2024 China travel calendar for you!
It has now been almost 10 months since China fully reopened its borders to foreign visitors. Are you looking for a new adventure in China to start your 2024? An intriguing mix of man-made sights and astonishing natural wonders, where skyscrapers rub shoulders with temples and gardens, China is as diverse as it is fascinating. Intriguing, mysterious and a world away from the West, China tours are a joy to experience. Based on feedback from our travel consultants and clients, we have created a travel calendar to help you plan your trip to China. In order to provide you with a smooth trip at a better price, we recommend that you start planning your itinerary one to two months before your departure date.
Chinese New Year (10 February 2024 – 17 February 2024)
Chinese New Year is the most important festival in China, when everyone usually has a week’s holiday. It is traditionally a time to gather with family and pay respect to the heavenly deities and ancestors. Our ski holiday packages are the most popular winter getaways every year. Yabuli Ski Resort in Heilongjiang Province and Wanda Changbaishan International Resort in Jilin Province are two popular destinations for expats. They have great facilities, various activities and more ski slopes. If you are planning to visit Harbin, Yabuli Ski Resort is your best choice. It is also the best place to experience the fairytale world of the Ice and Snow Festival and see the charming Russian pastoral scene in northern China. Changbaishan International Resort can offer you nearly 7 square kilometres of skiable terrain spread over 43 trails. It is a great place for both novice and expert skiers, where you can also enjoy hot springs and hike to Heaven Lake on Changbai Mountain.
If you are looking for a warm place to escape the cold weather, we recommend Sanya, Guilin and Yunnan. Sanya is famous for its sea views and a wide range of fabulous resorts. If you are travelling with children, Guilin may be your first choice. Walk or cycle along the Li River, hike the Longji Rice Terraces or take a bamboo boat ride on the Yulong River. If the above 2 destinations do not meet your expectations, then why not consider Yunnan, the most diverse province in all of China, both in its extraordinary mix of people and in the splendour of its landscapes.
Labor Day (1 May 2024 – 5 May 2024)
Spring is the best time to travel to most destinations in China. If you want to challenge yourself, Mount Hua can be your first attempt. It is a fairly steep place on almost every trek. It is also one of China’s five sacred mountains, located east of Xian in Shanxi province. If you’re a history buff, you’ll get the most satisfaction from seeing the ruins in front of you and visiting places that were once hubs of life and activity. Xi’an and Pingyao are rich in Chinese history and architecture. If you haven’t yet explored the Terracotta Warriors in Xi’an, this is your chance to combine both destinations in a 6-day tour!
Guilin, Yunnan, Chengdu and Luoyang are four top family-friendly destinations. Cycling along the Li River, hiking the karst mountains at Ruyi Peak Scenic Spot and riding a bamboo boat on the Yulong River can all be done in Guilin. Luoyang and Chengdu will be nice for kids interested in Chinese Kung Fu or adorable pandas. In Luoyang you can visit the Longmen Grottoes, a sprawling UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Yi River, and the Shaolin Temple, considered the birthplace of Chinese Zen Buddhism and Shaolin Kung Fu. If your child loves animals, volunteering to help the pandas in Chengdu will be an unforgettable experience!
Summer Vacation (July 2024 – 5 August 2024)
Summer is a great time to get away from it all and explore the world, especially if you’re travelling with friends or family. If you’re planning to spend your summer holiday in China, we’ve got a few places to check out! Zhangjiajie is famous for its stunning mountain scenery. This place is a popular summer holiday destination because of the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, the country’s first national forest park. The park’s high mountains, crystal clear streams and fresh air have made it a mecca for climbers, hikers and people who just want to relax and enjoy the scenery.
Qingdao, a picturesque port city, is a popular summer destination for both domestic and international tourists in China. It is known for its beer and as the home of Tsingtao Beer. Every summer, the city hosts the Qingdao International Beer Festival, and the Beer Street is the epicentre of the event. Inner Mongolia is a vast region in western China. It’s a great place to explore Mongolian culture. You can visit the world’s largest natural grassland and see nomadic people living in Mongolian yurts.
Dragon Boat Festival (10 June 2024)
This is a holiday where you can race dragon boats, eat rice dumplings and much more. On this 3-day holiday, we recommend Moganshan as the perfect place to cool off in the summer and take in the forest views. If you prefer more breathtaking views, Yellow Mountain and Zhangjiajie should be on your list. Yellow Mountain is famous for its four wonders: a sea of clouds, jagged granite peaks, odd-shaped pine trees and hot springs, while Zhangjiajie is home to the Avatar Hallelujah Mountains and one of the world’s tallest and longest glass bridges.
Inner Mongolia and Qinghai are the places where you can immerse yourself in the natural beauty of vast grasslands and lakes with good weather conditions. Guizhou is not well known to expats. The province has some of the most spectacular natural features, such as waterfalls, caves and valleys, as well as rich ethnic traditions and villages.
China’s Golden Week (1 October 2024 – 7 October 2024)
As you may know, during Golden Week, all the popular areas such as Beijing and Yellow Mountain are very crowded, so you should try to avoid these places. Therefore it is very important to book your flight, hotel and tour well in advance. One of our most popular tours is the Silk Road, the world’s oldest trade route, which is not only a road of business but also a road of art and culture. Tibet definitely beckons to adventurers who love history, religion and trekking. One of our bestselling tours is the Silk Road in Gansu, which is the world’s oldest trade route and is not only a road of business, but also a road of art and culture.
Chongqing is the cradle of nature and Sichuan cuisine is well worth a visit. Here you can explore the Wulong Karst UNESCO World Heritage Site, try the famous hot pot, board a Yangtze River cruise and more. Daocheng Yading is located in Sichuan, which is less famous but is the best place to visit during this season. It is a place of magnificent snow-capped mountains, vast meadows, colourful forests and a clear blue lake. Tibet definitely beckons adventurers who love history, religion and trekking.
Christmas (25 December 2024)
The top 3 warm destinations in winter are Sanya, Xishuangbanna and Xiamen. Xiamen is one of China’s most attractive destinations, with a fine mix of urban and natural attractions, while Xishuangbanna boasts lush tropical rainforests with a variety of rare animals, making these places the best places to hide from the cold.
Thank you for choosing and supporting us as your travel partner this year. We look forward to accompanying your journeys in 2024. If you need any suggestions for your upcoming trip, please do not hesitate to contact our travel consultants. Explore the colours of life with Expats Holidays team!
