Autumn in China: Weather, Fall Colours and How to Avoid Golden Week

Yes, autumn is one of the best times to visit China, and for most first-time visitors it is the easiest season of the year. The three months are quite different, though. September is still summer in the south, with heat and typhoons: it is one of the months when typhoons hit Guangdong most often. The first week of October is the National Day Golden Week, China's busiest travel week of the year, so avoid it if you can. Mid-October to mid-November is the sweet spot: mild days almost everywhere, dry air in the north, and red and gold leaves from Beijing to Sichuan. By mid-November the north is turning to winter. In Beijing, heating usually comes on from 15 November, and from 1 November the Forbidden City moves to its cheaper off-season ticket and shorter hours. This guide covers each month, the temperatures by city, where and when to see autumn colours, how to work around Golden Week, and routes that suit the season.

Is autumn the best season to visit China? September, October and November compared

For a first trip, autumn and spring are the two seasons we recommend most, and autumn has a small edge: the weather is more settled, and from October the rainy season is over in most of the country. In eastern China the summer monsoon usually pulls out by late September or early October, and Beijing gets less than a fifth as much rain in October as it does in July. That means more clear days for the Great Wall, the mountains and the long walks most itineraries involve.

The catch is that autumn is not one season across the whole country. Here is what each month is like.

September: still summer in the south

Northern China starts to cool in September. Beijing averages about 21 °C (70 °F) for the month, which is pleasant for sightseeing. The south is a different story. Guangzhou still averages about 27 °C (81 °F) in September, and the air is humid.

September is also still typhoon season. July to September are the months when typhoons form most often and hit China most often. Guangdong, the province around Guangzhou and Shenzhen, is hit more than any other province, and September is one of its three worst months. A strong typhoon can stop all transport for a day or more. When Super Typhoon Ragasa hit in September 2025, every high-speed and regular train inside Guangdong was suspended for a full day. If your September trip includes the south coast, keep a spare day and check the forecast on the National Meteorological Centre's site, nmc.cn, which has typhoon tracks, warnings and an English version.

Sichuan and the west have their own wet spell. From late August to mid-September, western China often gets a run of grey, drizzly days known as West China autumn rain (华西秋雨, Huáxī qiūyǔ). It is not a reason to skip Chengdu, but it is a reason to keep mountain days flexible.

The bright side of September: it is the best month for the far northwest. The birch and larch forests around Kanas Lake in Xinjiang usually turn gold from late September into early October, and the Mid-Autumn Festival usually falls in September or early October (in 2027 it is on 15 September).

October: Golden Week first, then the best weeks of the year

The first seven days of October are the National Day holiday, known as Golden Week. Hundreds of millions of people travel at the same time, trains sell out, and popular sights hit their visitor limits. Plan your trip so that you are not arriving at a famous scenic area between 1 and 7 October. There is a full section on this below.

After the holiday, October is the most comfortable month in most of the country. Beijing averages about 14 °C (57 °F), Shanghai about 20 °C (67 °F) and Guilin about 22 °C (72 °F). Autumn colour moves across the country through the month: the desert poplars of Ejina in early October, Jiuzhaigou in Sichuan in mid to late October, and Beijing's red hills from late October.

November: the north turns to winter, the south stays mild

Early November is still excellent in Beijing for red leaves and golden ginkgo trees, and it is often the peak time for maple colour around Suzhou. By late November the north is cold. Beijing averages about 5 °C (41 °F) in November, and Harbin in the far northeast has average daytime highs around freezing. Southern cities such as Guangzhou are still mild, around 20 °C (68 °F).

November also brings the start of the low season at many big sights, which means shorter hours and, in some places, cheaper tickets:

• Forbidden City: from 1 November last entry is 15:30 instead of 16:00, and the ticket drops from ¥60 to ¥40.
• Badaling Great Wall: from 1 November the adult ticket is ¥35 instead of ¥40, and opening hours shrink to 07:30–16:00.
• Summer Palace: from 1 November the entry ticket is ¥20 instead of ¥30, and the last entry moves from 19:00 to 18:00.
• Fragrant Hills Park: this one switches later, on 16 November, when the ticket falls from ¥10 to ¥5.
• Jiuzhaigou: from 16 November the entry ticket is ¥80 instead of ¥190, and the park bus ¥80 instead of ¥90.

In short: if you can choose, aim for the second half of October or the first half of November. Go earlier (September) if Xinjiang is on your list, and later (late November) only if you are heading south.

