Fenghuang is at its best in autumn (September-October) and spring (April-May). The light in autumn is warm and the crowds are smaller after Golden Week; spring brings flowering trees and green river reflections before the summer heat arrives. Summer (June-August) is hot and humid and the town is at its most crowded; the evenings are still pleasant.
Avoid Chinese national holidays (especially the Golden Week in October and the Spring Festival in January-February) if possible — the town can receive tens of thousands of visitors per day at peak, and the experience of walking through shoulder-to-shoulder crowds in a small historic town is not enjoyable. Midweek visits at any time of year are significantly quieter than weekends.