(1)Best Travel Season
Dandong has a monsoonal variant of the humid continental climate, experiencing four separate seasons and no extreme temperatures. Warm and wet springs, humid and mild summers, cool and dry autumns, and cold and long winters make living in Dandong a comfortable experience. The best time to visit Dandong is from April to October.
In spring, temperature ranges from -3℃ to 7°C. When packing for a trip to Dandong in the spring, bring a coat and some layers so you can easily adapt to the changing weather.
Summer is the rainiest season in Dandong. Two-thirds of rain falls from June to September, at around 284mm per month. And from time to time, summer days will also see short heavy downpours. The average summer temperatures are favorable, ranging from 15°C to 24°C. July and August are the hottest months at 27°C. We recommend T-shirts and shorts for humid summer days.
Autumn in Dandong enjoys pleasant average temperatures ranging between 13°C to 23°C. Rainfall starts to drop in October, making autumn less humid and drizzly than summer.
Winter here is cold, without being very cold. Temperatures can drop below 0°C, but temperatures far below are not common. The city experiences its lowest temperatures in January, which sees downward of -7°C. We recommend packing a winter coat or a windbreaker to stay warm.
(2)Temperature
(3)Rainfall
Dandong is rainier than any other regions in Liaoning province. 70 percent of rain in Liaoning province falls in Dandong, bringing a total of 1000mm of precipitation annually. Each month from June to September sees around 284mm of precipitation.
(4)Festivals & Events
- Yalu River International Tourist Festival
Date: September
Location: Zhenzhu(Pearl) Park
Activities: The Yalu River International Tourist Festival, launched in 2000, is celebrated majorly at the Zhenzhu(Pearl) Park nearby the Yalu River Broken Bridge. The Yalu River flowing beside makes a great setup for the Festival which is one of the best festivals in Liaoning province. The festival is celebrated on a grand scale with various events which include street parades, concerts, and firework displays. The festival will show you all that you want to know about food and delicacies of this border city and surroundings. It is also a festival of culture and arts. The festival provides a huge platform for many forms of cultural expression with both traditional and modern features.
- Tianqiaogou Maple Festival
Date: late September – mid-October
Location: Tianqiaogou Park, Kuandian County, Dandong
Activities: Tianqiaogou Park is beautiful all year round, but especially during the autumn. The park is the best place in Dandong to witness autumn in its full glory. Maple trees look particularly dramatic as their leaves burst into flames. You can stop almost anywhere to take photos. Korean food and dance performance will also be offered by ethnic Koreans.
- International Bird Watching Festival
Date: April
Location: Yalu River Wetlands
Activities: The International Bird Watching Festival was launched in 2002 to attract public attention to wetland issues. The festival is held in the Yalu River Wetlands which accommodate 365 plant, 250 wild bird, and 76 fish species. Every spring, over 500,000 migratory birds, including black-mouth gulls and black-faced spoonbills and other endangered species, flock to the park within the estuary wetlands. No wonder the wetlands are praised by bird experts from China and abroad as the “best option for bird watching.”