We are planning a trip to China (OAT) and have a wide range of months from March to October - any suggestions? We will avoid the summer as we understand it is very hot - is the spring better in terms of flowers, green lawns etc ? Or Fall?

Can't comment on spring, but we visited in early autumn (Sep/Oct) and had excellent weather. However, our travels were confined to Beijing, Liaoning province (NE China) and Shanghai and surrounds. As you know, China is a very big country and you can't generalise about the weather there any more than you can in respect of the US or Australia.

Have you bought a China guidebook? I strongly advise doing this, tour or no tour. The more you know of the country before you go the better. A good guidebook will have advice on weather. In the meantime you could check www.weatherbase.com for temperatures and rainfall.

China is such a huge country geographically, so spring may not actually be in full swing in March, esp in a place like Beijing which is pretty far north, and March can be pretty dusty there as they get the Gobi desert winds at that time. March can be pretty rainy in places like Guilin and early March can be downright cold on the plains of Xian. I prefer the fall if you can, esp if you are including Hong Kong, as mid to late October is just the beginning of the very pleasant weather here. If you are gong to Kunming, I belive that April is actually the best month for flowers, and is generally when their flower show is held.

Note that the first week in October is to be avoided as it is a huge holiday week in China, but an organized tour would most likely know that and hopefully would not schedule a trip then, but if not, avoid any trip that week. (i.e., any calendar week in which October 1 figures; for 2008 that would be September 28 – October 4)

The website quoted above will give you some good historical info on places on the itinerary.

Spring, pls

I prefer autumn, but it is a really short season in China; it last for 2 weeks or so in mid October in the North. Just be sure to avoid the Oct 1 holiday!

Also there's not much to see in the way or green lawns any time of the year, but despite the general lack of green on the east, there's plenty else to see!

We also always recommend September/October excluding first week of Oct. No bugs and pleasant weather.

I enjoyed going in April. The weather was coolish, but comfortable, and all the flowering trees were blooming.

Fall is the best in most areas. Beijing has sand storms and/or sand clouds in the spring and many areas like Guilin and Yunnan get rainy in the spring. Stick to fall to see the country best.

I am a contrarian about National Week, Oct 1-7. Business hotels (Intercontinental, Marriott, etc.)drop rates as no business travel takes place and the price is beyond the reach of most vacationing Chinese. Train travel is impossible, but most westerners take planes which are still readily available.

Some sites might be overwhelmed with Chinese bus tours, but I have been in Lijiang, Dali, Yangshuo, Guilin, Sanya, Wuhan, Suzhou, Shanghai and Beijing during Golden Weeks. Only Beijing was just too much, with the highest ever crowd at the Forbidden City on May 1, 2007. Great Wall at Jinshanling and Simatai was fine. Meanwhile, I stayed at the top 5-star hotels at 60% off, sometimes less than $100/night.

Thanks everyone for your perspective - we are going in October - after the big holiday!

We traveled to China with OAT last year in May and found the weather to be just right. It was cooler during the time in Tibet, but not uncomfortable. However you might want to avoid the first week in May when the whole country has a holiday.

silly question but what is OAT? is it a tour company? or another Fodors acronym?

It's a tour company.

You chose a great time - October. We visited China in both 2002 and 2005, including Tibet the second time. Such an interesting experience and you will not be disappointed. In the few short years in between our travels, China grew tremendously - the middle class has caught on to capitalism and on the fast track. The first trip was so pleasant and peaceful; the second time the middle class in China had discovered travel and filled every plane. By all means you have an experience of a lifetime ahead of you.

OAT is a upscale travel company (Part of Grand Circle). OAT stands for Overseas Adventures Travel and they have only small groups of 12-16 with upscale accommodations. You go where they can't take BIG groups. We are booked with OAT next month for Thailand, April - Egypt and November-India.

We've traveled with Grand Circle and have been pleased. It is definetely Senior travel! How did we get to be Seniors!!!!!

Have fun. You will!!!

Was the big holiday where they exchange MOON CAKES? Wrapped elegantly and tasted 'terrible'....

We must have been there as I remember the Moon Cakes going like hot cakes!

The moon cake exchange festival is called Mid-Autumn Festival, falls on the 15th day of the 8th month on the Lunar calendar. There are sweet cakes stuffed with red bean paste or lotus seed paste, savory ones have duck egg yolks. Like fruitcake, you don't eat a huge chunk, just nibble on a slice with lots of tea, enjoying them with the whole family under the full autumn moon.