best time to visit Beijing/Shanghai/what souvenirs?

Answer 1

best time to visit is now, this time of year is great, or the fall Oct-Nov

souvenirs - scrolls, Chinese traditional writing brush, oil paintings by local artists, you can get them at really good prices, tradition clothes, sets of chop sticks, clay tea pots

Answer 2

Best time is May-June. In July/Aug it is very hot in Beijing. You'd think the weather would be comparable to NYC because both cities are on the same latitude, but Beijing seems hotter.

Souvenirs? Different strokes for different folks, but my favorites are:

Papercuts (designs/pictures made from rice paper that is cut and painted to look like scenes, animals, etc. Great for framing, or scrapbooking.) If in Beijing, try Cathay Bookstore in Liulichang area... 2nd floor you can get packs of small papercuts for about $2 USD each.

Postcards - Again try Cathay Bookstore as they have lots of beautiful postcards of paintings and woodblock carving prints. Some of them are $1-$2 US for a pack of 8.

My favorite souvenir was pictures I got of myself in Peking Opera makeup: Peking Opera Photo Studio in Beijing.... Go to http://www.fmnz.com/jjjs.htm for more info. You can also order prints, stamps, other souvenirs with the pictures on them.

Shadow puppets- Made of leather/animal hide, they are puppets that are 1 dimensional silhouettes of different characters from Chinese literature/allegories... Very unique souvenir.

Also, why not pick up some souvenirs they're selling for the 2008 Olympics? I have some tote bags and notebooks....

Answer 3

In the early spring or fall. The weather can be unbearable in the summertime. I spent August & September in Shanghai and surrounding areas and the humidity was insane. As for Souvenirs, they can be found anywhere. Look for good deals on the streets and remember to heckle heckle heckle as they will do the same to you. If you can get your hands on a Chairman Mao little red communist book bring them back, they make great gifts!

Answer 4

Around Thanksgiving
- It is not holiday in China. Off-peak season. Cheaper for hotel and better server as places are less crowded. Not too cold yet.
- Good weather. Fall supposely to have less rainy day. Maybe a little cold in Beijing, but a light jacket is what I wear in Shanghai in last November.
- November is the season for "Big Binding Crab" in Shanghai. (Even most of these crabs are exported to HK.)

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Chinese New Year -
There are special events, but you pay more for everythiny, and it is crowded. Weather could be COLD.
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Apr to May is already right weather as November, but it is more rain in Spring.

Answer 5

Best time to visit Beijing and Shanghai is mid-April to early-June but avoid Golden Week - first week of May.

Best sourvenir is to bring your digital camera to take photos.
Send postcards home from where you visit.