Best time of year to visit Hong Kong:
Hong Kong’s climate throughout the year is pretty much hot and humid. If you are visiting Hong Kong from mid-September to November, you will experience the hot and wet season. However, in some years, the wet weather does not start until mid-October.
If you want to avoid the crowds and get some cooler and drier air while visiting Hong Kong, then your best time of year to visit would be during January thru to March (although at this time, there is a slight chance of getting some rain). This period is generally considered as Hong Kong’s autumn.
The months from June thru September are known as Hong Kong’s summer. Here you need to watch out for potential typhoons that could affect your trip, but if it were up to me, I’d go for just after Chinese New Year instead (late February or early March) when Hong comes alive with fireworks displays,
However, if you don’t mind the heat, humidity and want to save money on airfare, the best time of year to visit HK is from March thru June when prices are low, and lines are short at all attractions.
The second best time of year would be September thru early November as a compromise between lower line-ups, milder weather, and cost savings.
December through February can be very wet with strong winds, but hotels provide big discounts off normal rates. You might also get some snow on higher ground, such as Victoria Peak if it happens to snow that year.
Be aware that Hong Kong is a very crowded place and it gets even more crowded during Chinese New Year (Jan/Feb) and the July-Aug Holiday season. If you are after cooler weather, avoid these times as temperatures will be at their highest.
Hong Kong can also have cool breezes in the evening, so you may get cold if visiting the summer months — especially on higher ground such as Victoria Peak and other areas with good views over the harbor.
The air feels damper during autumn, compared to summer, yet rainfall is still high through November till January each year.
The best month to visit Hong Kong:
November – You can expect mild temperatures and slightly fewer crowds than the peak summer months of July & August. Expect to pay higher hotel rates, though, compared to other times of the year.
October is also a great time to visit Hong Kong as you will avoid the typhoon season and still enjoy comfortable weather. If you are after top-notch hotels with good discounts, this would be an ideal time to visit during the autumn months.
Hotels in Central start from around $300 for 2 people sharing. Peak summer prices would be about double that rate. Hence, it’s always best to book ahead at this time of year online (book early), or last-minute deals may have limited availability – especially on weekends and high-demand periods like the Chinese New Year.
February to April – Prices are higher than March & November – especially for public holidays like Chinese New Year (late January or early February). Only go if you want warmer weather and don’t mind higher hotel rates.
The best time of year to visit Hong Kong is during May and June, when the lowest rainfall occurs, less humidity, and shorter lines at most attractions.
Hong Kong’s wet season starts in mid-September, with a typhoon usually hitting the city by October so avoid visiting then unless you want very high winds speeds and rain chances almost daily. If you can bear this, though, then autumn would be an ideal time to experience amazing sunsets over Victoria Harbor, plus lower hotel prices compared to the summer months.
Months with least rainfall:
November – You can expect mild temperatures and slightly fewer crowds than the peak summer months of July & August. Expect to pay higher hotel rates, though, compared to other times of the year. October is also a great time to visit Hong Kong as you will avoid the typhoon season and still enjoy comfortable weather.
October is also a great time to visit Hong Kong as you will avoid the typhoon season and still enjoy comfortable weather. If you are after top-notch hotels with good discounts, this would be an ideal time to visit during the autumn months.
October is also a great time to visit Hong Kong as you will avoid the typhoon season and still enjoy comfortable weather. If you are after top-notch hotels with good discounts, this would be an ideal time to visit during the autumn months.
High tourist season:
July & August – Hong Kong’s summer season and typhoon time, so places like The Peak on a clear day may not be possible to visit. Airfares are very high too, but hotel prices will also rise to match the demand for staff-less hotels at this busy time.
Watch out for the long Chinese New Year holiday period when lines and crowds will be worst than usual. Most Mainland China floods into Hong Kong, causing major problems with backlogs in transport systems and massive delays getting access to attractions.
January & February – As mentioned earlier, December through February can be very wet with strong winds, but hotels provide big discounts off normal rates. You might also get some snow on higher ground, such as Victoria Peak if it happens to snow that year.
Be aware that Hong Kong is a very crowded place and it gets even more crowded during Chinese New Year (Jan/Feb) and the July-Aug Holiday season. If you are after cooler weather, avoid these times as temperatures will be at their highest.
Hong Kong can also have cool breezes in the evening, so you may get cold if visiting the summer months – especially on higher ground such as Victoria Peak and other areas with good views over the harbor.
The air feels damper during autumn, too, compared to summer, yet rainfall is still high through November till January each year.
September-October – Typhoons start to hit Hong Kong from September onwards but are usually far enough away not to cause too many problems. Temperatures remain comfortable, and you’ll get great views over the harbor on clear days from many of Hong Kong’s peaks, thus making these two months ideal for visiting. Hotel rates are much cheaper than summer seasons, so it’s a great time to go if you don’t like crowds or high hotel prices.
Low tourist season:
December – If you don’t mind the crowds from Mainland China flooding into Hong Kong during Chinese New Year, this is a great time to visit Hong Kong. It’s cooler than summer, and rainfall is usually at its lowest for the year too.
March & November – As mentioned earlier, these two months are some of the best times to visit between March till May or September until October.
Hotel prices start from around $300 per night, and room availability shouldn’t be a problem either as it is Hong Kong’s low season with fewer tourists, so hotel staff will still be on duty without many guests to look after.
Hotels will also provide good discounts at this time of year so online bookings should be cheaper than usual too.
