The best time to see the Yuncheng Salt Lake in full colour is June through September, when the microbiological activity peaks and the water turns red and pink. The spectacle is most vivid in July and August but those months are also hot — temperatures regularly reach 37–38°C in the basin. Early morning visits in summer avoid the worst heat and also provide the most saturated colours before the midday haze.
Spring (April–May) is pleasant for visiting the Yongle Palace and Guandi Temple without summer crowds or heat. The Yongle Palace murals look their best in the soft diffuse light of overcast spring mornings, when the colours are most readable without the contrast of direct sunlight.