Best Time to Visit Datong

Spring and autumn: the sweet spots

April to June and September to October are all rated Excellent, and they're the months to aim for. April is crisp, with sunny days that reach 18°C and nights still close to freezing. May is the easiest month of all: warm afternoons, cool evenings and little rain.

Autumn works just as well. September stays mild, and October turns cooler and drier. That suits the big outdoor sights: the Yungang Grottoes (ancient Buddhist cave carvings west of the city), the Hanging Monastery at Mount Heng, and a walk along the rebuilt city wall. Datong sits high up, so the sun feels strong even on cool days.

Summer: green, warm and wetter

June is still Excellent, with highs near 29°C and cooler nights. July is the hottest month at 31°C and also the wettest, with rain on about half the days. Showers tend to be short, but they can make the cliffside walkways at the Hanging Monastery slippery. August is a little drier and rated Good.

This is also the busiest time. Chinese school holidays run through July and August, and the grottoes and the old town fill up with families. If you hate crowds, pick a weekday in June or early September. Travelling with kids? Summer is the easy time to fit in the grasslands and the Mount Heng area.

Winter: cold, quiet and very cheap on crowds

December, January and February are all rated Poor. January and December are tied for the coldest highs at -2°C, and January nights drop to -15°C. It's dry and often sunny, but the wind bites. The Yungang caves are open-air in places, so you'll feel the cold there.

The reward is space. You'll often have the temples and the wall nearly to yourself. Warm up with a bowl of knife-cut noodles (daoxiaomian), the city's best-known dish. Chinese New Year, in late January or February, is a different story: many local families travel, and some small restaurants close for a few days.

March and November are in between. They're Fair, with chilly mornings and little rain, and they make good low-season options if you dress for the cold.