The Best Time of Year to Visit China游覽中國最佳時節

盧屹

China is a huge country and the best time to go can depend on the region you’d like to visit and what kind of holiday you’re looking for. However， if you’re just beginning to plan your trip and don’t know where to start， here are our tips on figuring out when you should go to China.

High season （May–August）

In peak summer， temperatures can get unbearably hot in the southern part of the country and it’s also the wet season so downpours aren’t uncommon. Expect big crowds at traveler hotspots， especially in July and August when Chinese school children are on their summer break. Accommodation prices peak during the first week of May holiday period; this time is best avoided for travel.

Shoulder season （mid-February–April， September & October）

For many savvy travelers， this is the perfect time to go to China. Weather-wise， you have a more temperate climate. In the north in particular， this is the optimal season with fresh weather and clear skies. Accommodation prices can peak during the early-October holidays， another time you should try and avoid.

Low season （November–mid-February）

The winter weather is bitterly cold in the north and at altitude. If you’re looking for warmth， you’ll have to travel to the far south. Domestic tourism is at a low ebb， but things are busy and expensive for Chinese New Year.

January

North China is in a deep freeze but the south is less bitter; preparations for the Lunar New Year get underway well in advance of the festival， which arrives any time between late January and March. The Lunar New Year is family-focused， with dining on dumplings and gift-giving of hongbao （red envelopes stuffed with money）. Most families feast together on New Year’s Eve， then China goes on a big week-long holiday.

Key events： Spring Festival， Harbin Ice & Snow Festival

February

North China remains shockingly icy and dry， but things are slowly warming up in Hong Kong and Macao. The Lunar New Year could well be underway， but sort out any tickets well in advance.

Key events： Monlam Great Prayer Festival， Lantern Festival

March

China comes to life after a long winter， though it remains glacial at high altitudes. It’s still low season but if you delve into south Chinese countryside， prepare to be bowled over by a landscape saturated in bright-yellow rapeseed.

Key event： Beijing International Literary Festival

April

Most of China is warm and it’s a good time to be on the road. The Chinese take several days off for the Qingming festival， a traditional date for honoring their ancestors and now an official holiday.

Key events： Dai New Year， Luoyang Peony Festival， Third Moon Fair， Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix

May

Mountain regions， such as Sichuan’s Jiuzhaigou National Park， are in full bloom. For the first day of May， China is on holiday （Labour Day）. Buddha’s Birthday falls on the eighth day of the fourth lunar month， usually in May.

Key events： Buddha’s Birthday， Circling the Mountain Festival， Great Wall Marathon

June

Most of China is hot and getting hotter. Once-frozen areas， such as Jilin’s Heaven Lake， are accessible—and nature springs instantly to life. The great China peak tourist season is cranking up.

Key events： Festival of Aurora Bor-ealis， Dragon Boat Festival， Dhama Festival， Shangri-la Horse Racing Festival， Tagong Horse Festival

July

Typhoons can wreak havoc with travel itineraries down south， lashing the Guangdong and Fujian coastlines. Plenty of rain sweeps across China： the ‘plum rains’ give Shanghai a big soaking， and the grasslands of Inner Mongolia and Qinghai turn green.

Key events： Dali’s Torch Festival， Naadam， Dalian International Beer Festival

August

The temperature gauge of Yangzi’s ‘three ovens’—Chongqing， Wuhan and Nanjing—gets set to blow. Rainstorms hit Beijing， which is at peak heat， as is sweating Shanghai. So head uphill to Lushan， Moganshan， Huangshan or Guoliangcun.

Key events： Litang Horse Festival， Qingdao International Beer Festival

September

Come to Beijing and stay put—September is part of the fleetingly-lovely tiangao qishuang （‘the sky is high and the air is fresh’） autumnal season， which is an event in itself. It’s also a pleasant time to visit the rest of north China.

Key events： Tai Shan International Climbing Festival， Mid-Autumn Festival， Confucius’ Birthday

October

The first week of October can be hellish if you’re on the road： the National Day week-long holiday kicks off， so everywhere is swamped. Go mid-month instead， when everywhere is deserted.