How warm is autumn in China? Temperatures by city

The table shows the official long-term monthly averages for the cities most visitors pass through. An average mixes day and night, so afternoons are a few degrees warmer and early mornings a few degrees colder. Most figures are 1991–2020 averages; Harbin's come from the 1981–2010 record and show average daily highs and lows, since there is no single average for that station.

What the numbers mean in practice:

• The north drops fast. Beijing's average drops by 7–9 °C from one month to the next. A light jacket in early October becomes a warm coat by mid-November. Dunhuang and the Silk Road cool just as fast, and are close to freezing on average in November.
• The Yangtze cities stay mild longer. Shanghai and Hangzhou are still around 20 °C in October. In Hangzhou the average October afternoon high is about 23 °C and the average low about 15 °C, which is close to ideal for walking around West Lake.
• Kunming barely changes. It stays between about 19 °C and 12 °C across the three months, which is why Yunnan works well in late autumn when the north is cold.
• Days and nights are far apart at altitude. In Lhasa the gap between the October daytime high and the night-time low averages about 15 °C. In the Altay mountains of Xinjiang the gap is over 15 °C in September and October, and mountain mornings can fall to around 0 °C.

Rain also falls away through autumn. Chengdu gets about three times as much rain in September as in October, and Guangzhou's September is still wet before a much drier October. Lhasa is almost completely dry from October.

One thing to know for late autumn: heating. Northern China has central heating. In Beijing the official heating season usually runs from 15 November to 15 March; other northern cities set their own dates, and the far north generally starts earlier, so check locally if you are going there. Cities south of the Qinling Mountains and the Huai River, which includes Shanghai, Hangzhou and Chengdu, mostly have no central heating. Hotels have air conditioners that heat, but older guesthouses, restaurants and museums in the south can feel cold inside in late November. For the rest of the year, see our guide to China's weather by region.

Where and when to see autumn colours

Autumn colour in China moves from north and west to south and east, and from the mountains down to the cities. The far northwest is one of the first places to turn, from September, Beijing and Sichuan peak in late October, and the south-central cities last into early December. The card below gives the usual window at each place.

These are typical windows. The exact dates move every year with the weather. In 2026, for example, autumn reached Beijing about five days earlier than normal, and the Altay forecast put the colours about a week earlier than usual. Check that year's colour report from the park or local government before you lock in dates; most places publish one in September or October.

Kanas, Hemu and Baihaba (Xinjiang): late September to early October

The Altay region in the far north of Xinjiang is one of the first places in China to turn. Birch and larch forests around Kanas Lake (喀纳斯, Kānàsī) and the villages of Hemu and Baihaba go yellow and gold. In a normal year the best colour comes from about late September into early October. In 2026 it came about a week early: the local weather office forecast a best viewing period of 15 September to 5 October. Colour starts high and moves down. In the 2026 forecast, the areas above 1,800 metres peaked in early to mid-September, Kanas Lake and the Hemu valley in mid-September to early October, and the lower areas could last until mid-October.

This is a remote trip, and it is cold. Mornings in the mountains can drop to around 0 °C, and mountain roads can close for a while after rain or snow. Give it at least four or five days and keep a spare day in case of road closures. Check the current ticket and opening arrangements with the scenic area before you go, because they change in the cold season.

Ejina poplar forests (Inner Mongolia): early to mid-October

In the desert of western Inner Mongolia, the Ejina (额济纳, Éjìnà) forests of desert poplars (胡杨, húyáng) turn bright gold along the river for a few weeks each October. Many guides say "late September", but the official forecasts point later. In 2026 the local government expected good colour from about 2 October, the best around 6 October, falling leaves from about 16 October and the end of the season around 23 October. In 2025 the best colour came around 4 October and the season ended around 22 October. The whole season lasts about 24 days, and the best part about 11. You can follow the forecast on the Ejina Banner government's poplar notice (in Chinese), which comes out each September.

The awkward part is that the best days overlap with Golden Week, when the small town fills up. Two ways to handle that: arrive around 8 to 12 October, after the holiday, when the colour is usually still good; or book a room as early as you can if you have to go during the holiday. Rooms in Ejina are limited, so for these dates it is worth booking on Trip.com, which takes foreign cards, as soon as your dates are fixed.

Tickets work in your favour if you stay a few days. Under the 2025 rules, a ticket is valid for 30 days from first entry with unlimited re-entry, and one ticket covers both main poplar parks. Check the current price at the ticket office or on the official channel before you go.

