April is a great month for traveling to China, because of the warm temperatures and picturesque spring scenery. Whether you want to go hiking or witness breathtaking blossoms in peak bloom, you can fill your photo album with memories made in April.
In addition to the usual popular destinations in China, like Beijing, Xi’an, and Shanghai, we also recommend a number of destinations that are excellent for traveling in April for a most beautiful time.
We have listed the best nine places to visit in April: 1) Yunnan, 2) Guilin, 3) Tibet, 4) Huangshan/Wuyuan, 5) Luoyang, 6) Western Sichuan, 7) Guizhou, 8) the Hakka Earth Buildings, and 9) Wuyishan Mountain.
1. Yunnan — Flowers, Sunshine, and Vitality
Erhai Lake, Yunnan
Temperatures in April: around 10–25°C (50–77°F) in Kunming, Dali, and Lijiang; 1–10°C (34–50°F) in Shangri-La; 17–33°C (63–91°F) in Xishuangbanna
In April, everything is full of vitality in Yunnan. The awakening of spring is abundantly apparent. Thus, it provides good conditions for many outdoor activities. In addition, April is a shoulder season in Yunnan with fewer tourists and favorable airplane tickets.
Xishuangbanna is a great place to travel in April for its Water-Sprinkling Festival, which falls between April 13th and 15th. Join in the water splashing. With pots, pans, bottles, or whatever you have to hand, where you can unreservedly splash each other with water, whether close friends or even strangers.
Top things to do in April:
- Hike up Jade Dragon Snow Mountain on a hidden trail and have a bike ride alongside Erhai Lake.
- Visit a local Tibetan family in Shangri-La, take part in their day’s work to experience ploughing or seeding, and enjoy a starry night with a bonfire on the grassland.
- Hike along the Tiger Leaping Gorge, which is among the deepest canyons in the world, and explore Yubeng Village, which is hidden in the interior area of the holy Meili Snow Mountains massif.
- Experience staying in a “Tree House” in an animal kingdom in Xishuangbanna where you can feed a lively red panda, touch a mild deer, say hello to a lazy loris, and have a photo with a rhinoceros.
- Hike in the pristine tropical rainforest in Xishuangbanna to enjoy the peaceful and beautiful forest scenery.
2. Guilin — a Masterpiece of Karst Landforms
Guilin
Temperature in April: around 13–22°C (55–72°F)
April is the beginning of the Li River‘s high flow period, but not the high flood risk period. Farmers plow their fields with water buffalos and plant their paddies with rice in April.
The Longji Rice Terraces are irrigated, and the waterlogged paddies sparkle in the sunlight. In April, the lemon and white rape flowers along the Yulong River in Yangshuo are in full bloom.
Top things to do in April:
- Have an adventurous ATV driving experience along paths and between rice fields in Yangshuo.
- Try a 2-hour via Ferrata (cable-protected cliff climb) in Yulong River Ecological Park.
- Enjoy a relaxing hike along the Li River instead of the touristy cruise boats. Slow down your pace to enjoy the picturesque Li River more. Skim stones across the water, and pick lovely wild spring flowers.
- Explore Guilin’s mountain-minority villages by the terraced rice fields. Enjoy the incredible views created by local people’s wisdom and hard work.
- Have an adventure in an underground world, as you explore a cave that has never been touched by ordinary tourists. Discover amazing stalactites and stalagmites without any man-made effects.
11-Day Tour: Beijing – Xi’an – Guilin/Yangshuo – ShanghaiClassic Wonders
3. Tibet — When Pink Peach Blossom Meets the Snowy Peaks
Nyingchi, Tibet
Temperatures in April: around -7–8°C (19–46°F) in Lhasa and Shigatse; -10–5°C (14–41°F) in the Everest Base Camp area
When the peach blossom of Nyingchi is blooming in the valleys below the snowy peaks, spring in Tibet is coming. Snow and ice begin to melt on the plateau’s mountains. Namtso Lake will slowly wake up — it’s half water, half ice in April. And Tibetan people start farming their barley fields.
Top things to do in April:
- Explore Lulang Forest and enjoy the valleys’ peach blossom in Nyingchi.
- Have a moderate hike to see Tibet’s biggest glacier — Laigu Glacier — and marvel at its blue ice.
- Stand in front of the “apex” of the roof of the world at Mt. Everest Base Camp. Witness the starry sky and the morning sunshine as never before!
2-Week Private Tour: Beijing–Xi’an–Lhasa-ShanghaiBeautiful China with Holy Tibet
4. Huangshan/Wuyuan — View Picturesque Flower-scapes
Huangshan
Temperature in April: around 6–15°C (43–59°F)
As spring returns, all kinds of species in Huangshan wake up. The Yellow Mountains are covered with green plants and blooming flowers. Some peaks are dotted with red azalea flowers. The fields around the ancient villages in Huangshan are transformed into seas of yellow rapeseed flowers.
From mid-March to early April, you can take an hour’s drive to Wuyuan (from Huangshan) to see endless flowery seas and ancient villages.
Top things to do in April:
- Climb aboard your paraglider/paramotor, fly like a bird, and view the seas of canola flowers in Wuyuan.
- Hike in Huangshan Scenic Area, where yellow rape flowers grow in the fields on both sides of the roads leading to the Yellow Mountains. Just prepare enough memory space for all the eye-catching photos.
- Cycle around the villages in Huangshan to take in the freshness of nature mixed with the best-preserved Anhui-style architecture. You won’t be short of great shots for your Instagram!