China
Hangzhou in May
🌷 SpringPleasant and some showers. Watch for hazy air.
🎒 Pack: compact umbrella or rain jacket · N95 mask for hazy days
Why May scores 8.1What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort8.7
- ✓Comfortable temperatures (27°C highs / 18°C lows)
- ✓Slightly humid (dew point 16.8°C)
- !Wet: ~127 mm rain, ~5 heavy-rain days
- Air quality5.0
- !Unhealthy for sensitive groups (PM2.5 ~41 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline7.5
- ·Increased caution
| May | Feb | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 8.1 Very good | 6.9 Good |
| Season | 🌷 Spring | 🧥 Winter |
| High / low | 27° / 18° | 11° / 4° |
| Rain | 127 mm | 90 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt 17° | dew pt 3° |
| PM2.5 | 41 µg/m³ | 75 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Hangzhou weather-station normals. Rainfall: Hangzhou weather-station normals (national met service).
Holidays & crowdsMay 2027
Long weekendThere's at least one long weekend. Domestic travel picks up and popular spots get busier over those days.
- Labor Day 1–4 May · 4 days off in a row
National holidays only; regional holidays and school breaks aren't included. Source: holidays (open-source public-holiday calendar).
Nature calendarBlossoms, leaves & seasons in Hangzhou
- Snowy daysTypical datesSnow likely Dec–Feb (most in Jan: ~4 days)
Average number of days with snowfall at Hangzhou.
Source: Hangzhou weather-station normals (national weather service, via Wikipedia climate table)
Explore HangzhouEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallyThe capital of Zhejiang province in eastern China, famous for West Lake, Longjing green tea, silk and classical gardens.
Labor Day Golden WeekAcross China
A peak domestic travel week with crowds at every major site.
Coming up later
Lotus season on West LakeDate variesUsually June to August
Lotus flowers bloom across parts of the lake.
Why go: Summers are hot and humid; visit early in the day.
Where: West Lake, especially Quyuan Fenghe
Osmanthus seasonDate variesUsually September to October
Osmanthus trees bloom with a sweet scent.
Why go: Osmanthus-flavoured sweets and drinks appear at this time.
Where: Manjuelong and around West Lake
Qiantang River tidal boreDate variesLunar calendar - peaks around the 18th day of the 8th month, usually September or October
One of the world's largest tidal bores surges up the river.
Why go: Follow official viewing areas; the bore can be dangerous.
Where: Qiantang River, with famous viewing at Yanguan in Haining
West Lake
A UNESCO-listed lake with causeways, pagodas, gardens and temples, best explored on foot, by bike or by boat.
💡 Very crowded on public holidays; early morning is quietest.
Lingyin Temple and Feilai Feng
One of China's best-known Buddhist temples, with hundreds of rock carvings on the nearby peak.
Longjing tea villages
Hillside villages such as Meijiawu and Longjing where green tea is grown and processed.
Leifeng Pagoda
A rebuilt pagoda on the south shore of West Lake, linked to the Legend of the White Snake.
Xixi National Wetland Park
A large urban wetland of waterways and villages, explored by boat or on foot.
China National Tea Museum
A museum about the history and culture of tea, set among tea fields.
West Lake vinegar fish
Poached fish covered in a sweet and sour vinegar sauce.
Dongpo pork
Slow-braised pork belly in soy sauce and Shaoxing wine.
Longjing shrimp
River shrimp stir-fried with Longjing tea leaves.
Beggar's chicken
Chicken wrapped in lotus leaves and clay and slow-baked.
Pian'erchuan noodles
Noodles in soup with pickled greens, bamboo shoots and pork.
Longjing (Dragon Well) tea
One of China's most famous green teas, grown in the hills around West Lake.
💡 Tea villages and tea shops
Hangzhou silk
Silk scarves and fabrics from a city with a long silk-making history.
💡 Silk shops and markets
Silk and paper fans
Hangzhou is known for traditional fans, including those of the long-established Wangxingji brand.