Jiuzhaigou (Sichuan): mid to late October

Jiuzhaigou (九寨沟, Jiǔzhàigōu) is the best-known autumn sight in China: clear blue and green lakes surrounded by red, orange and yellow forest. The park's own FAQ says mid to late October is when the colours are strongest, and recommends avoiding Golden Week and going a week or two later. See the park's official FAQ page (in Chinese) for the current advice.

Because of this, mid to late October is also when the park is busiest. The park limits visitors to 41,000 a day in the peak season, and you must book in advance with your real name. On 23 October 2026 the park reached that limit, and tickets for 1 November 2026 were sold out by 11:00 on 29 October. What this means for you:

• Book 7–14 days ahead. For Golden Week and late October the park advised booking that far ahead, through the WeChat mini program "九寨沟旅游官方平台" (Jiuzhaigou official platform). Foreigners can book with a passport online, and there are passport lanes at the gate.
• If your date is sold out, returned tickets go back on sale every day at 08:00 and 17:00, and there is a waitlist in the same mini program. The park's notice says you must already be within 40 km of the park to join the waitlist.
• Arrive early. In autumn 2026 the gates opened at 08:00 and closed to new entries at 14:00. Weekdays are calmer than weekends, but in late October even weekdays can sell out: the 41,000 limit was reached on Friday 23 October 2026.
• Budget for two tickets. Until 15 November entry is ¥190 and the park bus a further ¥90. You need the bus, because the three valleys add up to about 60 km.
• Stay outside the park. Overnight stays inside the park are not allowed, so you sleep in the town at the entrance. Book that room as soon as you have your park ticket.

The lakes sit at 2,000 to 3,100 metres, so mornings are cold even when Chengdu is mild, and you should walk slowly. Our Jiuzhaigou guide covers the trip from Chengdu, the route through the park and Huanglong nearby.

Fragrant Hills, Beijing: late October to mid-November

Fragrant Hills Park (香山, Xiāngshān), in the western hills of Beijing, is the city's classic red-leaf spot. The red comes mainly from smoke trees and Shantung maples. Beijing's forestry bureau says the city's red leaves usually reach their best from mid to late October and can last into mid to late November, starting in the hills and reaching the city later. In 2025 it named 25 October to 15 November as the best period at Fragrant Hills. Check that year's colour report from the park before you fix a date.

Crowds are the main issue. In 2025 the park's first big crowd peak came on the weekend of 1–2 November, and the biggest on 3 November, when about 60% of the leaves had turned. During the 2026 season, Beijing traffic police closed the road up to the park to private cars on leaf-season weekends, 07:30–17:30, and told visitors to take the metro or bus. Go on a weekday, arrive soon after the 06:00 opening, and use public transport. The ticket is only ¥10 in the main season, and you can buy it at the gate.

The Beijing forestry bureau's red-leaf notice (in Chinese) is the kind of announcement to look for each October.

Ginkgo trees in Beijing: late October to mid-November

If you are short on time, you do not need to leave central Beijing for autumn colour. The city's ginkgo (银杏, yínxìng) trees turn bright yellow from late October to mid-November. The park authority's guide names three easy spots: the ginkgo avenue inside the North Second Gate of the Temple of Heaven (best late October to early November), the ginkgo grove west of the South Gate in Zhongshan Park, next to Tiananmen, and the trees inside the East Gate of Jingshan Park, behind the Forbidden City (both late October to mid-November). You can combine Zhongshan Park and Jingshan with a Forbidden City visit on the same day.

Tianping Mountain, Suzhou: November

Near Suzhou, Tianping Mountain (天平山, Tiānpíng Shān) has more than 150 old sweetgum trees, locally called maples, over 400 years old, plus about 2,000 younger ones, that turn yellow, orange, red and purple. The park holds a maple festival from late October to early December, and the best colour came in early November in 2024 and mid-November in 2025. To get there by public transport, take Suzhou Metro Line 1 to Mudu station, leave by Exit 5 and change to bus 4, which goes straight to the Tianping Shan stop. In the 2025 maple season a free weekend-only shuttle also ran from Mudu station to the gate; check whether it runs this season. It fits well into a stay in Suzhou; see our Suzhou guide.

Yuelu Mountain, Changsha: late November to early December

Changsha's Yuelu Mountain (岳麓山, Yuèlù Shān) is the latest of the big red-leaf spots, about a month behind Beijing. The Hunan tourism department gives late November to early December as the best time for its maples. The famous viewpoint is Aiwan Pavilion, named after a line by the Tang poet Du Mu; it was already crowded with autumn visitors in late October 2026, but the deepest red usually comes later. If your trip runs into late November, Changsha is the best place to still catch red leaves. Our Changsha guide covers the city.

