When to go
Given the vastness of the country and the wide climatic variety, it's hard to find a single period in which the weather is very good throughout the country. In general, however, the best times are
spring and autumn. In fact, in the north and west the winter is very cold, while in the south and east the summer is hot and rainy. In addition, in summer and early autumn, especially in the southeast, there is a risk of typhoons.
The vast
northern region, both the northeast (Manchuria) and the desert northwest, being cold in winter and hot in summer, can be visited in May and September.
In
Beijing, in April and October, the days are pleasant, while at night it can get a bit cold, in addition, spring is preferable because it has longer days. You can also go in May and September, which are warmer.
In
Shanghai, which has a longer summer, you may prefer April, May and October.
You can visit the warm mountains of
Yunnan in spring, especially in March and April; in summer, even though the temperatures are pleasant, the rains are frequent and abundant and there's not much sun.
In Guangzhou and in the
south, since spring is already rainy, we prefer October and November, with a preference for November because the risk of typhoons is lower.
The plateau of
Tibet, being cold most of the year, can be visited in summer.
What to pack
In
winter: for Harbin and the north-east, the mountains and the desert, especially in the northern part (Urumqi and Dzungaria), bring cold weather clothing, synthetic thermal long underwear, a parka, a Gore-Tex jacket, gloves, a hat, and a scarf.
For the Beijing area, bring very warm clothes, such as a down jacket, gloves, a scarf, and a hat, which can be removed in the warmer days of February.
For the area of Shanghai, warm clothes, such as a sweater, a jacket, and possibly a raincoat or umbrella.
For Yunnan, in Kunming, warm clothes, such as a sweater, a jacket, a hat for colder nights, or heavier garments if you want to rise in altitude and climb mountains.
For the south, Fuzhou and Guangzhou, spring/autumn clothes, a sweater, a jacket, and a raincoat or umbrella. For Hainan, spring/autumn clothes (light for the day), a sweater, and a jacket.
In
summer: for Harbin and the north-east, bring light clothing, a sweatshirt or sweater for the evening, and a raincoat or umbrella.
For the desert, light clothing, a scarf for the wind, a sweatshirt or sweater for the evening at an altitude higher than sea level and in the far north; you can add a jacket, maybe long for the wind, above 1,000 meters (3,300 feet).
For the high mountains (Tian Shan, Pamir, Karakoram, Himalayas), a down jacket, a hat, gloves, and a scarf.
For the Beijing area, light clothes, a light raincoat or umbrella, a scarf for the wind, and a light sweatshirt for air conditioned places.
For the area of Shanghai, the south and Hainan, bring tropics-friendly, lightweight clothes, and a light raincoat or umbrella; a light sweatshirt and a scarf for air conditioned places.
For Yunnan, in Kunming, spring/autumn clothes (light for the day), a sweater, and a raincoat and umbrella; bring heavier clothes if you plan to climb mountains.
If you forgot to pack some clothes, you can easily find them and at low price on the spot.
It's better for women to avoid shorts and miniskirts in rural and non-tourist areas.
Back to the climate of
China