How to Get a Good Travel Experience in the Crowded Chinese Holidays

After two years of prevention and control of Covid-19, China's tourism has gradually recovered. Expect for some high-risk places, cross-province tours in many cities are allowed.

For office workers, they usually have no extra time to travel except holidays. However, traveling on holidays will face a large number of people in various places, and the transportation and hotel costs are high. This article will share with you some travel tips about how to avoid crowds, prevent being deceived, and get a cost-effective travel. As long as you are well prepared and take our advice below, you can also have a pleasant tour on Chinese holidays. 

Preparation before departure 

1. Transportation 

The travel transportation that many people would recommend is by air, but we don’t think so. First of all, the waiting halls of both the airport and the railway station are crowded on holidays, and you all need to queue for security, check-in, boarding, etc. Second, it will take too much time on the way to and from the airport. Finally, the price of flying on holidays will be very high. If your travel destination is not too far away from your home, we recommend you choose high-speed rail. Of course, choosing to fly by plane is a more comfortable way when your budget is sufficient.

We think the more important point than choosing transportation is to confirm that you have a ticket. Simply put, you must book the round-trip ticket in advance. Avoiding the peak period on the first and last day of the holiday, tickets are usually available. In addition, arrive at the airport or railway station earlier than usual to avoid emergencies. 

2. Reservations of attractions 

During the epidemic, basically all scenic spots need to make a reservation in advance in order to limit the number of people. You should make an online appointment with all the attractions you want to visit before departure to prevent you from being unable to get in. For example, Hunan Provincial Museum, generally need to start booking 7 days in advance. And the popular site – the Forbidden City is even harder to get a ticket on holidays. 

3. Hotel 

As everybody knows that hotel room rates on holidays will be much higher than usual. During the two Golden Weeks of National Day and Spring Festival, the price is even higher than you can imagine. What kind of hotel should you book so that you can stay in a comfortable hotel within the budget? Remember the selection order: Five-star hotels → Chain express hotels → Privately run hotels → B&Bs.

The usual price of five-star hotels is not low, but the price increase will not be too much during holidays, generally 35%-45%. The global five-star hotel groups has their own controllable price system, and the hotel service quality is first-class. Those with ample budget can give priority to five-star hotels (i.e., Shangri-la Hotel in many cities). 

Different from five-star hotels, there are many chain hotels of the same brand (i.e., Holiday Inn Express) in one city, so the price increase will be related to the location. The chain express hotels located in the center of the city will have higher price increases than those located slightly away from the central area. And hotel services and facilities can be well guaranteed.

The last selection is privately run hotels and B&Bs. These hotels attract more tourists with their unique decoration style and friendly service. The hotel is priced at will by the operator, so the price will be 2-3 times or more than usual. In addition, most of the guests staying on holidays, the hotel staff will not be so professional in handling emergencies. 

4. Required documents 

Foreign nationals currently travelling in China need to prepare relevant documents, such as ID card, passport, green health code, even COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Testing report according to local policy. 

During Traveling 

1. Visiting Time Differs from Tour Groups  

Avoiding the tour groups is the most direct way. Due to the large number of travel groups, they must have enough time to see the site and then break for lunch. So if you arrive right when the gates open (for traditional tour sites) or at sunrise (for scenic spots), you’ll beat out the big crowds. The same goes for staying late into the evening, or in lunch and dinner time. 

2. Go Beyond the Most Popular Areas of an Attraction 

Generally, tour groups arrive at a particular tourist destination for the sole purpose of taking a picture at a designated spot. And they rarely wander far from their bus, their group or the main path.

Getting away from this large group of people is often as simple as just walking or hiking deeper into a particular location. Like some places in the city corner with few tourists know (i.e. Instead of visiting crowded Yuyuan Garden by wandering around the old neighborhoods nearby, you'll get a feel for the authentic Shanghai), or hike on where near the main viewing area to experience a more complete beauty (i.e. Hiking the whole route around Tiger Leaping Gorge, you can see the origin full beauty of it).

Don’t be afraid to miss the best spots because you’ll often be rewarded with something few tourists find: peace and quiet. 

3. Do not go popular cities 

Do Not choose the most popular cities on the golden week holiday, such as Chengdu, Chongqing, Sanya, Xi'an, Shanghai, Beijing, etc. The further west you travel, the fewer tourists you’ll run into. Places like Gansu, Xinjiang, Qinghai and Western area of Sichuan are home to incredible history (i.e. Silk Road ruins), fascinating ethnic cultures (i.e. Tibetan, Hui, Uyghur, etc.) and breathtaking scenery.

Try not to go to seaside cities where will be a large number of people in the sea and on the beach. The fishing season starts in early September, and all kinds of seafood are big and delicious. October is the best time to go. But remember, it is also the time for local seafood sellers to make money. You will definitely be shocked by the seafood's high price.  

4. About Dining 

If you are staying in a five-star hotel, the quality, service and environment of dining in the hotel are undoubtedly the first choice.

If you want to taste some local snacks on the street, Do Not go to commercial food street, because those are not tasty and crowded. You can ask the hotel staff for some local advice.

If you’re as lazy as I’m looking for food, ordering takeaway online is the best choice. Believe me, most local gourmet restaurants will have online take-out service. If you don’t know how to use takeaway app, ask the hotel staff for help. 

Return Home 

Do not return on the last day of the holiday when is the peak of the return journey. Whether it’s a plane or a train, try to choose a flight or train earlier in the morning to avoid crowds. 

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