Golden Week and the Mid-Autumn Festival

National Day on 1 October starts the biggest travel week in China. By law, National Day gives everyone three days off, 1 to 3 October, but the government rearranges weekends so that the holiday becomes seven days from 1 October. When the Mid-Autumn Festival falls next to it, the two are merged into an eight-day break. That happened in 2025, with a holiday from 1 to 8 October. In 2026 the holiday ran from 1 to 7 October, and people worked on Sunday 20 September and Saturday 10 October to make up the days.

How busy it gets

The numbers explain why we suggest avoiding it. During the 2026 Golden Week, people in China made about 826 million domestic trips. Over the railways' holiday period from 23 September to 8 October 2026, trains carried 302 million passengers, and 1 October set a record of about 25.2 million in a single day. Scenic areas must stop admitting people when they reach their official capacity, and the popular ones do: Jiuzhaigou sold out on several days during the 2026 holiday. Hotel prices are set freely by hotels and can rise over the holiday, although they must be clearly displayed.

How to plan around it

• Best option: arrive after 8 October. The second and third weeks of October have the same weather and much smaller crowds. Mid to late October is also the peak for Jiuzhaigou and the start of Beijing's red leaves, so you lose nothing.
• Or finish by late September. The last two weeks of September are good for the north and northwest. Avoid travelling on 30 September and 1 October, when everyone leaves at once, and the last day of the holiday, when everyone comes back.
• If you must be in China during the holiday, stay in one big city and do not move. Big cities are busy at the famous sights but quieter elsewhere, because many residents leave. Avoid the famous mountains and nature parks, and pre-book anything that takes reservations.
• Book trains the day they go on sale. Train tickets are sold up to 15 days ahead, counting the travel day. For holiday dates, buy as soon as sales open. If a train is sold out, the waitlist on 12306 (China Railway's official booking app and site) lets you queue for up to 60 trains across three dates in one order.

Our Golden Week survival guide goes into more detail on trains, hotels and which sights to skip.

Dates for 2027

In 2027, National Day falls on Friday 1 October, and the Mid-Autumn Festival on Wednesday 15 September, so the two holidays are separate. Under the current rules National Day is normally a seven-day break starting on 1 October. The exact days off for 2027, including any make-up working days, are set by the State Council and had not been published as of October 2026; they are usually announced in November of the year before. Check the official arrangement before you book. Under the general rule, when Mid-Autumn falls on a Wednesday the holiday is usually that day only, so mid-September 2027 should be much less disruptive than Golden Week; confirm when the 2027 schedule is out.

The Mid-Autumn Festival

The Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋节, Zhōngqiū Jié) falls on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, at the full moon. It is mainly a family holiday: people go home, eat dinner together and look at the moon. For visitors the most visible sign is mooncakes (月饼, yuèbǐng), round pastries filled with lotus seed paste, red bean or salted egg yolk, which fill shops and hotel lobbies for weeks beforehand. They make an easy gift to take home. Mid-Autumn on its own is a short holiday, so it causes far less disruption than Golden Week, apart from busier trains on the evening before. In Hangzhou it also marks osmanthus season (see below). For other festivals through the year, see our China festival calendar.

Autumn routes in China

These are the routes that work best in autumn. Each one can be done after Golden Week; the timing notes tell you which part of autumn suits it.

Beijing and the Fragrant Hills: late October to early November

Late October and early November is the best time of year for Beijing: clear, cool days, red leaves at the Fragrant Hills, and ginkgo trees in the central parks. Plan three or four days, with one weekday for the Fragrant Hills and one for the Great Wall. If you go in November, remember the earlier closing times at the Forbidden City and Badaling. Our Beijing guide covers bookings, and if you would rather not sort out Great Wall transport yourself, day tours can be booked on Klook.

Several sights in China have peak and off-season prices that switch in autumn or later. This card compares them:

The classic route plus Huangshan or Zhangjiajie: mid-October to early November

The first-timer's route of Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai works very well in autumn. Xi'an averages about 14 °C in October, which makes the city wall bike ride and the Terracotta Army comfortable. See our classic route guide and Xi'an guide.

Add a mountain if you can, because autumn's clearer air is good for views:

• Huangshan (Yellow Mountain) is a detour west of Hangzhou and fits well after it. The main ticket is ¥190 from 21 January to 19 December 2026. On holidays, the hiking entrances stop letting people in at 15:00, so start early. See our Huangshan guide.
• Zhangjiajie is a detour inland from the classic route. The core park ticket has been ¥165 all year since 2025, valid four days, with buses and cable cars extra. The park is around 5–10 °C cooler than the city below, so bring a warm layer. See our Zhangjiajie guide.

