Quanzhou is visitable year-round, with the coast moderating temperatures compared to the interior. Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) are the most comfortable seasons. The Lantern Festival in the 15th day of the first lunar month (typically February) is Quanzhou's most important festival, when lantern merchants along the old streets compete to display the most elaborate creations — a tradition dating to the Tang dynasty and listed as UNESCO intangible cultural heritage. The city fills with visitors during this period; book accommodation well in advance. Summer is hot and humid, with occasional typhoons in July and August.