When is the best time to visit China

To know when to travel to China, the first thing we have to take into account is that, in such a large region, we can find dozens of climates. It could be said that all types of climate are present in this Asian giant.

Best time to travel to China

Depending on the area of this huge country, whose surface occupies almost the same area as all of Europe, the climate varies. The north and the west have a continental climate, while the south enjoys a tropical climate. The climate of Tibet is completely different, that of high mountains. On the other hand, the whole country is affected by the equatorial monsoons; if you go in summer expect very rainy days.

With all these differences it is difficult to establish a specific time to know when to travel to China. However, in general terms, we can say that the best months to discover this country run from April to November. Then, each city and each zone has its own climatic characteristics, which we will analyse below.

When to travel to Beijing

The capital of China, due to its geographical location, has a continental climate, with hot summers and quite cold winters. In summer it can easily go over 30ºC, while in winter, temperatures drop to -10ºC. On the other hand, the hottest month is July, so you should avoid it if you want to travel to this city.

The best months to visit the capital are between April and November, perhaps avoiding the hottest months. April, May, October and November would be ideal to discover all the charm of Beijing.

When to travel to Shanghai

The second most-important city in China is Shanghai, not only because of its economic development, but also because it is the most populated in the country. The climate of this city is still continental, but somewhat more moderate than in Beijing. In winter, the thermometer can reach 0ºC, but it does not go below, while in summer it reaches 32ºC.

During the summer months typhoons bring a lot of rain to this city, as well as the rest of China. Therefore, spring and autumn would be the perfect months to travel to Shanghai: it does not rain so much, and there are pleasant temperatures. Therefore, choose April and May, as well as October and November, to visit this immense city.

When to travel to Hong Kong

Another of the Chinese colossuses is Hong Kong: this city located on the south coast of China has the largest airport in the world dedicated to trade, as well as one of the most important commercial ports. But business skills aside, if you visit Hong Kong, keep in mind that its climate is subtropical.

The climate of this city is marked by very rainy summers and by winters which are less cold than in the cities mentioned previously. To give you an idea, the coldest months are January and February, when the thermometer reaches 15ºC. In summer, if you are in the city in July and August, you may reach 31ºC. As you can see, the weather is much more moderate; the only downside is the rains, which are distributed from May to September. If you want to visit Hong Kong, it would be better to plan your trip for the months of April or October.

When to travel to Xi’an

To travel to central China and visit the legendary city of Xi’an with its terracotta warriors, its wall, or the Great Wild Goose Pagoda, do it in March, April or May. During these months you will enjoy the best temperatures in this area of China, although October is also valid.

The climate of Xi’an is warm, has hot summers, reaching 32ºC especially in June, July and August. In winter, the temperature can drop to 4ºC if it is January, the coldest month. September, on the other hand, registers the highest number of rains, so it is better to avoid it if you do not want to visit the city drenched to the bone.

When to travel to Tibet

Taking into account that the Tibet Autonomous Region is located at an altitude of 4,500 metres, the climate which we can find is high mountainous. This means that, in colder months such as January, the temperature will drop to -10ºC. In summer, the thermometer will rise to 23ºC in the month of June, the warmest month of the entire season.

If you want to avoid the rains, you should not visit Tibet in July or August, so we have May and June to plan our holidays. September and October are also good months to visit the most sacred place of the Buddhist religion, and where Everest, the highest mountain in the world, is located.

You already know when to travel to China; now you can plan your trip.