Beijing · Month comparison

April vs October

October ranks #1 overall vs April at #3. National Day Golden Week brings China's largest domestic travel surge — magical if you plan around it

Temple of Heaven surrounded by cherry blossom trees in spring

April

#3 of 12 months

Best match

Spring in Beijing peaks in April — cherry blossoms and near-perfect temperatures

  • ↑Cherry blossoms at Temple of Heaven and Summer Palace at their most spectacular
  • ↑Ideal 16–22°C days perfect for walking the hutongs and outer parks
Tiananmen Square decorated with flowers and national flags for National Day

October

#1 of 12 months

Best match

National Day Golden Week brings China's largest domestic travel surge — magical if you plan around it

  • ↑National Day celebrations (Oct 1) at Tiananmen Square are a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle
  • ↑Post-Golden Week (Oct 8+) the crowds drop but the autumn colour remains superb
FactorAprilOctober
Weather score
9
9
Value score
4
3
Crowd score
7
10
Events score
6
8
Atmosphere
9
8
Avg high temp20°C17°C
Monthly rain26mm16mm
Daily sunshine9hrs9.5hrs

April trade-offs

  • ↓Popular parks fill quickly on weekends — arrive at 8am to beat the crowds
  • ↓Hotel prices rise and availability tightens for the peak spring window

October trade-offs

  • ↓Oct 1–7 Golden Week is China's busiest travel period — expect wall-to-wall crowds at every sight
  • ↓Hotels and transport booked out months ahead, prices surge to annual peak
  • ↓Queue times at Forbidden City, Great Wall can exceed 2 hours
See all 12 months for Beijing →April in detail →October in detail →
Scores compare months within Beijing. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →