The island is worth visiting year-round, but the three peak Buddhist festival periods — the nineteenth day of the second, sixth, and ninth lunar months, which mark Guanyin's birthday, enlightenment, and renunciation respectively — draw enormous crowds and require advance accommodation booking. Outside these periods, autumn (October to November) offers the best combination of weather and manageable crowds.
Summer is warm and humid, but sea breezes keep the island cooler than the mainland cities. Spring is pleasant but foggy. Winter is quiet and occasionally cold; the monasteries are active but the ferries run on a reduced schedule and some guesthouses close. Typhoon season runs from June through September and can disrupt ferry services for a day or two at a time.