China: A Summer Survival Guide

How to make the most of China this summer without succumbing to heat-stroke.

For anyone living in the northern half of the Middle Kingdom, it is hard to believe that it’s already May and the temperature is only struggling to reach “short-sleeves weather” during the daytime. For the south, however, the days have already started to get warm and those thoughts of shivering without central heating last winter are all but a fleeting memory.

Whatever the case, any seasoned expatriate living in China can attest to the fact that when summer starts in earnest, everyone will be longing for some relief from the heat that will envelope most of the country. So, to make it through the summer and still be able to enjoy the long days ahead, here is a survival guide. 

A Quick Introduction

If you arrive to China in springtime, the weather can seem temperate and pleasant. But be warned: May’s weather is extremely deceptive. The cool windy days, followed by a week of subtle warmth and the occasional rain showers, may give newcomers the illusion that China can’t possibly get too hot. Then, the heat and humidity arrive.

Preparation and resourcefulness are the keys to coping, and even enjoying the hot season in China. 

Know Your Limits

To avoid spending the next three months with sweat dripping off of your nose, you must firstly evaluate your own limits. Expats hailing from cool climates, or who have never experienced real humidity are often in for a shock; what’s more, they may end up trapped indoors in front of the air-conditioner, which can really take the fun out of being in China.

For this reason, anyone who hasn’t finished booking their trip should do some research on the planned destination’s typical summer weather patterns and then decide if they can handle it. If the results look scary, it may be possible to rearrange the itinerary or location to either a cooler time of year or a more northerly location (particularly for short-term language/cultural exchange students).

The same principle of knowing your limits can apply to outdoor activities. Taking on a 70 kilometer bike ride through lush rice fields sounds amazing, but attempting it in 39°C weather with 85 percent humidity could be a disaster, and easily ruin the rest of the weekend due to heat exhaustion. 

Keep Cool and Carry On

This philosophy applies to almost any situation, but during the summer in China it takes on a literal meaning.

Convenience store ice cream bars (and the super cold, free air-conditioning inside) will do wonders when in need of a quick cool down. Ducking into every air-conditioned shop you see, however, is not a long term solution, thus more drastic measures are in order.

Another good idea is to learn to read your air-conditioner remote control’s Chinese character labeling. Even for fresh arrivals this is not as hard as it sounds, and there is even a cheat sheet that can be downloaded here.

If your residence compound, gym or school campus has a swimming pool, or your company provides access to a health club or resort, then your summer chill location is already sorted.

For less fortunate souls who don’t automatically have access to a cool, clean body of water to splash about in, many gated neighborhoods and upscale hotels allow day access to their pool facilities for a daily fee. These often include use of their gym, locker rooms and showers.

Though few and far between, there may even be a decent beach (note the term “decent,” as China’s beaches are not great but will do in a pinch) that is relatively close and convenient. Just don’t assume that because a particular city is near the ocean there will actually be a beach suitable for swimming. As an example: Shanghai (上海) translates to ‘on the sea,’ but there are certainly no beaches to speak of.

Worst case scenario, a few expats have even resorted to an inflatable kiddie pool on their patio filled up by hand with a bucket or garden hose, although the refreshment of the cool water may be sullied by the disappointing feeling of having to stoop to such lows just to feel comfortable.

Know the Dress Code

While the rule of thumb for winter is to dress in layers, in summer most people adopt the ‘less is more’ mentality. This doesn’t mean walking around half-naked, but rather wearing light, breathable materials. Thankfully, China has clothing markets able to whip up an entire tailor-made linen wardrobe in a day or two at very reasonable prices, as long as you are willing to bargain.

Even most business professionals note that the office dress code is considerably more relaxed as the mercury rises, since the positive impact of a dark suit and tie loses its appeal when the wearer is a sweaty mess. 

Start Drinking More

Most new China expats confess a noticeable increase in their consumption of alcohol, but this is not what we are encouraging. During the summer, you must drink more water, even if you are not sweating.

For sure, sitting outside in the evening enjoying a frosty beer with friends after the heat of the day has passed is a great way to celebrate surviving another of China’s hot ones. But this should only be done following several glasses of water during the day.

For anyone spending time outside on a hot and humid day, a good rule is to drink one liter or more of water per hour, depending on exertion levels. And don’t forget about the kids, since they can get dehydrated even faster than adults. 

Use Sunscreen and Wear a Hat

Sunscreen is not really a way to keep cool, but anyone who has ever had a severe sunburn can attest to the days of misery that it can bring on. Plus, being outside in the heat with sunburned is awful. Lastly, while melanoma (skin cancer) is the most common type of cancer worldwide, it is fairly preventable by protecting exposed skin. 

Plan an Escape

When all the heat and humidity gets to be too much, just be willing to admit it and go take a cool shower. Or, better yet, get out of the heat all together for a few days. Even inside China there are plenty of cool-weather places that beg to be explored year round.

Kunming is famous for being the City of Eternal Spring. Thanks to its higher elevation, the city stays cool in summer, and because of its southerly location also never gets very cold in winter.

Other cool summer locations in China include just about any place with a high elevation, such as Tibet, Qinghai or Sichuan; or head to inner Mongolia for the cool air blowing down from the Arctic.

Conclusion

There is no avoiding the fact that most of China gets hot in summer, but the Chinese have survived 5,000 summers so far and will make through this one too. There is really nothing to fear. Just take the necessary precautions and pace yourself. All too soon, it will be fall and we all will be missing the warmth once again.