Answered by Kim
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Jul. 18, 2013 16:48
Anita, here is my advice based on my three years of living in Shanghai (2009-12):
If possible, I would avoid traveling WITHIN China during National Week. However, if you'll be arriving in Shanghai and staying there - or nearby - the whole time during that week, it might not be too bad. I don't think Shanghai gets as crowded during that week as Beijing does, since BJ is the capital and thus the main hub for the official government celebrations. Additionally, many of the foreigners in Shanghai use Nat'l Week to travel outside of China for vacation, but some prefer to stay in the city because the weather is still warm and they can use the time to explore the city. One year I stayed in Shanghai during National Week and it didn't seem too crowded. Some of the restaurants and attractions might reduce their hours, but not as much as they do during Spring Festival (Chinese New Year).
And for possible future reference, you DEFINITELY want to avoid traveling within China, and I suggest not coming at all, for Spring Festival (CNY). This is the Chinese version of Christmas, where everyone is traveling from where they now live back to their hometown to visit their family - the largest human migration in the world. This means domestic inter-city trains and buses are super crowded and sometimes even oversold. For two of the CNYs I just stayed in Shanghai, which actually felt like a ghost town because the Chinese either left to visit their family, or if they were from Shanghai, they stayed inside with their family to eat, watch TV and relax. Many of the restaurants are closed because their workers are off and out of town. My first CNY, I did take a two-day, mid-week organized tour to Nanjing by charter bus. The city and nearby hot springs were not as crowded, so it was very enjoyable. But there's no way I would have taken a public intercity bus or train (subway and city buses are okay). Also, fireworks are nearly 24/7 during CNY, so be aware of that. Happy travels!
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