Where to Escape the Crowds in China Around Labor Day — May Day

Good, scenic and somewhat exotic things to do in China are good to escape the crowds of touring people during the May Day holidays (May 1-5, 2021).

The Labor Day Holidays

Labor Day is a public holiday in China. Crowds are expected in many scenic spots. To avoid facing huge crowds and congested transportation, it might be best to choose some less-traveled routes for a quieter and less crowded Labor Day vacation.

12 Best Places to Escape the Crowds during Labor Day

1. Explore the Vast Land of Tibet

The Potala Palace

Known as the roof of the world, Tibet is remote and has a harsh climate. However, these forge its breathtaking highland scenery.

The culture, nature, and people there are reasons for you to pay a visit to Tibet at least once in your lifetime.

• Explore Ani Tsankhung Nunnery — a quiet but active convent, where females study Buddhism
• Discover the loneliest lamasery on a Lake Yamdrok Island
• Learn to cook a traditional Tibetan meal

Recommended Tours

• 8-Day Lhasa to Everest Base Camp Tour — Pilgrimage to the Roof of the World
• 5-Day Lhasa Classics and Lake Yamdrok Tour — Lhasa Highlights and Holy Lake
• 4-Day Lhasa Highlights Comfort Tour — Capture the Spirit of Lhasa

All our tours can be customized. The itinerary can be adjusted according to your group size, time, budget, interests, and other requirements. Just contact us.

2. Discover the Hidden Treasure along the Silk Road — Zhongwei

Zhongwei

Zhongwei is located in the southern edge of the Tengger Desert — the fourth largest desert in China. The Yellow River runs through the city.

Zhongwei has been covered by the light of Dunhuang and Zhangye before. In recent years, however, Zhongwei began to be seen for its wonderful desert experiences.

• Experience dune bashing, sand sledding, camel trekking, and sheepskin rafting in Shapotou.
• Enjoy a starry night in the desert tent
• Relax in a hotel with the perfect balance of wilderness and luxury
• Enjoy wine tasting and an organic lunch in peace with a view of the vineyard.

Recommended tour: 3-Day Zhongwei Desert Tour with Winery Experience — A Sip of Desert Wilderness

3. Take It Easy in Wild Tropical Xishuangbanna

Xishuangbanna

Compared with Dali, Lijiang, and Shangri-La in Yunnan, Xishuangbanna will have fewer tourists. The Dai people are like Thais and are warmer and friendly.

There are not a lot of exciting things to do there, but that is the attraction: you can enjoy a quiet and relaxing holiday in the tropics without the crowds.

• Discover amazing plants in a tropical botanical garden
• Visit a local and peaceful Dai village and learn how to make a beautiful paper with some flowers
• Meet lovely animals in a forest park: red pandas, deer, lazy lorises, and rhinoceroses

Recommended tour: 6-Day Xishuangbanna and Pu'er Tour — Escape to the Rainforest

4. See Tibetan Villages and Plateau Scenery in Western Sichuan

Bipenggou Valley

Western Sichuan is a high-altitude Tibetan region where Chinese tour groups don't usually go. The majority of the population is Tibetan, and other minorities live there too. May is one of the best months for travel since flowers bloom at this time.

• Hike in Bipeng Valley and appreciate the azaleas there
• Go horse riding on a vast grassland
• Explore the only royal Tibetan temple in Garze
• Stay overnight in a Tibetan village

Recommended tours:

• 4-Day Western Sichuan Tibetan Spring Tour from Chengdu
• 6-Day Sichuan Adventure Tour from Chengdu
• 9-Day Panoramas of Western Sichuan Tour
• 5-Day Northern Sichuan Tibetan Tour

All our tours can be customized. Contact us to create a trip for your spring break according to your group size, time, budget, interests, and other requirements.

5. Explore the Remote Far West to Xinjiang

Kashgar Old City

In general, Chinese don't go on holidays to Xinjiang Province in western China except to the eastern portion around Urumqi and Heavenly Lake. Most of the far west of Xinjiang is off the beaten path such as Kashgar.

• Pay a visit to the Id Kah Mosque, the biggest mosque in China.
• Visit the captivating Kashgar Old City
• Learn to cook a local meal from a Uyghur family
• Take Instagrammable photos at Karakuli Lake, a sparkling glacial lake

Recommended Tours

• 7-Day Xinjiang Silk Road Highlights Tour
• 11-Day Tour from Xian to Kashgar

6. Take a Cozy Yangtze River Cruise

The Yangtze River Cruise

The Yangtze River is one of the best options to escape crowds in holidays, where you can enjoy a relatively quiet and relaxing time. The plants on the mountains and high cliffs along the Yangtze River are verdant.

