Best times to Travel in China

As a China only Tour Operator, clients often ask me when are the best times to travel in China. There are several answers. For weather...probably September and October or April. Summers are hot and humid with the rainy season being June through August but a great time to visit the high mountain areas such as LiJiang,Dali and Shangrila or other mountain areas. High season for costs is April/May and September/October. Low season is November through March. If you want to go to the high mountain areas July, August & September is best as October it can snow already. For the Silk Road and desert areas the best is actually August and September. October gets cold and snow can occur at the higher elevations. There are two holiday periods of 5 days in a row in which Chinese people like to travel and that is May 1 to 5 and October 1 to 5 and a few days surrounding each period. Much is crowded and prices are higher during those periods. This year, 2010, there is the Shanghai International Expo from June through October in which hotel prices will be very high and space will be limited but just in Shanghai. If weather is not a factor for you, December is a great month as hotels are empty, prices are low and sights are not crowded at all. Of course December 25th through January 1st is a different matter with the holidays for foreign visitors. For more information on travel times to China, just send me an email at interlak@eskimo.com