China Weather in April and Places to Go

April brings warmer air to most parts of China except the extreme north and mountainous regions. It is balmy and warm in the daytime while nights remain cool. Nearly all kinds of flowers are in full bloom and plants have turned green, which makes April a nice period to visit China. However, April also marks the start of rainy season in the southern part of the country.

North China: Beijing, Tianjin, Harbin, Inner Mongolia
Temperature climbs up quickly as there are more sunny days in north China in April. It might stay chilling in Inner Mongolia with an average temperature of 3-10°C (37-50°F). However, for Beijing and Xian, it is already quite warm during the day since the temperature is usually 10-21°C (50 - 70°F), while you still need to add layers at night to cope with the chill. Trees turn green while a variety of flowers are in full blossom, which makes north China quite lovely for outdoor sightseeing.
Clothing Guide: shirt, light coat, shorts, pullover and thin jacket.

Central China: Chengdu, Wuhan, Luoyang, Zhangjiajie, Yangtze River (Chongqing - Yichang)
Across central China, it warms up a lot with an average temperature of 15°C (59°F), but you may still want to have layers to keep warm for evenings. April in central part of China sees many rainy days, so it would be a bit humid. However, it could be a bonus if you visit Zhangjiajie for the misty and foggy peaks.
Clothing Guide: T-shirt, shorts, light trousers, light sweater and raincoat.

South China: Hong Kong, Macau, Guangzhou, Guilin
April in south China is quite warm even a little hot during the day, and you may encounter continuous sprinkles in south China, so please pack some light clothes and bring your rain gear.
Clothing Guide: T-shirt, shorts, dress, light coat and rain coat.

East China: Hong Kong, Macau, Guangzhou, Guilin
The weather of April is changeable in east China. It can be sunny and cool, but it can be rainy and damp, even hot, too. For example, the average temperature in Shanghai might range between 50 and 70 Fahrenheit degree, and in late April it may rise to 86 degree.
Clothing Guide: T-shirt, light trousers, thin layers and waterproof wear.

West China: Tibet, Qinghai, Silk Road Destinations
The temperature in West China goes up a bit in April, but it might be still quite cold in some high-altitude areas in Tibet. West Yunnan embraces more warm days that are good for sightseeing and mountaineering. Sprinkles drop in southwest of China, but usually it won't affect your trip.
Clothing Guide: Sweaters, down jacket, thick trousers, wind-proof coat and anti-skid boots.

Seldom influenced by the change of weather, the golden triangle connecting Beijing, Xian and Shanghai is the most classic travel route across China that is clement in every month of the year. April is warm enough for you to discover China’s top attractions in the three pillar cities.

• Yunnan: You can visit Xishuangbanna in south Yunnan, where you can join the annual carnival of Water Splashing Festival celebrated by Dai people. It is a grand custom of Dai people's New Year celebration falling in mid-April.

• Luoyang: Each year from mid-April to mid-May, Luoyang would become a kingdom of peonies in full blossom. There will be a big annual peony festival to showcase the world’s most gorgeous and diverse peonies.

• Zhangjiajie: Hidden in central China, Zhangjiajie is cool and enjoyable for traveling in April. It will be misty and foggy at Zhangjiajie Forest Park, which gives you a better chance to see the spectacle of floating peaks that only appear in movies.
• Hangzhou: Apart from roaming the refreshing West Lake, you could seize the time to sight-see the tea plantations of Hangzhou. April is the season for local farmers to pick the tea buds, which offers you a fun hands-on experience.
• Suzhou: There is no more soothing thing than taking a gondola through the winding canals of ancient water towns, with poetic drizzles and mists lingering over the bridge and arrayed folk residence.

• Guilin: Not just about Li River, Guilin boasts a rather spectacular spot the Dragon's Backbone Rice Terrace in April when the paddies are filled with water shining like mirror pieces.

1. The advice for packing is still layers. You could remove layers during the warming-up day, and add clothes back at night.
2. In April, students are still housed in school, so there won't be big tourist crowds and travel businesses still offer some bargains. However, avoid travel in China in the first week of April during which the Qingming Festival falls. Chinese people usually get one day off linking with the weekend. Travel during this period can get busy and prices will go up.
3. It may sprinkle more or less at most cities of the country, so prepare your raincoat and rain-resistant shoes.
4. It is not advisable to visit the Silk Road region, as it is still a bit cold and there might be dust storms.