China Travel - advice needed?

I'm going to China in a couple of weeks visiting Beijing, Xian, Guilin, Yangshou, Yangzte River Cruise and finalll Shanghai. No sure what to pack as weather reports are unclear. Any ideas on clothing? weather etc?

Beijing and Xian will be chilly but Shanghai will be warm even at this time of year. Check this site just before you leave. http://www.wunderground.com and type your destinations in to the search box.

For the cruise take a pac-mac also great for quick changes and having secure, waterproof zipped pockets for tickets/money etc. I never travel without mine, small enough to pack in any daybag, or clip to your bag/belt etc.

Long sleeved t's are good as they can be used for layering in the North and can be rolled up in the south. Don't overpack, clothes are cheap in China if you stay away from international brands.

Shanghai you'll be able to wear tee- shirts already, if you're from the UK, currently 16-18 degrees C. Umbrella's are cheap, maybe 10 RMB for a small retractable one, but will probably only last a short time, but should keep the rain/Sun off you for the duration.

It can be wet at this time of year in the South, so check the long term forecasts and keep an eye on CCTV 9 while you are there for English news and weather, although it's very repetitive.

China is huge and it sounds like you are covering a lot of places, so the weather will be varied. Most of the large cities you named are extremely polluted, turning the sun into a dull glow and making the concrete cold.

Despite the cool weather, take lots of insect repellent for the cruise, I spent 3 months in that region and they can be bad!

Dha Zha Lan in Beijing is a nice budget travel area to stay, and Wng Fu Jing is a great tourist area to stroll around. If you walk all the way to the end of it, there is a large night market with crazy edibles like starfish, snakes, bugs, etc.

There are some articles on avoiding scams and China travel tips below:

As others have suggested, China is too big to give one answer. I can tell you that Guilin and Yangshuo are very humid at this time of year and the weather is very changeable. It is warm and wet today - tomorrow could be very different.

I find Yahoo's weather reports for the area to be most accurate. I have been living near Guilin for 13 years.

Shanghai has entered spring time, with temporature around 10-20 degrees centigrade this week. Suggest to check again with local guides or weather forcast before your arrival.

http://www.ourexplorer.com/tour-guide-jean-liu-1382.aspx

You will be encountering a variety of weather from cold to humid to hot. It will be better to have some warm clothes as well. Just check the weather of the cities at http://weather.yahoo.com/

[fabio2009]

You'd better go to China in June. The weather is good at that time.

[advance]

You will encounter a variety of weather as these cities are located all over the country.

I suggest bring clothes you can layer. You shouldn't need anything heavier than a sweater or a light jacket. Of course, if all else fails, you can always buy what you don't have as clothing isn't very expensive here.

Enjoy your trip!