Month guide · Beijing · China
Beijing in August
What August is really like in Beijing: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: N509FZ, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
August is a quieter month with trade-offs. Expect average highs of 30°C (86°F), lows of 21°C (70°F), about 11 rainy days and roughly 13.7 hours of daylight. Still hot and humid with storms; museums and palaces are busy with domestic family travel.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 30°C (86°F) / 21°C (70°F)
- Rainy days
- About 11
- Daylight
- About 13.7 hours
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in August
August is the 3rd-warmest month in Beijing: days average 30°C (86°F) against a yearly average high of 18°C (64°F), and nights fall to about 21°C (70°F). Rain falls on roughly 11 of its 31 days. Compared with July (31°C (88°F)), August is about as warm; by September highs drop to around 26°C (79°F).
- Sunrise (15 August)
- About 05:26
- Sunset (15 August)
- About 19:12
- Daylight
- About 13.7 hours
Summer (June–August). Hot and humid with most of the year's rain in thunderstorms; lotus ponds bloom and family crowds peak.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, August rates 4 for crowds (the peak is April at 4) and 4 for hotel prices (highest in April). Book accommodation early: August is one of the pricier months.
Events in August
August has no major recurring festival in Beijing, which usually means easier bookings.
What to do in August
With frequent rain, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Gallery · Chaoyang
798 Art Zone
A complex of 1950s factories built with East German help, with saw-tooth roofs, now converted into galleries, studios, design shops and cafés.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Art
- Free
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Historic site · Haidian
Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan)
Visit in July when the lotus ponds bloom, and combine it with the Summer Palace about 3 km away.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Outdoors
- Off the beaten path
- Photo spot
Architecture · Chaoyang
Olympic Green
The 2008 Olympic park holds the steel lattice of the National Stadium, known as the Bird's Nest, and the bubble-clad National Aquatics Center, the Water Cube.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Architecture
- After dark
- Free
- Kids
Zoo · Xicheng
Beijing Zoo
See the pandas in the morning when they are most active, before midday heat or crowds.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Nature
What to pack
For highs near 30°C, lows near 21°C and 11 wet days: light, breathable clothes, a sun hat and high-factor sunscreen; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is August a good time to visit Beijing?
A quieter month with trade-offs. If your dates are flexible, April–May and September–October are better overall. Compare every month.
Beijing in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is August a good time to visit Beijing?
It is a quieter month with trade-offs. Still hot and humid with storms; museums and palaces are busy with domestic family travel.
+How warm is Beijing in August?
Average highs are around 30°C (86°F) and lows around 21°C (70°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Beijing in August?
Expect rain on about 11 days of the month.