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China Weather in May

Home (/) China Guide (/travelguide/) China Travel Guidebook (/travelguide/guidebook/) Weather in China

(/weather/) China Weather in May

The weather in May is pleasant with relatively plentiful sunshine and warm temperatures. The

weather is good in most of China. There is a stretch of warm, relatively dry weather before

the heat and rains of summer set in. Along with September and October, May is one of the

best times for traveling and sightseeing in China.

North and Northeast China

— Beijing, Datong, Hohhot, Harbin…

In North China, spring is at its best. Blue sky may be seen in cities such as Beijing that rarely

have blue sky in the rest of the year. May is also one of the best times to visit the Great Wall

(/greatwall/).

The Great Wall in May 

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When trees and plants turn green, the wall wanders among lush vegetation. The summer

crowds have not yet arrived, so you may have time to have the wall to yourself in mid May.

Clothing:  a coat or thick jacket

West China

— Xinjiang, Qinghai, Dunhuang, Xi’an, Tibet…

May is one of the best months for visiting Xinjiang since it is warmer, but not yet in the

summer heat. It might be windy and cold in the Gansu corridor, so bring a warm coat.

Likewise, Lhasa has relatively good weather. It is warm and sunny weather with low rainfall.

The flowers bloom and the trees are green.

Clothing:  coat, sweater, hat, gloves, sunglasses

East China

— Shanghai, Hangzhou, Suzhou, Huangshan…

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Expect high humidity but pleasant warm weather with relatively low rainfall before the

summer monsoon season that starts in June.

Clothing:  T-shirts, jacket, sweater, umbrella

South China

— Guilin, Guangzhou, Hong Kong…

South China is warm and humid and has heavy monsoon rainfall. In Hong Kong in May it'shot, with humidity to match. Typhoon season starts in May in Hong Kong.

Clothing:  T-shirts, shorts, light water resistant jacket, umbrella

Central and Southwest China

— Chengdu, Chongqing, Zhangjiajie, Kunming, Kaili…

One of Suzhou's famed gardens in May 

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There is warm and pleasant temperatures in the cities, and it is one of the better months for

touring since there is relatively low rainfall. Heavy rains summer rains begin in June.

Chengdu is often foggy and drizzly. Summer clothes such as T-shirts may be comfortable

some days, but also bring a light coat or a sweater for cool weather and an umbrella.

Clothing:  jacket or a sweater

Average May Weather Data for Major Tourist Cities

Cities Average High Average Low Rainy Days Precipitation

Beijing

(/beijing/weather/april.htm)

26°C (79°F) 14°C (57°F) 6 34mm (1")

Xi’an (/xian/weather/april.htm) 26°C (79°F) 14°C (57°F) 9 60mm (2")

Shanghai

(/shanghai/weather/april.htm)

24°C (75°F) 16°C (61°F) 10 85mm (3")

Hangzhou

(/hangzhou/weather/april.htm)

26°C (79°F) 17°C (63°F) 15 147mm (6")

Chengdu

(/chengdu/weather/april.htm)

26°C (79°F) 17°C (63°F) 15 107mm (4")

Guiiln

(/guilin/weather/april.htm)

27°C (81°F) 20°C (68°F) 19 353mm (14")

Kunming

(/kunming/weather/april.htm)

24°C (75°F) 14°C (57°F) 12 97mm (4")

Why Visit China in May?

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Pleasant warm weather:  The weather is warm and is pleasant for traveling across most of

the country, but it isn't as hot as in mid summer.

Low rainfall:  One of the rewards of traveling in China during this month is the relatively low

rainfall before the rainier and hot summer weather across most of China.

Avoid peak travel dates:  The first week of May is a busy peak travel week for China's May

Day holiday.

Be Aware of Big Holiday Crowds in May and Southern Monsoon Rains

Be aware that the last days of April mark the start of the heavy travel and tourism season in

China. China's May Day (May 1) holidays are when many Chinese travel and enjoy visiting the

attractions and go out of doors. The heavy crowds subside after the first week.

Southern China experiences monsoon weather in May with occasional typhoons or tropical

storms hitting the coastal regions. As shown in the chart, Guilin gets a lot of rain, and it rains

most days of the month. Hong Kong also gets lots of rain. Since it is warm, most people find

the rains refreshing, and it is not an issue with proper rain gear.

Best May Destinations

There is beautiful spring scenery at Hong Village, near the Yellow Mountains, Huangshan Prefecture

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May is a pleasant time for traveling, seeing the sights, and hiking across most of China.

South China (Huangshan, Guilin, Hangzhou) offers beautiful scenery. But you may meet

rainy days in southern China. Other recommendations include:

Beijing Great Wall:  Appreciate good touring weather to see the wall.

Xi’an:  Visit historical sites and bike on the Xi’an Ancient Wall.

Zhangjiajie:  See the rock spires amid spring scenery.

Read more about best places to visit in May (/travelguide/article-may-trip.htm).

Festivals Make May More Colorful

The Li River in the bright May sunshine

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Longji Terraces Plowing Festival:  The local farmers hold an annual festival in the

beautiful terraced countryside of Longji that is about 1½ hours from Guilin. It is an excellent

place for a countryside hike. It is a great time for photography. Read more about the Longji

Plowing Festival (/festivals/longji-terraced-fields-plowing-festival.htm).

Hong Kong Dragon Boat Races:  Hong Kongers love racing dragon boats, and often the

races are at the end of May. Read more about the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival

(/festivals/hongkong-dragon-boat-festival.htm).

Most Popular China Tours for MayAn outdoor activity is the main theme of May travel in China. Pack your bag and come with

us to explore the beauty of China. Below are our suggested tours for your inspiration, and

you can modify these as you wish.

4-Day Guilin and Yangshuo Tour  (/redirect.asp?

url=http://www.chinahighlights.com/tour/guilintour/gl-4/&t=78002)

3-Day Beijing Discovery Tour  (/redirect.asp?

url=http://www.chinahighlights.com/tour/beijingtour/3-day-beijing-discovery-

tour.htm&t=78002)

The mirror-like Longji Terraces in spring

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Beijing in May

(/beijing/weather/may

Xi’an in May

(/xian/weather/may.ht

Shanghai in May

(/shanghai/weather/m

Hangzhou in May

(/hangzhou/weather/m

Chengdu in May

(/chengdu/weather/ma

Guilin in May

(/guilin/weather/may.

Kunming in May

(/kunming/weather/m

Hong Kong in May

(/hong-

kong/weather/may.ht

Lhasa in May

(/lhasa/weather/may.h

Harbin in May

(/harbin/weather/may.

Huangshan in May

(/huangshan/weather/

Zhangjiajie in May

(/zhangjiajie/weather/

Suzhou in May(/suzhou/weather/may

Guangzhou in May

(/guangzhou/weather/

Shenzhen in May

(/shenzhen/weather/m

Lijiang in May

(/lijiang/weather/may.

China Weather in January (/weather/january.htm)

China Weather in February (/weather/february.htm)

China Weather in March (/weather/march.htm)

China Weather in April (/weather/april.htm)

China Weather in May (/weather/may.htm)

China Weather in June (/weather/june.htm)

China Weather in July (/weather/july.htm)

China Weather in August (/weather/august.htm)

China Weather in September (/weather/september.htm)

For more suggestions and tips for your China trip, please see How to Plan Your First Trip to

China (/travelguide/plan-first-trip.htm) for inspiration.

Weather and Things to Do in China's Cities in May

China Climate Information by Month

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