China in late March?
 

I am considering tours of China in late March 2002, and am curious about the suitability of the Chinese weather for comfortable travel at that time of the year. Tours I am looking at visit the "usual" sites, south and north, including Hong Kong. Can anyone enlighten me as to what to expect, weather wise? Thanks.

I and my wife traveled to Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou in the second half of March this year, it was very nice, with spring weather in the south, and still cold in Beijing (approx. 10C).

For late march, pack lightly, bring a sweater with you and you will be fine for everywhere except maybe the Great Wall. You can always buy some clothes locally to keep you warm even only for the day. They are very inexpensive.

May I ask what tour company you are considering or Pat...which tour company did you travel with, and would you recommend them?

I am considering SmarTours and Pacific Delight Tours. The latter has a vast variety of itineraries and price levels.

In March, the weather is cooler ... similar to East Coast USA weather at that time of the year. It is a very popular time to go to China, as prices are lower.

There are a number of websites which provide historical info regarding the weather of the cities you are planning to visit. Go to http://www.wunderground.com/global/CI.html for a quick look at the weather in a long list of chinese cities. If you scroll down you will see the "historical data" box. That said, we are going to be in China in mid-March and will experience a range of weather. Shanghai and Kunming appear to be almost balmy, with temps getting up into the mid-high 60s. Beijing is colder, probably highs in the 40s, but it can be colder than that. All in all, looks like a great time to visit and enjoy the sights without a lot of crowding at the usual tourist spots. Enjoy. It is a great place to visit!