Best Time to Visit Zhaoqing

Cool and dry: October to February

This is the season to come. Days are mild, mornings are crisp, and December is the driest month. In January the lows dip to 8°C, so evenings by Star Lake feel properly cool. You'll want a jacket then, not a fan.

October and November are the sunniest stretch, with around five or six hours of sun a day. That suits walking the old city wall, cycling along it, or climbing in Dinghushan, the forested mountain reserve just outside town. Hiking is at its best here. Trails are dry and the air is clear.

Chinese New Year usually falls in late January or February. Many locals travel home, and some small restaurants close for a few days. Sights get busier with domestic visitors, but Zhaoqing is much quieter than Guangzhou or Hong Kong. Hotels rarely feel full.

Warm and damp: March to April

Spring creeps in grey. March has 12 rainy days and April has 16, and sun is scarce. It isn't the washout of summer, though. Showers come and go, and the temperature is pleasant.

Pick this time for a city break. You can spend gloomy afternoons in the Zhaoqing Museum or the Chongxi Pagoda area, then eat guozheng, the local sticky rice dumpling wrapped in leaves. Skip long hikes. Stone steps in the Seven Star Crags park get slippery.

Hot and wet: May to September

Be honest with yourself: this is hard going. June is the wettest month, with rain on 24 days and humidity near 89%. May and August each get rain on 22 days. It's sticky, and walks outdoors leave you soaked either way.

July is a little better, with the lowest rain total of the four wettest months and a bit more sun. Heavy downpours can still flood low streets near the West River. Travelling with kids? Keep plans flexible and lean on indoor stops.

The upside is price and space. This is low season, and you'll often have the lakeside paths to yourself. September begins to ease, but it still rates Poor, so wait for October if you can.