Tips & Answers · Community post
How to avoid Labour Day as a tourist in China?
joyboicartiShared Aug 25, 2026Together with two friends I want to do a one-month vacation in China from mid-April to mid-May 2027. From May 1–5 there will be celebrations for Labour Day in China and honestly I have heard crazy things about the experience as a tourist during that holiday.
What places can I visit to completely avoid overcrowded cities, sights and long queues?
Does anybody have experience of how crowded the common spots are a few days after the holiday?
Unfortunately I do not know much about lesser-known areas in China that are worth a visit. For context, we are students: we do not need expensive 4–5 star accommodation, and we are fine with cheaper or more rural areas as long as there are beautiful things to see and explore.
Comments (1)
During China’s major short-holiday periods in May and October, the easiest way to avoid the biggest crowds is to stay put in one city and skip travelling out of town. It is even better if you pick a city that is not heavily tourism-focused.
If you end up in a popular tourist city, steer clear of scenic spots. Instead, spend a few days in downtown shopping malls, city parks and coffee shops. Since you have plenty of travel days to spare, losing a couple of sightseeing days will not matter much.
You cannot completely escape crowds anywhere, but downtown city centres can be relatively less crowded during these holidays because many residents head out of town for trips.