Spring (March–May) is one of the best times to travel in China, if you don't mind the rain showers. The weather warms up, but it's not too hot, and there are fewer tourists than in summer.
If you love photography will find mid-March to mid-May full of lush landscapes, colorful blossoms, and fresh green hues. Spring is a picturesque and pleasant season for you to travel in China.
Top China Spring Destinations
Below is a list of China's prime spring destinations with pleasant scenery and interesting outdoor activities.
1. Yunnan — Flowers, Sunshine, and Vitality
Songzanlin Monastery in Shangri-La, YunnanYunnan is bright, fresh, and warm in spring. Whether you're looking for a wonderful view or outdoor activities, Yunnan can satisfy you.
The seas of rape flowers in Luoping take first place for their size, goldenness, and eye-catching landscapes. Dali's warm sunshine falls on outdoor lovers enjoying Erhai Lake's charms. The grand Water-Splashing Festival in Xishuangbanna blesses new life in a tropical paradise…
Spring highlights in Yunnan:
- Hike up Jade Dragon Snow Mountain on a hidden trail and have a bike ride alongside Erhai Lake.
- Visit a local Tibetan family near Shangri-La and enjoy a starry night with a bonfire on the grassland.
- Visit a non-public dormitory of Songzanlin Monastery in Shangri-La.
Recommended tours:
2. Tibet — Spring's Pink Blending with Mysterious Culture
Nyingchi, TibetSpring in Tibet begins with peach blossom in southern Tibet's Nyingchi valleys.
Under the snow-capped mountains, peach trees by the roadside, riverside, and valley sides are in full bloom after a cold winter. The frozen lakes begin to melt.
The sound of chanting comes from the monasteries gleaming against the pure sky. Tibetan people start farming their barley fields.
As Tibet has not completely shed its coat of snow and ice in spring, there are few tourists, and its beauty appears purer with more personal space for you to enjoy it.
Check out our 8-Day Lhasa, Nyingchi, and Bome Spring Tour. All our tours can be customized. Contact us to create a trip for your spring break according to your group size, time, budget, interests, and other requirements.
3. Western Sichuan — Less-Traveled Roads with Stunning Plateau Scenery
Bipenggou ValleyIf you want to experience Tibetan culture and plateau scenery with no Travel Permit and a lower risk of suffering altitude sickness, then Western Sichuan is the place to go.
Pear flowers are blooming in Jinchuan Valley and Danba. Hidden in the sea of flowers are the Tibetan villages and monasteries. Pastoral life on Tagong Grassland begins to wake up.
Our 4-Day Western Sichuan Tibetan Spring Tour from Chengdu brings you blooming alpine landscapes, horse riding on the grassland, and an authentic experience of Tibetan culture.
4. Guilin — Idyllic Painting-Inspiring Scenery
Longji Rice TerraceFarmers plow their fields with water buffalos and plant their paddies with rice in spring. The Longji Rice Terraces are irrigated, and the waterlogged paddies sparkle in the sunlight.
Frequent rainfalls in spring shroud the rivers, pinnacles, and the city itself in mist and fog, like in an ink painting.
Spring highlights in Guilin:
- Try a 2-hour via ferrata (cable-protected cliff climb) in Yulong River Ecological Park.
- Make and paint a paper fan in 'Chinese Painted Fan Town' — Fuli Ancient Town.
- Hike among the Longji Terraced Fields.
- Explore a "mysterious" limestone cave with magnificent stalactites and stalagmites.
5. Zhangjiajie — Vigorous Forests and Seas of Clouds
Spring is a good time to travel to Zhangjiajie because of the vigorous forests and seas of clouds. It is more relaxing during this season, with fewer people around. If you want to escape the hustle and bustle, this may be the best season for you.
Spring highlights in Zhangjiajie:
- Bike around the beautiful and non-touristy side of Tianmen Mountain.
- Experience via ferrata (cable-safe cliff challenges) at Hongyanling (Red Rock Ridge).
- Hike among the amazing pillars and peaks of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
- Try bungee jumping on the Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge.
6. Huangshan — Rape Flowers and Fresh Air
The brilliantly blooming flowers and fresh, crisp air are features of spring in Huangshan. Spring is one of the best seasons in Huangshan. You could appreciate the seas of cloud on the Yellow Mountains and the yellow rape flowers along the road. See our 9-Day Huangshan, Wuyuan, Suzhou, and Shanghai Spring Tour.
Spring highlights in Huangshan:
- Ascend the Yellow Mountains and enjoy sunrise, sunset, and seas of clouds.
- Visit the "artists' muse" — the beautiful village of Hongcun.
- Escape to a rural utopia in Bishan village and see how artists have turned this small area into a rural paradise.
Spring Travel Tips
If you can't stand high humidity, we recommend visiting western China regions, such as Yunnan and Tibet. Southern cities can be wet and rainy in spring.
The flower season is mostly between mid-March and mid-April, with such spectacles as peach blossoms in Nyingchi, pear flowers in Western Sichuan, cherry blossoms in Wuhan, and rape flowers in Wuyuan and Guilin.
There are two important public holidays in spring: Tomb-Sweeping Day (April 3–5) and May Day (May 1–5). Then, Chinese people will be travelling in droves. Make your reservations as early as possible during these holidays. See Where to Escape the Crowds in China Around Labor Day
Spring Weather in China
Generally, China begins to experience a significant winter thaw early in the spring. The exceptions are Hong Kong and other places in the extreme south, which don't really experience a winter. There, spring starts warm rather than cold.
As the cold ebbs away, light wintry drizzle is replaced by increasingly heavy spring (thunder) showers, as the monsoon season builds.
Wet weather can be expected, but it should not dissuade you from touring. Vendors selling rain gear and umbrellas are plentiful at major tourist sights and every convenience is provided to make spring touring comfortable, down to canopy roofs on Yangshuo rafts!
Springtime in China: North vs South
On average, spring in China is from mid-March to mid-May, but with the big difference in latitude, northern China's spring is later (April–May), and in the south it is earlier (March–April).
In northern and western China in spring, temperatures during the day begin to warm. The evening hours, however, bring a chill that could dip below freezing, so travelers are advised to pack warm clothing. You'll hardly notice the monsoon in the dry north and west.
In central and southern China, temperatures are warmer, but there are heavier rain showers, which cool it down quite a bit. You should pack an umbrella or raincoat and thin layers of clothing to make it easy to adapt to whatever temperatures you experience. Temperatures are comfortable, though the humidity may not be.
For more detailed spring weather information, see:
Recommended China Spring Tours
All our tours can be customized. If you are not interested in the above destinations or tours, you can contact us to tailor-make a spring tour for you.
See more China tours for inspiration.
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