A survival guide for Hangzhou's muggy Plum Rain season

Every year from mid-June to mid-July, Hangzhou enters its sultry Plum Rain Season. Named after the ripening plums, this period brings persistent drizzle, high humidity, and a pervasive clammy warmth that clings to the skin. For most of this season, the city fades into a soft, unrelenting mist. How to make the most of this unique time? We've put together a selection of activities and spaces that might just give you a reason to look forward to the rain.

Rain is nature’s best white noise. Find a cozy indoor spot — a café, a bookstore, or an exhibition — and let this season become an invitation to explore your inner world, or perhaps to meet someone new. Either way, it’s a chance to slow down.

XIAOFENG BOOKSTORE （晓风书屋）

（ Yuejian Xihu branch 阅见西湖店）

@小红书 阅见西湖-晓风书屋

Nestled beside West Lake, this space brings together books, coffee, and art exhibitions under one roof. Whether you're here to soak in the misty, ink-washed scenery that classical poets wrote of, enjoy a quiet afternoon tea, or wander through a cultural display, Xiaofeng Bookstore always has a place for you.

Address: No.184 Shuguang Road, Xihu District

Time: Daily 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Reservation: Not required

Xinwuji SPACE 新物集

@小红书 新物集Space

Spiraling corridors wind upward like a mountain path, with light and shadow weaving between the bookshelves. This space combines books, coffee, and board games. Come lose yourself in a book over a warm cup, team up with friends for a game, or simply explore the curved passageways and experience how light shifts across different angles and levels.

Address: Room 111, Floor 1, Biuling A, YOKAVERSE Cultural Park, No.308 Zhongchuang Road, Changhe Subdistrict , Binjiang District

Time: Tue-Sun 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Reservation: Not required

The dampness of the rainy season feels as though it seeps right into your bones. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) speaks of Shiqi — an excess of external moisture that can invade the body, potentially causing fatigue, heaviness, or digestive discomfort. That's why this season calls for special attention to inner balance. Here is a place where you can explore TCM culture and pick up some wellness tips along the way.

Fang Hui Chun Tang — Dragon Boat

Festival Trail

@小红书 方回春堂文创

As the rains arrive, so do the mosquitoes and bugs. During the Dragon Boat Festival, China has held the tradition of wearing fragrant sachets and hanging mugwort — natural herbs used to ward off insects and ill fortune — at the door since ancient time. You can also make your own sachet or mugwort door ornament on-site — functional, elaborate, and hands-on introduction to Chinese herbal culture.

Address: Fang Hui Chun Tang (Hefang Street) — No.117 Hefang Street, Shangcheng District (near Middle Zhongshan Road)

Time: 29 May to 30 June

Reservation: No required (only DIY sachet from 39 yuan)

If you just want to stay at home, a few simple remedies are worth trying:

Herbal foot soak: Add dried mugwort or fresh ginger to hot water and soak for 15-20 minutes before sleeping — a traditional method for dispelling cold and dampness.

Job’s tears and red bean water: Simmer the two together and drink warm — a classic everyday remedy for reducing excess and moisture in the body.

Mist and rain lend the landscape a quality that clear days simple cannot offer. If you don’t mind a light drizzle, pulling on a pair of comfortable shoes and head out into the hills, along the lake, into the version of Hangzhou that only shows itself in the rain. A note for the season: mosquitoes are active during the Plum Rain Season. Therefore, apply repellent before heading out, opt for light-colored long sleeves, and avoid lingering near standing water.

Liangzhu Civilization Trail

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Starting from Kangmen Reservoir, the route follows the lake’s edge through green hills and clear water before ascending into the trail proper. After a stretch of pleasantly steep climbing, the path opens onto the cloud ridge walkway — a stone staircase that winds along the mountain spine, with views stretching across terraced rice fields, forested ridge lines, and the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu Ancient City . At the summit, ancient farmland and modern city skyline share the same frame.

Address: No.15 Dongming Mountain Road, Yuhang District

Reservation: Not required

Yunqi Bamboo Path

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Hidden deeply in the western hills of West Lake, this is one of Hangzhou’s most celebrated hiking routes for fresh air and quiet. The path leads from Yunqi Bamboo Path through Zhenji Temple, up to Observation Pavilion, and on to Meijiawu Tea Village. Along the way, the dense bamboo, the ancient courtyard, rolling tea gardens, and clear streams are all around. In the rain, the drops fall heavy on broad dark leaves, and you find yourself absorbed in something that is at once nature and history.

Address: Yunqi Bamboo Path — No.8 South Meiling Road, Xihu District

Reservation: Entrance Ticket Required.

Rainy-Day Tips

Carry an umbrella or a light raincoat

Wear waterproof or non-slip footwear

Apply insect repellent before heading out

Keep your phone and camera dry

Journalist&editor: Chen Miaolin

Intern: Yu Xintong

Senor editor: Zhou Ji, Li Zheng

Source: Hangzhoufeel