Traveling to China in spring is probably one of the best decisions! The cold winter landscape gives way to vivid greenery and pink and white blossoms, making Chinese cities even more magical.
Locals start to flock back to the streets, and there’s this lively energy everywhere: street food stalls reappear, night markets come alive, and the whole atmosphere feels warmer and more social. Spring was my favorite time when I was living in Xi’an, especially after the freezing winter!
This blog post highlights some of the best places to visit in China in spring. On top of that, you’ll find the best time to visit each location, allowing you to experience some of the most unique festivals celebrated by China’s ethnic minorities and religious groups.
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Why is Spring the Best Time to Visit China?
There are a couple of reasons why Spring is the best period to be in China:
Shoulder Season’s Prices and Crowds: March, April, and May are that sweet spot where everything feels just right for travelers. The weather is mild, prices are more affordable, and popular places aren’t overcrowded.
Cities & Nature in Bloom: Spring turns China into a living painting. Parks and city streets burst with blossoms, and some towns even host flower festivals to celebrate this beauty. If you’re into natural sights, in Spring everything is just more vibrant, from rice terraces to mountain peaks.
Festivals: Spring is also a culturally significant time. Many ethnic minorities celebrate religious and seasonal festivals during this period, allowing you to immerse yourself in Chinese traditions. It’s a chance to witness rituals, music, and community gatherings that you won’t forget.
Now, let’s dive into the cities and locations you can’t miss if you’re planning a trip to China this spring.
And if you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed by all the logistics, don’t forget to check out my China Travel Guide. It’s filled with tips, personal insights, and everything you need to plan your holiday.
1. Beijing
🌸 Best Spring Time To Visit: from late April to find fewer tourists
Beijing is one of those cities in China that can be visited year-round.
China’s capital will surprise you with its UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which everyone knows well (and if you don’t, don’t worry! Here you have a post about all the attractions you absolutely can’t miss).
However, spring allows another side of Beijing to come to life. All its monuments awaken from their winter sleep and are adorned with colorful flowers in shades of white and pink. The Summer Palace is a site not to miss to fully enjoy the beauty of Beijing in Spring.
Finally, spring is also the best time to hike the Great Wall. You’ll enjoy clear skies and lush green landscapes and won’t even break a sweat!
2. Suzhou
📍Jiangsu Province
🌸 Best Spring Time To Visit: March and April to enjoy the gardens in full bloom
When I first visited Suzhou, I named it the “Chinese Venice with loads of gardens.” Suzhou is one of the most famous water towns in China, and it’ll make you want to snap photos of everything you see: gardens, canals, bridges, and charming ancient alleyways.
Everything looks like it’s straight out of a classic Chinese painting, including the many cafes and cute eateries you’ll find.
As if this weren’t enough, Suzhou is home to 8 Chinese gardens that thrive during spring, the most famous of which is the Garden of the Humble Administrator.
3. Nanjing
📍Jiangsu Province
🌸 Best Spring Time To Visit: March and April to enjoy the gardens in full bloom
Nanjing is often considered one of the country’s cleanest and most beautiful cities. If you’re already visiting Shanghai or Suzhou, it would be a shame to miss the floral decorations at the Nanjing International Plum Blossom Festival.
From the end of February to mid-March, you can head to the hill near the Ming Xiaoling Tomb to enjoy the mountain covered in flowers.
4. Wuxi
📍Jiangsu Province
🌸 Best Spring Time To Visit: From March to April to experience the city turning into a field of cherry blossoms.
Wuxi, an idyllic water town along the Grand Canal, feels miles away from its noisy, bustling neighbor, Shanghai. While the 88-meter Lingshan Buddha remains a year-round highlight of Wuxi, the city takes on an entirely different charm in spring.
Cherry blossoms draw tourists from across China, transforming this small town on Taihu Lake into a crowded but dreamy wonderland covered in shades of pink and white.
5. Hangzhou
📍Zhejiang Province
🌸 Best Spring Time to Visit: from late March to early May, West Lake offers vivid, rich vegetation.
West Lake in Hangzhou attracts visitors from all over China, as it represents the charm of classical Chinese beauty and architecture. Spring is, without a doubt, the best time to enjoy the lake. You can take a stroll or a bike ride around the lakeside, feeling the sun’s warmth on your skin.
In Hangzhou, you can also discover serene temples, such as the Lingyin and the Jingci Temple, as well as pagodas, like the Six Harmonies and the Leifeng Pagodas.
The five cities listed above make for a perfect one-week itinerary in China. If you’re looking for inspiration, check out the route I took back in 2019, which included Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou, and Nanjing. These cities are all very close to each other. Yet, each has an entirely different vibe, making it easy to experience the many faces of China while staying within neighboring regions.
