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Summer is
China's peak season for tourists, but many
visitors find the high temperatures and
extreme humidity  difficult
to handle. Cold weather in winter and the
increased threat of serious flu viruses put
some travellers off. The most pleasant
seasons are spring and autumn.
In general,
Beijing and the northern provinces are best
visited in September-October and April-May,
while Shanghai and the central and eastern
regions have the best weather from late
September to early November and April-May.
In the south, winters are obviously milder
and summers even hotter, so October-December
and March-April are the best months.
Traveling during the Spring Festival
(Chinese New  Year), the most
important holiday in the Chinese calendar,
can be difficult and frustrating. The
national transport network is clogged up by
tens of millions of people heading back to
their hometowns for the holiday. Most shops,
banks and offices close down for at least a
week.
The Spring Festival is based on the lunar
calendar and so falls at varying times
between late January to late February. |
China in Brief
