking in the sights of Beijing previously with another lovely guide, Angela, it was spectacular not only to show the family how fantastic the city is but also how high the quality of services provided by China Highlights are. Each day unveiled a new treasure, helpfully detailed by Ethan, and punctuated by delicious and varied local food. Our driver, Mr. Chen, was also a delight, and was equally as key to the overall experience as he was both attentive and almost mystically punctual! more
Feb 2024, Apis
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Great Time in Beijing
Our 4-day experience in Beijing was unforgettable. Our guide, Selinda, opened the doors to the city's millennia-old history and culture with her knowledge, kindness, and courtesy. We discovered magnificent places, tasted delicious food, and stayed in clean hotels, all accompanied by safe and reliable transportation service. We recommend traveling with China Highlights. more
Feb 2024, Nicola B
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3rd time the charm, is being charmed for the 3rd time.
This is my 3rd tour of Beijing in the last 18 months and I think that speaks a little to the quality of service you get with China Highlights. Each time the sites are the same but each tour guide managed to present them in new and wonderful ways. Also some attractions that were undergoing renovations have been completed, so there were new things to see as well.A big thanks to Mr. Michael, our tour this time around. He was very gregarious and knowledgeable about all the sites. more
Feb 2024, Jonathan Mueller
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3rd time the charm, is charmed for the 3rd time
The sites stay the same but each time we have done this tour, the tour guides manage to make it feel like it is the first time you are experiencing it. And, with the constant renovations, this time we were able to see previous areas that were unavailable the last time we came. more
Feb 2024, Jonathan M
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Great trip and experience!
From beginning to end, China Highlights was very courteous, responsive and attentive in planning and executing a great trip!Aspects and execution of the trip was as discussed and was an overall great experience. Our guide, Michael, was very kind and knowledgeable throughout the tour and would address all questions and help us take lots of photos. Would definitely travel with China Highlights again! more
Feb 2024, Karol
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3rd the charm is charmed for the 3rd time
This is my 3rd tour of Beijing in the last 18 months and I think that speaks a little to the quality of service you get with China Highlights. Each time the sites are the same but each tour guide managed to present them in new and wonderful ways. Also some attractions that were undergoing renovations have been completed, so there were new things to see as well.A big thanks to Mr. Michael, our tour this time around. He was very gregarious and knowledgeable about all the sites. more
Feb 2024, jkjmueller
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1 Day in Beijing
Nice views, Not too much people, Jessi (guide ) so friendly and she have a great service & she knows the answer of all your questions more
Feb 2024, Fernando J
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Fabulous day!
Jesse He ,she is a nice tourist guide patience and take good care for us. We had a wonderful time in Beijing,we did the forbidden city and greatwall We love everything ! more
Feb 2024, Charon R
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Private trip in Beijing and Luoyang
We spent 3 days in Beijing with Helen as our guide. We went to TianAnMen, Forbidden City and MuTianYu Great Wall to name a few. Helen took great care of us and is very attentive as I travel with my 60+ years old parents, from asking whether we need restroom breaks to making sure that our lunch were all according to our dietary needs more
Jan 2024, Iriana Iriana
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An excellent day with Linda
Linda (Ling ling)is a great tour guide,provide a lot of knowledge and history of the great wall,and took us to taste very delicious food too,we had a very good time with her!highly recommend her! more
Jan 2024, Angeline Lim
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Great time in Beijing with Bruce
We stayed in Beijing for three days altogether. We went to the summer palace. the Tian'an'men square, the Forbidden City,the Temple of heaven and the Great Wall. Our tour guide Bruce is very friendly and speaks English fluently. He explained every scenic spot to us patiently and humorously. my family are very satisfied with his service. more
Jan 2024, Mayra C
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Bucket List Trip to China
My first stop in China was Beijing. Ethan was my guide there. Daily, they would pick me up and take me to the spots on the itinerary. He helped me plan outside activities like a Chinese acrobat show. He even walked me to my seat in my theater so I could easily find my correct chair. What was most helpful was Ethan waiting with me at the train station and even helping me on to my seat and giving the train attendant my meal order. Very little English was spoken by the train attendant. more
Jan 2024, Megan Sandbothe
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Great Wall at Jinshanling
We went to the Great Wall at Jinshanling which is a very beautiful place which is not that busy. In fact most of the time it felt like we were alone on the wall.The tourguide (Jack) was very knowledgeable and very friendly.A big thumbs up more
Jan 2024, Onno
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Private trip in Beijing and Luoyang
We spent 3 days in Beijing with Helen as our guide. We went to TianAnMen, Forbidden City and MuTianYu Great Wall to name a few. Helen took great care of us and is very attentive as I travel with my 60+ years old parents, from asking whether we need restroom breaks to making sure that our lunch were all according to our dietary needs. We had great 3 days in Beijing.We also visited Luoyang. Our travel advisor arranged a Business class seat for our high speed train to Luoyang. We were picked up at the station by our guide in Luoyang, Lisa. We then visited Dengfeng to see Songyang academy, shaolin temple, Luoyang grottoes. She also took care of us very well and very knowledgeable about the history. more
