Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
of the population is on the move, and transport systems become hopelessly overstretched. It's
best to avoid Beijing during the first three days of the festival itself, as everyone is at home
with family, and a lot of businesses and sights are closed.
The city's short
spring
(April and May) is a lovely season to visit Beijing - it's dry and
comfortably warm at this time, though can be windy. Fortunately, the spring dust storms that
once plagued the city have lessened of late, though they still occur.
Summer
itself (June to
August) is muggy and hot, with temperatures up to 30°C (86°F) and often beyond; in high
summer the city is ripe for dining alfresco, and beer consumption goes through the roof. July
and August see also plenty of rainfall, though most of it deluges all at once and even then
there's still a fair amount of sun.
Ultimately, when all's said and done, the best time to visit Beijing is in the
autumn
(September and October), when the weather is dry and clement. This is also the most likely
time for Beijing's semi-mythical “blue-sky days”, when air pollution is said to be at its low-
est, to occur - the perfect time to climb up Jingshan and see the Forbidden City at its most
beautiful.
