A warm, wet climate

The yearly average temperature in the south of the country is a tolerable 26°C/79°F, but this does not reflect the heat and humidity of the long summer, which can stretch from April to October. There are also frequent typhoons (‘great wind’ in Cantonese) between May and November, which can lash the region with great ferocity, disrupting transport and other local amenities. With frequent precipitation and long hours of sunshine, however, the region has ideal year-round growing conditions.

The delta wetlands and the low-lying Luizhou coastal plain, including Hainan Island, are especially fertile and support abundant rice crops as well as other staple foods such as corn and peanuts. The sub-tropical climate, regular rainfall and sunshine found here also allow crops such as tea, tobacco, sugar cane, bananas, pineapples, oranges, tangerines, longans and lychees to grow in profusion. Some of these fruits are incorporated into local dishes, adding a sweet note.