6. Xi’an
📍Shaanxi Province
🌸 Best Spring Time to Visit: from March to April, if you plan on hiking Mount Hua
Xi’an truly comes alive in spring: everyone shakes off their winter blankets to stroll through the vibrant Muslim Quarter, savoring plenty of spicy street food snacks. Spring in Xi’an meant spontaneous, fun nights eating spicy skewers on street corners, some of the most beautiful memories I have from my time there.
In addition, spring is the moment to hike Mount Hua, one of Taoism’s sacred mountains. The climb to the top of the mountain is steep, but the view once on top is unforgettable. You can also take the chance to visit the Terracotta Army and (maybe) avoid some of the crowds during this period of the year.
7. Luoyang
📍Henan Province
🌸 Best Spring Time to Visit: From April to May to experience the Peony Festival
An easy day trip from Xi’an, you can’t miss one of China’s ancient capitals: Luoyang. While the famous Longmen Grottoes are open year-round, there’s only one special season to experience the stunning Peony Festival.
From mid-April to mid-May, Wangcheng Park and other gardens in Luoyang burst into bloom with peonies in every shade of pink, creating a true paradise for photographers and nature lovers.
8. Zhangjiajie National Forest Park
📍Hunan Province
🌸 Best Spring Time to Visit: From April to May
The otherworldly landscape of Zhangjiajie needs no introduction. If you love nature and adventure, chances are you’ve seen one of its iconic photos, maybe even more than one.
This breathtaking place can get crowded during holiday periods, especially with domestic tourists. Spring is the perfect time to visit if you want to avoid the crowds, and weekdays are even better. In spring, you’ll enjoy clear blue skies, vibrant greenery, and hopefully, those magical photos with no one else in sight.
9. Wuyuan
📍Jiangxi Province
🌸 Best Spring Time to Visit: March is the best time to enjoy the bright yellow rapeseed blossom.
Get ready to meet plenty of fellow Chinese travelers heading to Wuyuan, a charming county famous for its stunning landscapes in Southeast China. In spring, the golden sea of rapeseed blossoms draws visitors from all over the country.
Here, you can hike through ancient Huizhou villages and fully immerse yourself in traditional Chinese food, local customs, and the timeless beauty of old China.
10. Fujian: Tulou Experience
📍 Fujian Province
🌸 Best Spring Time to Visit: from March to April to enjoy the Tulou experience at its best
Sleeping in a Tulou, one of China’s most ancient and unique home structures, is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Visiting Fujian Province in spring is the perfect chance to immerse yourself in the rhythms of traditional rural life.
The most popular Tulou clusters are near Nanjing County (not Nanjing city) and Yongding, with beautifully preserved sites like Hongkeng, Tianluokeng, and Yunshuiyao waiting to be explored.
11. Chengdu & Its Surroundings
📍 Sichuan Province
🌸 Best Spring Time to Visit: From March to May to see peach flowers in full blossom
Chengdu isn’t just home to the sweetest animal on the planet, the Giant Panda. Its surroundings also bloom with endless fields of flowers in spring.
If you’re visiting Chengdu during this season, be sure to save some time to explore the nearby natural sights:
- Longquan Peach Valley, where peach blossoms paint the landscape pink
- Vibrant rapeseed fields lining the highways around Chengdu
- Delicate pear blossoms in Xinjin
- Stunning peony flowers in Pengzhou
12. Jiuzhaigou Valley
📍Sichuan Province
🌸 Best Spring Time to Visit: In May, you can enjoy the National Park in full bloom (avoid Labor Day)
Jiuzhaigou Valley is a breathtaking natural reserve and national park in northern Sichuan. Thanks to its untouched beauty and incredible landscape diversity, it’s one of the most visited natural spots in China.
The valley is home to dense forests, cascading waterfalls, nine Tibetan villages (which you can visit), over 200 bird species, and even some endangered wildlife. Mid-May is the perfect time to explore this area, when the scenery is at its best and the weather is just right.
13. Yangtze River Cruise
📍From Chongqing
🌸 Best Spring Time to Visit: From April to May to enjoy the best weather and fewer tourists
Cruising the Yangtze River, China’s longest and most scenic waterway, is a perfect way to embrace slow travel, reconnect with nature, and truly relax your mind. The most popular route runs between Chongqing and Yichang, offering views of the iconic Three Gorges.
The journey typically takes four to five days, depending on whether you’re traveling downstream from Chongqing or upstream from Yichang.
