China in October
October has some of China's best travel weather and its biggest holiday crowd, a week apart. National Day Golden Week ran from 1 to 7 October in 2026, and the statutory days in 2027 are 1–3 October. Through that week, hundreds of millions of domestic trips fill every famous site, train and highway. Then, from about 8 October, the country empties. Clear northern skies, peak foliage in Jiuzhaigou and on the Sichuan plateau, and mild southern cities make the rest of the month excellent.
The month's rule is simple: arrive in China after Golden Week, or spend the holiday in one big city.
Photo: JesseW900 · Source · CC BY-SA 4.0
October weather by city
| City | Avg high | Avg low | Rain | Wet days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beijing | 20 °C (67 °F) | 8 °C (47 °F) | 28 mm | 5 |
| Xi'an | 19 °C (67 °F) | 10 °C (50 °F) | 67 mm | 11 |
| Shanghai | 24 °C (74 °F) | 17 °C (63 °F) | 70 mm | 8 |
| Chengdu | 21 °C (70 °F) | 15 °C (59 °F) | 43 mm | 15 |
| Guangzhou | 29 °C (85 °F) | 21 °C (70 °F) | 67 mm | 6 |
| Kunming | 21 °C (70 °F) | 13 °C (55 °F) | 82 mm | 12 |
| Harbin | 13 °C (55 °F) | 2 °C (35 °F) | 24 mm | 7 |
| Lhasa | 18 °C (64 °F) | 4 °C (39 °F) | 6 mm | 4 |
- Beijing: 20 °C days, 8 °C nights and only about five wet days. It is the city's classic autumn, with the ginkgo and maple color arriving late in the month.
- Xi'an: The autumn rains continue early in the month, with 11 wet days, then dry out.
- Shanghai: Comfortable at 24 °C and the driest month of the second half of the year.
- Guangzhou: 29 °C and noticeably drier, with only about six wet days.
- Kunming: The rainy season ends, and the late-October skies are among the clearest of the year.
- Lhasa: Clear, dry and sunny at 18 °C, one of the best months on the plateau.
- Harbin: It cools fast, to 13 °C by day and near freezing at night, and the first snow can fall at month's end.
How to handle Golden Week
- If you can choose your dates, start the trip on or after 8 October. Prices for hotels at famous sites often double during the holiday, capped parks (Jiuzhaigou, Huangshan, the Forbidden City) sell out, and trains leaving big cities on 30 September–1 October and returning on 6–7 October are the hardest tickets of the year.
- If you're already in China, stay in one large city. Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou have dozens of lesser-known museums, parks and neighborhoods that stay manageable. Reserve the headline sights as soon as their windows open, and walk where the tour groups don't.
- Avoid the most famous scenic areas on 1–5 October. Several, such as Huashan, the West Lake core and Zhangjiajie, have recorded crowd surges with waits of hours. On the 6th and 7th, crowds start heading home.
- Know what the peak looked like in 2026. West Lake recorded 4.264 million visits over the seven days, and at times the Broken Bridge held three to four people per square meter. Crowds were heaviest on 1–3 October and eased from the 4th.
- Expect special arrangements in central Beijing. Tiananmen Square and nearby streets have extra security and access controls around 1 October.
Where to go after the holiday
Jiuzhaigou: peak color
Jiuzhaigou's forests reach peak color from mid- to late October, reflected in its turquoise lakes. Visitor numbers are capped, so book your date as soon as you know it, and stay inside the valley's tourist town to be at the gate at opening. Allow a second day in case the first is rainy. The one-base Jiuzhaigou–Huanglong itinerary fits October perfectly.
Photo: chensiyuan · Source · CC BY-SA 4.0
Western Sichuan: Xinduqiao and the plateau
Through mid-October, the high valleys of Ganzi, around Xinduqiao, Tagong and the road to Daocheng Yading, are gold with poplar and larch under deep blue skies. Nights fall below freezing, and passes cross 4,000 m. The Kangding 3-day route is the gentlest introduction.
Huangshan: sea of clouds and cooler summits
After the holiday, Huangshan's summit is cool and clear, and autumn mornings often bring the famous cloud sea over the granite peaks. Stay one night on top for sunrise. The Hongcun and Xidi villages are at their quietest from mid-October.
Shennongjia: color in the high forest
The high road across Shennongjia and the Dajiuhu wetland turn red and gold from mid-October into early November. In late October 2026, visitors reported the leaves about 60% turned. Stay in Pingqian for a dawn visit to the misty lakes, and bring a down jacket.
Beijing, Xi'an and Hangzhou
From 8 October, the classic cities are at their best. The Beijing skies are clear, the Great Wall hillsides turn red by late October, and the Fragrant Hills maples color from late October. Xi'an is dry and mild, perfect for cycling the city wall. In Hangzhou, the late osmanthus lingers in the hills and the hairy crab season is in full swing on the neighboring lakes.
