A Month-by-Month China Travel Guide: Where to Travel in China in April
A year-round guide to discovering China’s most beautiful, culturally rich, and seasonally perfect destinations.
April is one of the most perfect months to travel across China. The landscapes are in full bloom, the air is warm but not yet humid, and long golden afternoons stretch across rivers, rice fields, and mountain valleys. Whether you're hiking sacred peaks, tracing ancient poetry trails, or wandering flower-covered villages, April offers both quiet countryside and festive city streets. Everything feels alive again — and ripe for exploration.
April
Full Bloom & Road Trip Weather
Ili Valley, Xinjiang
Peach blossoms and wild frontier romance
Hidden deep in the northwest, Ili is one of China’s most breathtaking springtime secrets. In April, the peach blossoms in Tuergen and the snow-topped Tianshan Mountains create a stunning contrast — part Silk Road legend, part alpine escape.
Top things to do:
Drive the road from Yining to Tuergen — every bend reveals peach orchards backed by snow peaks.
Explore the Kazakh-style grasslands and yurts around Nalati or Zhaosu (melting and green by late April).
Visit Sayram Lake if conditions allow — often still icy but dramatic in early spring.
Ride or walk through highland meadows as herders return with their flocks.
What to eat: Grilled lamb skewers, naan bread, yogurt with honey, and hand-pulled laghman noodles.
Travel tips:
Travel here is logistically more involved — fly to Yining and hire a driver.
Permit requirements for foreigners can vary — check current entry policies.
April weather is unpredictable: 20°C one day, snow flurries the next.
Luoyang, Henan
Peonies, pagodas, and one of China’s oldest capitals
Every April, Luoyang bursts into color as it hosts the Peony Festival, celebrating the city's long love affair with this imperial flower. With a 3,000-year history as a cradle of Chinese civilization, Luoyang is where spring blossoms meet stone Buddhas and Silk Road echoes.
Top things to do:
Visit the Luoyang National Peony Garden — early April is peak bloom.
Wander the Longmen Grottoes, a UNESCO site with 100,000 Buddhist carvings etched into limestone cliffs.
Explore the old city area at night, with lantern-lit streets and traditional snacks.
Take a short trip to White Horse Temple, considered China’s first Buddhist temple.
What to eat: Water banquet (a multi-course local meal), Luoyang-style pancakes, beef soup with crispy buns, and stir-fried river shrimp.
Travel tips:
The Peony Festival runs from early to late April — weekends get crowded.
Combine with Zhengzhou or Kaifeng for more Central Plains heritage.
Light jackets are enough — daytime highs hover around 18–22°C.
Huangshan (Yellow Mountain), Anhui
Misty peaks, flowering valleys, and cinematic ancient towns
Huangshan (Yellow Mountain) is arguably China’s most beloved natural wonder — and in April, it becomes a poetic vision of twisted pines, granite cliffs, and seas of clouds. Nearby Hongcun Village, a UNESCO-listed gem, blooms with spring flowers and artistic inspiration. Together, they’re the perfect pairing of natural and manmade beauty.
Top things to do (Huangshan):
Hike or take the cable car up to Xihai (West Sea) Grand Canyon and Lion Peak.
Watch sunrise at Bright Summit — one of the most famous dawn views in China.
Stay overnight on the mountain for misty morning magic and fewer crowds.
Top things to do (Hongcun):
Walk the symmetrical layout of the village, designed with feng shui in mind.
Visit Moon Pond and South Lake for iconic reflections.
Explore Tachuan village for panoramic views of flower-dappled countryside.
Sketch, photograph, or simply slow down in its quiet lanes.
What to eat: Bamboo shoots, Anhui smoked tofu, wild tea leaves, and local yellow wine.
Travel tips:
April is ideal for hiking — mild temps, wildflowers, and fewer thunderstorms than summer.
Book Hongcun guesthouses early if visiting over a weekend or holiday.
Combine with Xidi Village or Mount Qiyun for a longer Hui-style architecture trip.
Qingdao, Shandong
Beer, breeze, and coastal cherry blossoms
In April, Qingdao is at its springtime best: tulips and cherry trees bloom along the coast, the beer flows freely, and the sea air is fresh and salty. A former German concession, this seaside city is a blend of Bavarian rooftops, modern skyscrapers, and beach promenades that invite long, lazy walks.
Top things to do:
Wander the cobbled streets of Badaguan with cherry blossoms and colonial mansions.
Climb Xiao Yu Shan (Little Fish Hill) for panoramic sea views.
Visit Tsingtao Brewery Museum and sample fresh pours straight from the tap.
Spend golden hours on No.1 Bathing Beach or Zhanqiao Pier.
What to eat: Beer-braised clams, seafood jianbing, fried sea cucumber, and Tsingtao beer with peanuts.
Travel tips:
Evenings by the sea can still be chilly — bring a jacket.
Mid-April brings cherry blossoms; tulips often bloom around the same time.
Combine with nearby Laoshan for mountain hikes and Taoist temples.
Shaoxing, Zhejiang
Canals, calligraphy, and springtime wine
Famous for rice wine and ancient poets, Shaoxing is a Jiangnan gem just an hour from Hangzhou. In April, wisteria spills over stone bridges and locals paddle black-sailed boats down narrow waterways. It’s literary, photogenic, and deeply peaceful.
Top things to do:
Visit the home of Lu Xun, modern China’s most iconic writer.
Sip yellow wine by the river and watch the bamboo rafts go by.
Explore the historic gardens, temples, and stone alleys of the old city.
Walk along East Lake (Donghu) with limestone cliffs and flowering willows.
What to eat: Steamed river crabs, fermented tofu, Shaoxing yellow wine chicken, and spring bamboo soup.
Travel tips:
April offers pleasant temps and light rains — ideal for canal photos.
Combine with Hangzhou or Ningbo for a deeper Yangtze Delta trip.
Look out for local tea markets opening with the spring harvest.
April in China is when the country truly reawakens. From rapeseed valleys and alpine blossoms to peony festivals and mountaintop sunrises, this is road trip season at its finest. It’s the time for spontaneous hikes, long train journeys, and village strolls where the scent of flowers lingers in the air. Whether you’re chasing apricot blossoms in Xinjiang or sipping rice wine on a slow canal in Shaoxing, April delivers travel moments that linger far beyond spring.
Planning a trip this month? Save this guide and start mapping your route. And stay tuned, May is just around the corner, when the mountains thaw and adventure really begins.