14. Guilin & Yangshuo
📍Guangxi Province
🌸 Best Spring Time to Visit: From March to May to enjoy the best weather and the hills blanketed in rapeseed blossom
If you type “China’s nature” into Google, chances are you’ll see at least one photo of Guilin and Yangshuo’s iconic karst hills. Spring is the perfect time to enjoy a Li River cruise, with soft lighting that makes the surreal landscape even more photogenic.
During this season, the hills come alive with golden rapeseed blossoms, creating a dreamy yellow carpet. If you’re thinking about visiting the Longji Rice Terraces, spring offers vibrant green fields stretching as far as the eye can see.
I didn’t get to visit Guilin and Yangshuo in the spring myself, but I went in July. However, this beautiful corner of Guangxi Province is worth exploring in any season.
15. Mount Fangjin
📍Guizhou Province
🌸 Best Spring Time to Visit: From April to May to see the azaleas blooming
Still relatively unknown to many foreign tourists, Mount Fanjing is easily one of the most mystical places in China, and it’s right at the top of my China bucket list. Everything about it feels otherworldly: its remote location, the clouds drifting around its peaks, and the ancient Buddhist temples perched dramatically on the top create a truly spiritual atmosphere.
The skies here are often veiled in fog, making the mountain hard to spot from afar. But spring might be the best time to visit, with a better chance of clear skies.
16. Yunnan: Dali, Lijiang & Xishuangbanna
📍Yunnan Province
🌸 Best Spring Time to Visit: From March to April to experience some of the local festivals
The Yunnan Province, located in China’s southwest, is without a doubt one of the most fascinating regions in the country, and to me, the best place to visit in China in April (I’m already planning a month tour in Yunnan for 2026).
Beyond its stunning natural diversity, ranging from snow-capped mountains to tropical forests, Yunnan is also home to the highest number of ethnic minorities in China, each with their rich traditions.
Spring is a particularly special time to visit, as it brings various religious and cultural festivals. Some of the most unique are:
Sanduo Festival: Celebrated by the Naxi minority in Lijiang, this religious festival usually takes place in March (the exact date varies) and involves offerings to their mountain protector, Saint Sanduo. The atmosphere is lively and full of symbolism.
Third Moon Fair in Dali: Celebrated by the Bai minority, this festival usually takes place from April 15th to 21st (dates may vary). It’s a joyful event filled with horse racing, singing performances, and local markets.
Water Splashing Festival in Xishuangbanna: Held in mid-April, this is the most significant celebration for the Dai minority and is often regarded as their version of the New Year. Locals splash water on each other as a way to wash away the past year’s dirt, demons, and sorrows. And welcome the new year with blessings, laughter, and lots of fun!
17. Xiahe
📍Gansu Province
🌸 Best Spring Time to Visit: From March to May to experience Tibetan Buddhism’s Festivals
Xiahe, one of the most significant monastery towns outside of Tibet, is home to the iconic Labrang Monastery, a place that truly breathes Tibetan Buddhist tradition.
While it’s worth visiting year-round, spring is a significant time to dive deeper into the heart of Tibetan culture. One of the most powerful experiences is the Monlam Festival, usually held in late February or early March.
During this time, the town comes alive with processions, prayer gatherings, and thousands of pilgrims wandering through the streets and around the monastery, chanting mantras.
Visiting Gansu might not be the first thing that comes to mind when planning a trip to China, but it’s hands down one of the wildest and most authentic places I explored while living there. If you’re into adventure, raw landscapes, and off-the-beaten-path vibes, this region will steal your heart.
18. Nyingchi
📍Tibet Autonomous Region
🌸 Best Spring Time to Visit: From the end of March to experience the Peach Blossom Festival
While most of the Tibetan Plateau is still covered in snow, Nyingchi, a village in Eastern Tibet, bursts into color with its iconic peach blossoms.
Spring is the perfect time to visit not just for the breathtaking scenery, but also for the vibrant cultural celebrations. You’ll find yourself surrounded by lantern shows, traditional music performances, and even stone-carrying competitions, a beautiful way to connect with the deep-rooted heritage of Tibetan communities.
And there you go! As you can see, China truly turns into magic in spring, making it the best season to plan your trip.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by all the options and don’t know where to start (totally normal; there’s just so much to see), here’s what I consider the perfect itinerary for first-timers. It includes some of the places in this blog post, but most importantly, it allows you to discover different aspects of this beautiful and complex country.
Have you visited China during the spring season, or are you planning a trip? Drop your thoughts or questions below. I’d love to hear your travel dreams!
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DISCLAIMER: These suggestions are purely based on my experiences during my trip and are meant to provide recommendations for your adventure. Feel free to adapt them to your preferences—there is no need to follow them in detail. All instructions mentioned reflect my personal experiences at the time of writing and may have changed since. All opinions and recommendations are my own, rooted in my unique journey through China.