Visit Hong Kong in Fall:
Oct – This is a great time to visit Hong Kong, simply because it’s not during the summer or winter months. Average temperatures are still comfortable, and rainfall chances are at their lowest for the year too. You can also get some of the best views over Hong Kong from any of its peaks, so this is definitely worth considering if you don’t like crowds or high hotel prices, especially when lower rates are available.
Visit Hong Kong in winter:
Jan & Feb – If you want to see Hong Kong when the weather is coldest, these two months should be great. Things will also return to normal after the busy shopping holiday period during the Chinese New Year. Temperatures drop below 10C on average, but it can get colder if visiting outlying islands or higher ground such as The Peak in winter (higher elevations of Victoria Peak will have more snow).
Hong Kong has some fantastic skyscraper hotels with good rooms and views over the harbor, so there’s plenty of choices!
Nov – Dec – This is a quiet time for Hong Kong before Christmas crowds arrive, simply because neither Europe nor America are flooding into Hong Kong yet. You’ll also avoid China’s main holiday season during November-January too. Things are more expensive than summer months, so hotel rates go up by about 30% or more, and availability will be lower.
Hong Kong’s climate is subtropical, meaning it has short, cool winters with almost daily rain showers from November till March and long, hot summers between April till October.
Temperatures remain warm year-round, with average January highs of 28C (82F) reaching 33C (92F) in July & August on hotter days. There may be a brief period when it can get slightly colder during the occasional cold spell, but this isn’t normally for longer than a week at a time every few years.
Hong Kong is a very crowded place, and it gets even busier during Chinese New Year and other national holidays, so it’s a good idea to avoid these times if you can.
Visit Hong Kong in the summer:
April – If you like hot weather, then summer is the time to go as it’ll be warm and sunny with only very occasional rainfall.
Temperatures reach highs of around 32C (90F) during May, but temperatures start dropping a little in June when humidity also begins to rise. You can still expect daily sunshine until about mid-September, when rains normally set in for the late summer months.
Visit Hong Kong in spring:
March & April – Spring is a great time to visit Hong Kong, with lower hotel rates and room availability than summer. It’s also less crowded as China starts to slow down after its main holiday season during October-December.
Temperatures remain comfortable for the whole day, but rainfall begins to pick up from May onwards, with the occasional typhoon around August that usually clears quickly.
Hong Kong has fantastic skyscraper hotels offering great views over the harbor, so there are some fantastic choices!
Weather in Hong Kong:
Jan – Feb: Although these are the coldest months, they can still be fairly warm and dry with good sunny spells during the day.
Temperatures on average reach highs of just 21C (70F) but can fall as low as 13C (55F) at night with a low humidity, which makes this a perfect time to visit Hong Kong if you don’t mind a bit of cold weather.
The drier weather is caused by strong north-easterly winds that blow in from Siberia so expect some chilly days!
Hong Kong’s climate is subtropical. Meaning summers are hot and humid with frequent heavy showers while winters get cool & damp with occasional rain & typhoons.
Hong Kong has fantastic skyscraper hotels offering great views over the harbor, so there are some fantastic choices!
Jul – Aug: Hong Kong gets very hot and humid during these two months, with daily temperatures around 30C (86F) all day. Expect high humidity, too, with occasional heavy rain showers.
Hong Kong has fantastic skyscraper hotels offering great views over the harbor, so there are some fantastic choices!
Avoid Hong Kong in late summer & autumn:
October – November: You’ll find hotel rates increase by around 20% over this time as more Chinese holidaymakers arrive to visit for National Day on October 1, plus mid-autumn festivals on Oct 15 & 16 that follow China’s main holiday season.
It can get crowded if you want to visit the Hong Kong Chinese New Year celebrations in January. If this is your first time in Hong Kong, it’s also not going to be very inspiring weather-wise as it gets cooler and can get a bit damp most days with occasionally heavy rain.
Hong Kong has fantastic skyscraper hotels offering great views over the harbor, so there are some fantastic choices!
Mar-Apr: Avoid these months if you want to enjoy sunny, blue skies with daily temperatures slowly warming up from cold winter lows into warm summer temperatures.
It can get crowded too during Easter when many Western tourists arrive for this popular holiday period. Temperatures reach average highs of only around 18C (64F) but are warmer than this on sunny days.
You can also check out Hong Kong’s official observatory for up-to-date weather information, plus the monthly rainfall.
Hong Kong has fantastic skyscraper hotels offering great views over the harbor, so there are some fantastic choices!
Dec – Jan: Winter usually starts in November and lasts until February, with milder temperatures welcome relief from the summer months. It can get cold at night, though, with temperatures dropping close to or below 10C (50F) during these two months.
Winter is normally very dry with low humidity, although showers begin to pick up by January with occasional typhoons around August. This is one of the better times to visit Hong Kong as hotel rates are lower than summer or autumn, plus it gets cooler but is not as cold as winter months in other parts of China.
Hong Kong has fantastic skyscraper hotels offering great views over the harbor, so there are some fantastic choices!
Conclusion
Visitors will find that Hong Kong’s climate is subtropical, meaning summers are hot and humid with frequent heavy showers while winters get cool & damp with occasional rain & typhoons. For those who want to enjoy the best of both worlds, winter months in China offer milder temperatures but can be cold at night. With so many great skyscraper hotels in Hong Kong, it’s no wonder why more visitors than ever before are making this their destination for travel! Happy travels!