Key events： Miao New Year， Kurban Bairam （Guerbang Jie）

November

Most of China is getting pretty cold as tourist numbers drop and holidaymakers begin to flock south for sun and the last pockets of warmth. The peak surfing season kicks off in Ri Yue Bay （Sun and Moon Bay） in Hainan.

中國幅員遼闊，旅游的最佳時間取決于你要去哪兒、想要怎樣的假期。不過，要是你剛著手計劃行程，還沒有頭緒的話，我們給你提供中國旅游時間指南。

旺季（5—8月）

盛夏時節，中國南方酷暑難耐，而且時值雨季，傾盆大雨也是常有的事。熱門旅游景點人潮洶涌，特別是7、8月中國學生放暑假的時候。五一假期的住宿價格會達到峰值，最好避開這個時間旅游。

平季（2月中旬—4月，9—10月）

對許多精明的游客而言，這是去中國旅游的最佳時間。天氣方面，氣候比較適宜，特別是北方，正是天清氣朗的時節。住宿價格在十一假期會達到頂峰，這也是應該盡量避開的時間段。

淡季（11月—2月中旬）

在中國的北方及高海拔地區，冬季極為寒冷。想要溫暖的話，就要去最南邊了。國內旅游進入低谷，但春節期間氣氛熱鬧，花銷大。

1月

中國北方天寒地凍，南方倒是不太冷。農歷新年可能是1月下旬到3月之間的任何一天，節前準備早早就開始了。農歷新年是闔家團圓的日子，要吃餃子、發紅包。大部分家庭在除夕晚上吃團圓飯，全國開始長達一周的假期。

重要活動：春節、哈爾濱冰雪節

2月

中國北方還是冷得可怕、干得嚇人，但香港、澳門慢慢暖和起來。農歷新年也許已經到了，但無論什么票，都要提前訂。

重要活動：毛蘭姆法會、元宵節

3月

經過漫漫嚴冬，萬物復蘇，但高海拔地區依然嚴寒。此時仍是淡季，但你要是深入南方的郊野，就會被遍地金黃油菜花的風光所傾倒。

重要活動：北京國際文學節

4月

中國大部分地區都回暖了，是出行的好時機。中國人在清明節會休幾天假，這是祭拜祖先的傳統日子，現在也是法定假日。

重要活動：傣歷新年、洛陽牡丹文化節、大理三月街、世界一級方程式錦標賽中國大獎賽

5月

四川九寨溝國家公園等山地景區鮮花盛開。五一勞動節全國放假。佛誕節是農歷四月初八，通常在公歷5月。

重要活動：佛誕節、轉山節、長城馬拉松

6月

中國大部分地區高溫并且越來越熱。吉林天池等曾經冰封的景點開放。大自然隨即恢復生機。盛大的中國旅游旺季就此開啟。

重要活動：北極光節、端午節、達瑪節、香格里拉賽馬節、塔公賽馬節

7月

臺風侵襲廣東、福建沿海，可能給南下旅游計劃造成困擾。各地頻頻降雨：“梅雨”讓上海變得濕漉漉的，而內蒙古和青海的草原都變綠了。

重要活動：大理火把節、那達慕大會、大連國際啤酒節

8月

長江沿岸“三大火爐”重慶、武漢、南京氣溫爆表。暴雨頻頻侵襲酷熱的北京，上海也讓人熱汗淋漓。那么請上山，去廬山、莫干山、黃山或者郭亮村避暑。

重要活動：理塘賽馬節、青島國際啤酒節

9月

來北京待一段時間。9月正是短暫而美好的天高氣爽時節，本身就是一場盛典。這也是去北方其他地方旅游的大好時光。

重要活動：泰山國際登山節、中秋節、孔子誕辰日

10月

在10月第一周出行可能很恐怖：國慶7天長假開始，到處人山人海。改到月中去，屆時到處人跡寥寥。

重要節日：苗歷新年、古爾邦節

11月

中國大部分地區都變得很冷，游客人數下跌，度假游客紛紛開始奔赴南方，享受陽光和最后些許暖意。海南日月灣的沖浪旺季拉開帷幕。

（譯者為“《英語世界》杯”翻譯大賽獲獎者）