The Silk Road and Dunhuang: September to mid-October

The desert northwest has a short ideal season. Dunhuang averages about 18 °C in September and 9 °C in October, then drops close to freezing in November, so September and early October are the most comfortable. The Mogao Caves stay on their peak-season schedule until 30 November, open 08:00–18:00. The standard ticket costs ¥238 in peak season, and ¥140 in the low season that starts in December. There is also a ticket with a foreign-language guide, ¥258 in peak season and ¥160 in the low season. On the way, Zhangye's Rainbow Mountains (七彩丹霞, Qīcǎi Dānxiá) opened 06:30–18:00 from September to October in 2026. See our Dunhuang guide and the Silk Road route from Xi'an. You could add Ejina's poplars from here, though it is a long trip.

Chengdu and Jiuzhaigou: mid to late October

Chengdu is mild in October, averaging about 17 °C, and is the base for Jiuzhaigou. Spend two or three days in Chengdu for the pandas and food, then two days at Jiuzhaigou with your park ticket booked well ahead. The panda base opens at 07:30 for morning visitors until the end of October, and at 08:00 from November; go early either way, because the pandas are most active in the morning. See our Chengdu guide.

Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou: late September to November

The Yangtze delta stays pleasant longer than the north, so it is the most flexible autumn region. Osmanthus usually blooms in Hangzhou from mid-September to mid-October, hairy crab is at its best from mid-October, and November brings the maples at Tianping Mountain. See our Hangzhou guide and Suzhou guide.

Guilin and Yangshuo: October to November, with one caution

Guilin's autumn weather is warm and pleasant, around 22 °C in October. The caution is the river. September to March is the Li River's low-water season, and when the water drops too far the maritime authority can shorten or suspend the main cruise route. Check the current cruise route when you book, especially for November. See our Guilin and Yangshuo guide.

Autumn food and flowers

Autumn is a harvest season, and a few seasonal things are worth planning around if they fit your route.

Sweet osmanthus in Hangzhou

Osmanthus (桂花, guìhuā) is a small yellow-orange flower with a strong sweet smell. In Hangzhou it blooms around the Mid-Autumn Festival. The best-known place is Manjuelong (满觉陇, Mǎnjuélǒng) village, near West Lake, with about 7,000 osmanthus trees. In 2023 the city's gardens bureau said the trees began flowering in mid-September and the season lasted until mid-October. The bloom date moves a little each year, so check local news for that year's peak. You will also find osmanthus in tea, cakes and sweet rice dishes all over Hangzhou in this season.

Hairy crab from Yangcheng Lake

Hairy crab (大闸蟹, dàzháxiè) is the big autumn delicacy of Shanghai and Suzhou. The most famous crabs come from Yangcheng Lake (阳澄湖, Yángchéng Hú) near Suzhou. In 2026 the fishing season officially opened on 28 September, and the local crab association says the best time to eat them is mid-October to mid-December. Genuine Yangcheng Lake crabs carry an anti-counterfeit tag on each crab, so look for the tag before you pay a Yangcheng Lake price. Prices change through the season, so ask before you order. Our Shanghai food guide has more on where and how to eat them.

Mooncakes and the rest

Mooncakes are everywhere in the weeks before Mid-Autumn. Beyond that, autumn markets fill with chestnuts, persimmons and new-season fruit. Roasted chestnuts sold from street stalls in Beijing and Shanghai are a small, cheap autumn treat.

What to wear and pack for autumn

Pack layers. In September and early October, light clothes and one jacket are enough for most cities. From late October, the north needs a sweater and a proper jacket, and by mid-November Beijing needs a warm coat, hat and gloves; its November average is about 5 °C. In the Xinjiang mountains, mornings in September and October can drop to around 0 °C. Jiuzhaigou, Tibet and other high places are also cold early and late in the day, so bring a warm layer for any mountain trip, even in September, and check the local forecast before you go. Comfortable walking shoes matter more than anything else. See our clothing guide by season and China packing list.

Autumn in China: FAQ

In short: aim for mid-October to mid-November, keep clear of 1–7 October, pick your autumn colours by month, and book Jiuzhaigou tickets and Golden Week trains as early as they go on sale. Pack layers, and a warm coat if your trip runs into late November in the north.

Last updated: November 2026