Increasing humidity and rain, especially in the south and southeast. The plateau is warmer but wetter. Storms are often short and intense.
- Temperatures
- Kunming 15–25°C · Shangri-La 4–18°C · Xishuangbanna 21–31°C
- Rainfall
- 90 mm
- Daylight
- About 13 hours
- Crowds
- The May Day holiday is busy; the rest of the month is moderate.
The seasonal shift
May is when the monsoon arrives in earnest in southern Yunnan and begins to affect the rest of the province. The south becomes lush and humid, with heavy afternoon showers. The plateau turns green, and the light becomes softer and more dramatic. This is a beautiful month for photography, but a less reliable one for mountain views.
The first half of May includes the May Day holiday, one of China's busiest travel periods. Book ahead. After the holiday, crowds drop and prices settle. The rain is not constant; many days have sunny mornings and stormy afternoons.
Where to go
The tropical south is at its most alive, though hot and wet. Rainforests are lush, rivers are full, and the markets overflow with fruit. The northwest is green but often cloud-covered; Shangri-La can be cold and wet. Dali and Lijiang are pleasant between showers.
If photography is the goal, the terraces at Yuanyang are green rather than flooded, which is a different but still striking look. The east is warm and wet, with fewer visitors. The gorge may be slippery; check trail conditions.
Practical notes
Bring a proper rain shell, a dry bag, and quick-dry clothing. Footwear with grip is essential on wet trails. Build flexibility into your itinerary; a stormy day is a good time for a museum, a market, or a long lunch. Check road conditions before mountain drives.
Good for
- + Green landscapes
- + Fewer crowds after the holiday
- + Waterfalls
Watch out
- − Afternoon storms can cancel flights, cable cars, and boat trips.
- − Mountain roads become slippery and landslide-prone.
Places for this month
Journeys in season