Golden Week is actually a two week vacation in China. While you may be used to choosing when to spend your vacation, in China, most factory, warehouse, and office workers receive their vacation at the same time so that the factory or office can close completely. This happens twice a year in what are known as golden weeks.
These weeks make headlines due to the great movement of people that accompanies them. He sees millions of migrant workers traveling home within China and wealthier Chinese going on vacations abroad. This combination adds up to more than 100 million people hitting roads, rails, and airports in just a few days. It is chaos. The rail system collapses with long lines and occasional disturbances, while tempers at airports are as short as the wait for tickets is long.
When is the golden week holiday
The first Golden Week in China is the Spring Festival. This is celebrated in January or February and is set around the Chinese New Year. The date moves every year because it is linked to the lunar cycle. This is the busiest of the two Golden Weeks, as almost all migrant workers will make an effort to return to their hometown or town and millions of overseas Chinese return home. Think of Christmas at the airport and then triple the number of people.
The second Golden Week, known as the National Day Golden Week, begins around October 1.
Should I travel to China during Golden Week?
Not ideal You will find that hotel rates are higher and flight prices have risen considerably. Some restaurants and some small family shops will be closed for part of the holidays, especially during the Golden Week of the Chinese New Year, while high-end restaurants will often be fully booked. You’ll also find exceptionally busy tourist attractions. The positive side is that there are often celebrations during these periods and a carnival atmosphere because people are on vacation.
If you decide to travel, it is best to arrive and depart outside of the Golden Week dates. The holidays start and end abruptly, and it is only on the first and last day of the week that the infrastructure has problems. If you travel on any of those days, expect to find people camped out outside bus stations and sitting on the roofs of trains. The government has been trying to solve the problem in recent years by easing restrictions and tolls on roads, but the impact has been limited.
Public transport in cities is generally fine.
Should I travel to Hong Kong during Golden Week?
Once the preferred destination for Chinese tourists, Hong Kong’s attraction has waned in recent years as the Chinese have become bolder with their vacation destinations. Still, the city is absolutely packed during Golden Week. The lines at Ocean Park and Disneyland are legendary, as are those outside the city’s posh shops.
You can also expect the high rollers to fill all the available seats within the best Macau casinos. Beyond the SARs, Hainan’s beaches tend to fill up with sun worshipers, while hot spots like Singapore and Bangkok will also be noticeably busier.
Golden weeks ahead
The future of China’s Golden Weeks is uncertain. The stress it puts on the Chinese transportation system, as well as the number of people arriving at the main sights, has seen the Chinese government mute the idea of breaking up the weeks and having extended vacations throughout the year. This would follow the Hong Kong system, where the holidays focus on more traditional festivals; like the Dragon Boat Festival and the Mid-Autumn Festival.
The problem with this idea is that short vacations will not give workers time to travel home, and any decision to stop Golden Weeks can cause widespread unrest.