Jan 2024, lriana lriana
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Beijing 2024
We traveled to Beijing with China Highlights in January 2024. Our tour guide Ethan was organized and knowledgeable which made our trip seamless and very interesting!! He helpfully suggested additional activities if we had time in the evenings and assisted us in booking tickets for them. Visiting the Mutianyu Great wall of China was a big highlight of our time in Beijing! more
Jan 2024, Lydia
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Beijing 2024
We traveled to Beijing with China Highlights in January 2024. Our tour guide Ethan was organized and knowledgeable which made our trip seamless and very interesting!! He helpfully suggested additional activities if we had time in the evenings and assisted us in booking tickets for them. Visiting the Mutianyu Great wall of China was a big highlight of our time in Beijing more
Jan 2024, Explore49612084715
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Beijing
Fantastic couple days in Beijing. Thank you to my guide Mark who eloquently relayed stories about China history and culture. more
Jan 2024, Steve P
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Jack is an excellent guide
Jack is an excellent guide, very patient, punctual, wonderful command of english. I recommend him any day. more
Jan 2024, Brahma
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The Worst Times to Visit China
While there are certain times to travel that may be considered worst, such as those having large crowds or bad weather, the impact of these conditions could be significantly minimized with proper planning, enough knowledge of the destination, and the right destination selection. That's what we could do for you. We would try our best to ensure you have an enjoyable travel experience by skillfully managing these factors.
To Avoid Crowds
If you don't like crowded environments, you should avoid traveling during the Chinese holidays. Most of the attractions are flooded with Chinese tourists during festivals and holidays, especially the two golden weeks:
- Labor Day holiday (May 1–5)
- National Day holiday (October 1–7)
If you are traveling during the above periods, book well in advance (at least 6 months) and get ready for the crowds.
In this case, we have three suggestions.
First, get up early to visit as you would enjoy a quieter scenic spot. Compared to the noisy environment, you will find that your early rise is worth it.
Second, choose less popular destinations, such as the Silk Road.
Third, skirt around the peak travel period and visit before or after the holidays. April, late May, and late October could be good times for the good weather, fewer crowds, and nice scenery. Travel costs are also down compared to the costs during holidays.
To Avoid the Rainy Season
If you don't like rain, you'd better avoid visiting in the rainy months.
For southern cities, such as Shanghai and Guilin, June, the rainiest month, is not a good choice for a visit, especially if you are looking for outdoor activities.
But you don't need to worry too much about the rainy season. China is a large country and the rainy season will be slightly different in each city, which provides you with a variety of options. Just contact us for recommendations and itinerary planning.
The northern cities of China, such as Beijing and Xi'an, are generally less affected by the rainy season, which occurs in July and August. There are only occasional short bursts of rain, which have little impact on the tourist experience.
China Travel Guide by Month
China has four seasons: spring (officially March to May), summer (June to August), autumn (September to November), and winter (December to February). The north has longer winters and the south has longer summers.
China is vast, with destinations for every season. Whether you visit in winter or summer, there's a suitable place.
Click the sign of each month to check the travel guide information. All our tours can be adjusted/customized based on your requirements. Just contact us.
- January
- February
- March
- April
- May
- June
- July
- August
- September
- October
- November
- December
China Weather in January
- North China (Beijing): freezing, -8–2°C (18–35°F)
- South China (Shanghai): chilly, 2–8°C (35–46°F)
On the whole, most cities in China are cold in January with low rainfall, except for the extreme southern, including Hainan Island, which still retains a warm 22–26°C (72–79°F) range.
There is snow in the north, but there is little snowfall in the south. If you want to see beautiful snow scenery and do some exciting snow activities, Beijing, Harbin, and many northern cities are recommended.
Seeing the snow-covered Great Wall, skiing in a winter games venue, and exploring a special residence in the north (a cave dwelling), which is warm in winter and cool in summer, are some of the best winter activities.
Harbin's Ice and Snow Festival, which often has more than one large castle that is made of ice and snow, is also popular among travelers.
January is a good time to experience the culture and atmosphere of Chinese New Year. You could explore interesting temple fairs, watch wonderful folk-art performances, and learn about the many customs of Chinese New Year.
If you want to have a warm winter holiday, Hainan Island (i.e. Sanya) could be your choice with its beautiful beaches and sunny weather. Yunnan is also recommended for its mild weather.
See more on China Weather in January (with travel info).
Tour China with Us
Our travel advisors are very happy to give you suggestions and guidance for your trip planning. They can tailor-make your trip according to your interests and requirements, and help to find the best time of year for you to go to China.
- The Golden Triangle: Beijing – Xi'an – Shanghai (8 days)
- Classic Wonders: Beijing – Xi'an – Guilin/Yangshuo – Shanghai (11 days)
- Find more ideas on our China tours.