China
Shanghai in May
🌷 SpringPleasant and some showers. Watch for hazy air.
🎒 Pack: N95 mask for hazy days · sunglasses & hat
Why May scores 8.4What goes into the score
How it works- Weather comfort9.1
- ✓Comfortable temperatures (26°C highs / 18°C lows)
- ✓Slightly humid (dew point 16.4°C)
- ✓Mostly dry (~91 mm rain)
- Air quality5.3
- !Unhealthy for sensitive groups (PM2.5 ~38 µg/m³)
- Seasonal hazards10.0
- ·No notable seasonal hazards
- Safety baseline7.5
- ·Increased caution
| May | Nov | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 8.4 Very good | 8.3 Very good |
| Season | 🌷 Spring | 🍂 Autumn |
| High / low | 26° / 18° | 18° / 11° |
| Rain | 91 mm | 61 mm |
| Humidity | dew pt 16° | dew pt 10° |
| PM2.5 | 38 µg/m³ | 40 µg/m³ |
Typical-month data: NASA POWER (MERRA-2 reanalysis) 2015–2024 (modelled, not a forecast). Temperatures: Shanghai weather-station normals. Rainfall: Shanghai 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 Shanghai
- Snowy daysTypical datesSnow likely Jan–Feb (most in Jan: ~2 days)
Average number of days with snowfall at Shanghai.
Source: Shanghai weather-station normals (national weather service, via Wikipedia climate table)
Explore ShanghaiEvents, sights, food & souvenirs
Check event dates locallyChina's largest city on the Huangpu River, known for the colonial-era Bund, the Pudong skyline, shikumen lane houses and a strong food culture.
Labor Day Golden WeekAcross China
A peak domestic travel week with crowds at every major site.
Coming up later
Shanghai International Film FestivalDate variesUsually June
One of Asia's major film festivals.
Why go: Tickets sell quickly.
Where: Cinemas across the city
Mid-Autumn FestivalDate varies15th day of the 8th lunar month — September or early October
Families share mooncakes and view the full moon.
Why go: A public holiday; often near the October Golden Week holiday.
Where: Citywide
Chinese New YearDate variesLunar calendar — late January to mid-February, date moves each year
The most important family holiday, with temple visits and decorations.
Why go: Transport and hotels are very busy; some small businesses close.
Where: Citywide
The Bund
A riverfront promenade lined with early 20th-century banks and trading houses facing the Pudong skyline.
💡 The skyline is lit up in the evening.
Lujiazui
The Pudong financial district with the Shanghai Tower and the Oriental Pearl Tower.
Yu Garden
A classical Chinese garden next to the busy Old City bazaar.
Former French Concession
Leafy streets with old villas, lane houses and cafes.
Shanghai Museum
A major museum of ancient Chinese bronzes, ceramics and painting.
Zhujiajiao
A canal town with stone bridges on the city's western outskirts.
Xiaolongbao
Thin-skinned dumplings filled with pork and hot soup.
💡 Dumpling shops
Shengjian bao
Pan-fried pork buns with crispy bottoms.
💡 Snack shops, often for breakfast
Hongshao rou
Pork belly braised in soy sauce and sugar.
💡 Shanghainese restaurants
Hairy crab
Freshwater mitten crab, a seasonal delicacy.
💡 Restaurants in autumn, roughly October to November
Scallion oil noodles
Plain noodles tossed in fried scallion oil and soy.
💡 Noodle shops
Silk and tailoring
Silk scarves and made-to-measure clothing.
💡 South Bund Fabric Market
Tea
Green teas from the region, such as Longjing from nearby Hangzhou.
💡 Tea shops
White Rabbit candy
Milk sweets from a Shanghai brand.
💡 Supermarkets