Guizhou is a mountainous province in southwest China, known for the Huangguoshu Waterfall, karst landscapes, and the most diverse ethnic minority culture in the country, including Miao and Dong villages. Its capital Guiyang is a cool, green city and the transport hub for the province.
Guizhou has a humid subtropical highland climate shaped by the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, with Guiyang at roughly 1,100 m. Summers are mild (July average around 24°C) and wet, and winters are cool and damp (January around 5°C) with frequent drizzle and overcast skies; a local saying holds that there are no three consecutive sunny days. Annual rainfall in Guiyang is about 1,100-1,200 mm, concentrated from May to August. Lower valleys in the south, such as Libo and Luodian, are noticeably warmer, while the western highlands near Weining and Bijie are cooler with winter snow.
Best time to visit
Best: Year-round
Avoid: None
Month-by-month weather
Typical conditions throughout the year.
January
5°C/41°F
Cold, damp, and grey with frequent drizzle; occasional frost and rare snow in the mountains
February
7°C/45°F
Cool and overcast; Chinese New Year crowds and mist over the karst hills
March
12°C/54°F
Spring arrives with rape-flower fields and mild days; showers become frequent
April
16°C/61°F
Warm and green with occasional rain; excellent for villages and flower fields
May
20°C/68°F
Warm and humid with heavier rain; waterfalls are in strong flow before the summer crowds
June
22°C/72°F
Rainiest month with lush scenery and strong waterfalls; frequent downpours and flooding risk
July
24°C/75°F
Cool compared with the lowlands; Guiyang is a popular summer escape, though rain and crowds are high
August
24°C/75°F
Warm with intermittent showers; peak of domestic summer holiday crowds
September
21°C/70°F
Pleasant and slightly drier; clearer skies and fewer crowds make it ideal for hiking
October
17°C/63°F
Cool, comfortable, and mostly clear; Golden Week brings heavy crowds in the first week
November
12°C/54°F
Dry and crisp with misty mornings; quiet at most sights
December
7°C/45°F
Cold and damp; some mountain roads can be icy; lowest prices of the year
The seasons
What to expect in each part of the year.
Spring
Months: Mar-May
Mild temperatures (12-25°C), rape-flower fields blooming in March, rhododendrons in the Baili Dujuan reserve in April-May, and waterfalls swelling with rain. The Sisters' Meal Festival in March draws visitors to Taijiang.
Summer
Months: Jun-Aug
Warm and wet (20-29°C) with the heaviest rain in June, and a popular retreat from China's hotter cities. Huangguoshu and Xiaoqikong are at their most powerful. Dragon boat races take place on the Qingshui River in late May to June.
Fall
Months: Sep-Nov
Cool and comfortable (12-26°C) with clearer skies from late September. Golden Week in the first week of October is extremely crowded; the Miao New Year (Oct-Nov) brings the region's biggest festivals.
Winter
Months: Dec-Feb
Cool, grey, and damp (2-10°C), with fog and drizzle and occasional frost or snow on higher ground. Chinese New Year brings domestic crowds, but otherwise sights are quiet.
Crowds & peak times
When to expect tourists and when to avoid them.
- High Season
- Oct 1-7 (Golden Week), Chinese New Year (late Jan or Feb), July-August, and the May Day holiday; Huangguoshu and Xijiang are very busy
- Shoulder Season
- Apr-Jun and Sep-Oct (outside Golden Week)
- Low Season
- Nov-Mar (excluding New Year week); quiet and damp, with the lowest hotel prices
Major events & festivals
Time your visit around what matters.
Sisters' Meal Festival (Shimei Jie)
Miao women in Taijiang and Shibing prepare coloured sticky rice and exchange tokens of affection in a traditional courtship festival
Miao Dragon Boat Festival
Dragon-boat races on the Qingshui River in Shidong and Taijiang with elaborate costumes, drums, and several days of celebrations
Torch Festival
Celebrated by Yi and several other groups with bonfires, wrestling, and singing, especially in Bijie and western Guizhou
Miao New Year
The largest Miao festival, with lusheng pipe dances and silver headdress parades; Xijiang Qianhu Miao Village and Kaili hold the biggest events
Rongjiang Village Football Super League (Cunchao)
A community football tournament that became a national phenomenon in 2023, drawing large crowds to Rongjiang with matches and village performances
Rape Flower Season in Luoping and Anlong
Fields of yellow rape flowers across the karst landscape of Qianxinan, among the province's best photography seasons