Month guide · Shanghai · China
Shanghai in May
What May is really like in Shanghai: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Another Believer, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
May is one of the best months to visit Shanghai. Expect average highs of 25°C (77°F), lows of 16°C (61°F), about 11 rainy days and roughly 13.7 hours of daylight. Warm and pleasant before the humidity builds; avoid the 1–5 May Labour Day holiday at the big sights.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 25°C (77°F) / 16°C (61°F)
- Rainy days
- About 11
- Daylight
- About 13.7 hours
- Crowds
- Busy
- Hotel prices
- High
Weather in May
May is the 5th-warmest month in Shanghai: days average 25°C (77°F) against a yearly average high of 21°C (70°F), and nights fall to about 16°C (61°F). Rain falls on roughly 11 of its 31 days. Compared with April (20°C (68°F)), May is warmer; by June highs climb to around 28°C (82°F).
- Sunrise (15 May)
- About 04:58
- Sunset (15 May)
- About 18:42
- Daylight
- About 13.7 hours
Spring (March–May). Blossom in parks, mild temperatures and comfortable walking, with drizzly spells in March and busy national holidays in early April and early May.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, May rates 4 for crowds (the peak is April at 4) and 4 for hotel prices (highest in April). Book accommodation early: May is one of the pricier months.
Events in May
- Labour Day holiday — heavy domestic travel (1–5 May)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in May
With frequent rain, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Museum · The Bund and People's Square
Shanghai Museum
Start with the bronze gallery on the ground floor, then take the lift to the ceramics and furniture rooms before the crowds build.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- History
- Art
- Free
- Rainy day
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Religious site · Jing'an
Jade Buddha Temple
This working monastery was founded in 1882 to house two jade Buddhas brought from Burma: a seated Buddha nearly two metres high and a smaller reclining Buddha.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Museum · Jing'an
Shanghai Natural History Museum
Book a weekday visit; school-holiday weekends are very busy.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Gallery · Huangpu riverside
Power Station of Art
China's first state-run contemporary art museum occupies a converted power plant on the 2010 Expo site, its 165-metre chimney still standing.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
What to pack
For highs near 25°C, lows near 16°C and 11 wet days: light layers for the day and a light jacket for the evening; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is May a good time to visit Shanghai?
One of the best months to visit Shanghai, with a notable event on the calendar. The other best months are April and October–November. Compare every month.
Shanghai in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is May a good time to visit Shanghai?
It is one of the best months to visit Shanghai. Warm and pleasant before the humidity builds; avoid the 1–5 May Labour Day holiday at the big sights.
+How warm is Shanghai in May?
Average highs are around 25°C (77°F) and lows around 16°C (61°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Shanghai in May?
Expect rain on about 11 days of the month.