Weather: In October the temperature drops to a larger extent, and the month sees little rainfall. The weather is pleasant with generally sunny days and minimal cloud cover. This is ideal tourism weather!
There is only about 35 mm of rainfall, about the same as in November, December, and January. The average minimum temperature is 20 °C (68 °F), and the average maximum temperature is 27 °C (81 °F). The average wind speed is at its highest at 14 kph (9 mph). See the current weather and forecast>>
Clothing: You might need a jacket for the cool evenings and mornings. The average, daily ultraviolet radiation level is very high, so on sunny days, wear a hat and a pair of sunglasses.
Things to Do
October is in the dry and sunny fall and winter season. At this time, you can enjoy shopping in the market streets and the outdoor attractions.
Enjoy a Lu River boat trip: You can enjoy a trip on the Lu River night on a warm October evening. While enjoying drinks or something to eat, see the sights and the lights. This would be a prime way to relax in the evening during a business trip or a tour and see the local highlights. You'll see the Haicang Bridge, Gulangyu Garden, Yanwu Bridge, or Xiamen Shipyard depending on the route.
The region was one of China's first special economic zones, and the city is known for the good quality food at the expat-oriented restaurants, and the general environmental quality. It is one of China's cleanest cities.
Shuzhuang Garden, Gulangyu IslandEvening at Gulangyu Island: Another place to go for a nice dinner, scenery, and a break is this small island that is five minutes from Xiamen by ferry. It is known for good restaurants, Chinese tea shops, and cafes. There are garden areas and narrow alleys with colonial buildings. There is also seashore scenery. It's an ideal place to stroll around and relax.
Climb up Sunlight Rock: For a short hike, and to see the scenery around Gulangyu Island and Xiamen, climb up this small hill, also called Dragon Head Hill. It is the highest point on Gulangyu Island, and there is a Buddhist temple and an unusual rock outcrop. A cable car services the peak, so you might want to ride that instead. The hill also features a garden and an aviary.
Mid-Autumn Festival
Mid-Autumn Festival lanternsMid-Autumn Festival: The second biggest Chinese holiday falls in early October during 1/6 of the years, when it coincides with the National Holiday week from October 1 to 7, and this usually results in an extended super holiday week. According to the lunar calendar, the Mid-Autumn Festival is on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month. This day is usually in September around the time of the autumn equinox.
A customary event for the holidays is "Mooncake Gambling". The moon cakes feature the fruits and nuts of the season, and they are their favorite festival food. If you arrive around the Mid-Autumn Fest, enjoy the moon cakes and some beverages by the Lu River. Hopefully, a bright harvest moon will brighten up the river with silver shimmers.
High Travel Season
October is one of the busiest tourism and travel months due to the fine weather and the National Holiday week that extends from October 1 to October 7. If the Mid-Autumn Festival also falls in the month, then expect another surge in tourism and travel around that date. If you book your flight and train tickets through us in advance, we might be able to find you a discount and deliver the tickets to you conveniently. Why wait in line at stations just to get tickets?
Hotel rates are high during this season also, and rooms might be difficult to reserve, but by our long experience in the area, we can help you book a hotel room you'll like and perhaps even find a discount. We can help you arrange an enjoyable tour with fine meals.
Popular Tours to Xiamen
Wuyi MountainsIf you are planning a Xiamen tour, please see our recommended tours below for inspirations:
- 3-Day Xiamen Essence and In-Depth Fujian Tulou Tour - Relaxed Weekend Tour
- 5-Day Xiamen, Tulou and Wuyi Mountain Tour - Cultural and Scenic Tour
Not interested in the above tours? Just tell us your interests and requirements, China Highlights will tailor-make you a perfect Xiamen tour.
Take advantage of the newly-opened bullet trains between Hong Kong, Guangzhou and Xiamen. You can travel between Hong Kong and Xiamen in only four hours at 200 kilometers per hour, and it is worth doing just for the novelty; and it is about 5 times cheaper than a flight. You can modify as per your interests to include Hong Kong, Macau, and Shenzhen too.