Chongli: the first ski runs
The first of Chongli's ski resorts open in late October (Wanlong opened on 23 October in 2026), with limited terrain and snowmaking in progress. It's fine for keen skiers, but first-timers should wait until December. See the Chongli guide.
In season in October
| What | Where | When | How to do it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Female hairy crabs | Yangcheng Lake; crab menus in Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou | October, when the roe is fullest | Three-liang (about 150 g) females are a good size. Buy per crab, weighed in front of you. Males take over in November |
| Golden rice terraces | Longji, near Guilin | Mid- to late October. In 2026, all three terrace areas started harvesting on 1 November | After the harvest, the fields are only stubble. Admission is ¥80; Jinkeng gives the widest views, and Ping'an is easier to reach |
| Desert poplars | Ejina, western Inner Mongolia | The first half of October | The golden poplar forest is busiest during Golden Week, so go after the 8th |
| Chestnuts and persimmons | Beijing | October and November | Sugar-roasted chestnuts sold by weight at street stalls, and big, soft Mopan persimmons (磨盘柿) from the hills west of the city |
The classic route in October
| Stop | October conditions | What to change |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing and the Great Wall | Holiday controls around Tiananmen and huge crowds on 1–7 October, then superb clear weather | Start after 7 October. The Fragrant Hills maples color from late October |
| Xi'an | Golden Week crowds at the night streets and the Terracotta Army, then dry and mild | A perfect month after the holiday for the wall, Huashan and long walking days |
| Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou | West Lake took 4.26 million visits over the 2026 holiday, then went quiet | Hangzhou after 8 October is one of the year's best stops. Add crab at Yangcheng Lake |
| Chengdu pandas | Comfortable mornings; summer hours end on 31 October | Enter at 07:30. From 1 November the base opens at 08:00 |
| Guilin and Yangshuo | The river begins to drop, Longji turns gold and osmanthus lingers | Aim for Longji before the 1 November harvest |
| Zhangjiajie | Clear autumn weather after a Golden Week surge. Tianmen Mountain changed which cable car lines ran in October 2026 while it serviced the others | Check which line (A, B or C) is running before you book |
October dates to plan around
| Date | Event | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| 1–7 Oct 2026; 1–3 Oct 2027 statutory (full break not announced) | National Day Golden Week | The year's biggest domestic travel wave |
| 15 Oct – 4 Nov (usual pattern; three phases) | Autumn Canton Fair, Guangzhou | Pazhou hotels several times their normal price during each phase |
| Early October 2027 (9th day of the 9th lunar month) | Double Ninth Festival (重阳节) | A day for honoring elders and climbing hills; local park crowds |
| From late September (28 September in 2026) | Hairy crab season at Yangcheng Lake near Suzhou | Females are at their best in October and males in November; crab menus raise restaurant bills in Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou |
| Late October | Ski season starts in Chongli | Early-season terrain only |
For buyers, the Canton Fair visitor guide explains phases, badges and the hotel strategy. Leisure travelers should book Guangzhou outside the fair dates or stay in Foshan or Shenzhen.
Seasonal hours, closures and prices
- Jiuzhaigou: Peak season and peak prices run until 15 November. In 2026 the park posted sold-out notices on six days between 22 and 29 October, so book your date as soon as you know it.
- Changbai Mountain: The south slope closed for the season on 16 October in 2026. The north and west slopes switch to winter hours of 08:30–15:00 from November.
- Longji terraces: Harvest started on 1 November in 2026. After that, the terraces are a quiet village stay rather than a gold-field trip.
- Chengdu panda base: Winter hours start on 1 November.
Booking and practical advice
- Time your trains around the holiday. Golden Week train tickets go on sale 15 days ahead, from about 16 September. Trains after 8 October are easy and normally priced. Book trains on Trip.com.
- Book capped scenic areas early. Jiuzhaigou, Huangshan's cable cars and Mogao remain popular after the holiday on weekends.
- Pack for big temperature swings. A Chengdu–Jiuzhaigou–Kangding trip runs from 25 °C to below freezing.
- Plan around short days in the north. By late October, Harbin's sunset is around 16:30.
Two October routes
Fourteen days, the classic route after Golden Week: Beijing 4 nights → Xi'an 3 → Chengdu 3 (with pandas) → Jiuzhaigou 2 → Chengdu 1 → fly home, starting on 8 October. See the China first-trip 14-day itinerary.
Nine days of Yangtze autumn: Shanghai 2 nights → Huangshan 3 (summit and villages) → Hangzhou 2 → Suzhou 2, in the second half of October.