Travel in China During Chinese New Year

After living in Canada for over 20 years, this year my parents decided to move to China for one year.  I made plans to visit them during the month of January since this year Chinese New Year falls on the 23rd. I am so excited to be welcoming the Year of Dragon with my family in China. It puts a smile on my face every time I think about my childhood new year memories.  The heavenly smell, joyous sound and colourful sight all around make New Year one of the best time to visit China.

I had no problem booking my flight from Vancouver to Shanghai in early October, however I had to strategically plan my trip for while I am in China.   Here is what I think helps in planning an awesome Chinese New Year trip.

1. Book early!  Many Chinese work outside their hometown and New Year is the only time they get to spend time with their family.  A couple days before New Year, flights, trains and buses will be packed with people anxious to get home in time for the celebration.  This means the tickets will become hot hot hot commodities.  

2. Research your transportation 

• Flights are the easiest to book early for a reasonable price with websites such as www.ctrip.com.  
• Train is a very good way to travel since China has the biggest rail network in the world.  Almost every city and town is accessible by train but it is also the busiest mode of transport.  Unlike flights, you can't book months before hand. Tickets are sometimes released for purchase only 5 days before departure.  The quality and speed of the train also vary drastically.  Make sure you do your research before booking and don't get stuck sitting in a booth style seat with 5 other people from Beijing to Shanghai for 10 hours.
• Bus is not my favorite way to travel in China. In all honesty, they are not bad.  It is a personal choice for me.

3. Stay Put. Of course, when traveling in China, avoiding any sort of crowds is impossible but minimizing crowd surfing is no problem.  I recommend arriving in China at least 3 to 4 days before New Years and then stay put in one location.  Avoid traveling again via air, train and bus until a few days after New Years.  As I mentioned above, a couple days before New Year it will be mayhem at the airport, train and bus stations as 1 billion people all try to get home at once.  I would just enjoy the markets, shops, parks and people around you.  There will lots to see and experience.

4. Look for Travel Deals. For this trip I will be arriving in China almost one month before New Year.  I will be visiting my extended family around the country and perhaps take a few small side trips.  Just like in North America, the month leading up to Christmas, travel agencies offer many discount packages leading up to the holiday price hike. 

5. Give the smaller "guy" a chance.  The bigger cities like Beijing, Shanghai or Hong Kong are probably the most popular destinations for New Years however, I really like the second or third tier cities like Suzhou or Tianjin.  It will offer a bit different and intimate local flavour on the holiday than the big metropolises.  Not to mention, a little less crowded.

Spending Chinese New Year in China is an incredibly unforgettable experience of a life time.  Just make sure to keep an open mind and plan ahead.