Contact us if you want to book a Yangtze River Cruise.

7. Explore an Idyllic Mythical Kingdom — Gannan

Zhagana

Chinese National Geographic named Gannan "the Little Tibet". There are gorgeous mountains, valleys, gorges, ancient towns, and cultures. Compared with some popular cities like Huangshan and Zhangjiajie, there are fewer tourists in Labor Day.

Recommended tour: 6-Day Xiahe, Langmusi and Zhagana Tour

8. Hike in Baoshan Stone Village in Lijiang

If you look for a place to escape crowds in Yunnan during Labor Day, a Baoshan Stone Village's hiking is highly recommended to get close to nature and feel the vitality of spring.

Houses in the village are all made of natural stones by its Naxi inhabitants. Hike there for quaint architecture, rice terraces and fresh air. May is its most beautiful season. If you are interested in it, contact us.

9. Visit Minority Villages in Guizhou

Wanfenglin in Guizhou

Guizhou has many mountainous areas. Many minority villages are nestled in mountains and valleys where there are fewer people to visit. These minorities have retained many of their own traditions.

Paying a visit to these villages is a better choice to get away from the hustle and bustle. In addition, you could appreciate its special Karst landscape and explore the secret of Maotai baijiu.

• Experiment with the oldest way to make paper, using vegetable fiber in the minority village
• Discover China's last gun-tribe and observe how traditionally they cut hair with a sickle
• Hike through the hills and view breathtaking rice terraces between the clouds

Recommended Tours

• 5-Day Kunming, Luoping, and Wanfenglin Spring Tour
• 6-Day Diverse Minority Adventure
• 8-Day Guilin, Yangshuo and Guizhou Relaxation Tour
• 10-Day Natural Wonder Discovery, on UNESCO's List

10. Have Fun in Anji Bamboo Forest

Cliff Swinging in Anji Bamboo Forest

If you are looking for a quieter place to enjoy a holiday, especially for families, around Shanghai or Hangzhou, you could take Anji Bamboo Forest into consideration.

As the name suggests, Anji Bamboo Forest has a large bamboo sea, about the size of 100 football fields. You can take a relaxing hike in the bamboo forest, feel the fresh air and enjoy the pleasant natural surroundings.

Recommended tour: 2-Day Weekend Getaway to Anji Bamboo Forest

11. Explore the Maritime Silk Road — Quanzhou

Quanzhou

Quanzhou, just 20 minutes by bullet train from Xiamen, is often missed by tourists.

Quanzhou was the starting point of the Maritime Silk Road. It was also the largest oriental port in the middle ages. Although the glory of the past is no longer, it retains the traditional Minnan (southern Fujian) cultural charm.

Recommended tour: 3-Day Quanzhou Tour with Anxi Oolong Tea Experience

12. Pay a Visit to Chaoshan District

Chaoshan Food

Chaoshan District include Chaozhou and Shantou. Most tourists are coming for its delicious Chaoshan food, so there will be relatively few people in the scenic spots.

Chaoshan not only has delicious food, but also a lot to explore: it's brilliant history, distinctive folk customs…

• Go to Baishi Garden — an intangible cultural heritage base — to see various exhibitions of traditional crafts and try Chaozhou embroidery yourself
• Taste Chaozhou kung fu tea and watch Chaozhou opera in a teahouse in Chaozhou Old Town
• Relax in Nan'ao Island and learn about the life of an island fisherman

Recommended tour: 3 Days Chaozhou and Shantou Tour

Book Your Trip on Labor Day with Us

Bungee Jumping in Zhangjiajie

Don't worry about crowds if you want to explore some popular destinations on Labor Day such as Yunnan, Zhangjiajie, and Guilin. Our tours will arrange some interesting hidden routes away from the crowds.

• Yunnan: Hike on a hidden track up Lijiang's Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, visit a non-public dormitory of Songzanlin Monastery in Shangri-La, taste home-cooked cuisine in a Bai lady's home…
• Zhangjiajie: Try bungee jumping off the Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge, bike around the beautiful and non-touristy side of Tianmen Mountain, enjoy the scenery on an off-the-beaten track route…
• Guilin: Try a 2-hour via ferrata (cable-protected cliff climb), have an adventurous ATV driving experience, explore a "mysterious" limestone cave…

Recommended tours:

9-Day Yunnan Family Tour

5-Day Dynamic Zhangjiajie Tour

5 Days Guilin Tour with Moderate Hiking

See more China Tours for your vacations.

Our tours are customizable Contact us to create a trip for your spring break according to your group size, time, budget, interests, and other requirements.