Best Time to Visit Jiaxing

Spring and autumn: the sweet spots

April is the easy pick. Days reach about 22°C, nights are mild, and you can walk the old canal town of Wuzhen or Xitang without sweating through your shirt. May is warmer and still rated Good, though it gets muggy by the end of the month.

October is our top month. It's drier than most of the year, with only 8 rainy days, and the air feels soft rather than sticky. November is almost as good, with cooler evenings that suit a bowl of hot noodles. If you like quiet streets, November beats October.

Both seasons are easy for a city break. South Lake (Nanhu) is pleasant to stroll, and you can take a boat out to the Yanyu Tower area on a clear afternoon.

Summer: hot, wet and heavy

June is the rainiest month, with 212 mm over 16 days. July is close behind at 201 mm, and it's also the muggiest. Then August arrives and it's the hottest, at 33°C, though it's a little sunnier.

Is it worth going? Only if your dates are fixed. School holidays run through July and August, so Wuzhen and Xitang fill with domestic tour groups. Go early or late in the day, and use the covered corridors along the canals when the rain comes. Evening boat rides are cooler and the lantern-lit lanes look best then.

September is still Fair. It stays warm and wet, but the crowds thin out as school restarts.

Winter: cold, damp and quiet

You won't see snow often, but 0°C nights in January feel colder than they sound. Homes and many old guesthouses can be chilly inside, so ask about heating before you book. Skies are grey and the sun shows up for under four hours a day in January and February.

December is the pick of winter. It's the driest month, with 41 mm, and it's rated Good. Winter suits you if you want empty canal towns and a food trip. Try zongzi, the sticky rice dumplings Jiaxing is famous for, which are sold year-round.

Chinese New Year usually lands in late January or February. Many local shops close for a few days, and some visitors come for the festive mood. Check the date for your year.

Another event worth knowing is the Dragon Boat Festival in June. Zongzi are the star food then, and the rain is part of the deal.