If you are planning a trip to China you should know about the dates to avoid when traveling, or you may find that everywhere you go is full of crowds, like 1) National Day week Oct. 1–7, 2) Labor Day week May 1–7, and 3) the Chinese New Year Period in January/February.
Crowding is understandable as there are more than 1.3 billion people living in China. In the holidays, more and more Chinese people leave their homes and go traveling, leading to transport difficulties, price rises, and overcrowding.
Dates to Avoid Summary Table
| Holiday | Dates in 2017 | Attractions | Transportation | Travel Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Day Holiday | October 1–7 | Very crowded | Very crowded | Very high |
| New Year | January 1–3 | Crowded | Crowded | Normal price |
| Tomb-Sweeping Day | April 2–4, 2017 | Crowded | Crowded | Normal price |
| Labor Day | May 1 | Crowded | Crowded | High |
| The Dragon Boat Festival | May 28–May 30, 2017 | Crowded | Crowded | Normal price |
| The Mid-Autumn Festival | October 4, 2017 | Crowded | Crowded | Normal price |
| Chinese New Year | January 27–February 2, 2017 February 15–21, 2018 |
Quiet | Over capacity | Low |
| Tibet closure to foreign travelers | February to March | Closed | – | – |