Shanghai in October

October is a story about a single week. National Day starts on 1 October and runs seven days — Golden Week — during which roughly the entire country travels. The Bund at dusk that week is not a pleasant experience; the Yu Garden queue can run hours; hotels double or triple their rates.

After about the 8th, everything resets. Temperatures settle in the low twenties, humidity is low, skies are usually clear, and the crowds drop to shoulder-season levels. From mid-October to early December you get the best walking Shanghai offers in the whole calendar.

What is good about it

• Best weather of the year from the second week on
• Clear skies and excellent light for the Bund at dusk
• Autumn colour late in the month

Watch out for

• Golden Week, 1–7 October — genuinely avoid
• Prices peak; book far ahead even for the rest of the month
• Popular restaurants fill up even outside the holiday

What to bring

• Light layers — October days are warm, evenings cool
• A jacket for evenings by the river
• Nothing special otherwise — this is comfortable season

The verdict

The single best weather month. Skip the first seven days entirely and it is the best month of the year.