While the task may seem nigh-impossible—due to the exodus of similarly-minded Chinese travelling en mass to any of China's many top tourist attractions—finding a quiet place to visit during a Chinese national holiday is possible. Seriously. We don't understand why you're laughing.

Finding a less crowded destination to visit is easier than you may think, and most of them can still provide enough accommodations and attractions to make your visit worthwhile. Sure, no place in China is completely without crowds, but the trick is find places that are either left behind during the mad holiday rush, or are really far away.

The first and most obvious thing you'll want to do if you're not keen on being packed-in with 100,000 of your closest Chinese friends is to avoid the really popular destinations. Cross off Hainan, the Terra Cotta Warriors, the Forbidden City, and the Great Wall off of your list. This is one of those times when the nebulous searching for a "real" Chinese cultural experience gets a little bit too real. Second piece of advice? Forget trains and stick to planes. You might have to shell out a bit more, but at least you won't start your vacation with a massive headache.

Now that you're set, here are five quieter places to travel to during national holidays in China.

1) Hohhot
This one is best if you hail from an artic homeland and you don't mind freezing temperatures (highs in the -1 degree range and lows in the -15 degree range on average during winter time). The upside is that many people don't want to handle the weather, so that makes February a low month for tourism in Hohhot. But, hey, who said you wouldn't have to sacrifice for a (relatively) peaceful Chinese New Years? Hohhot does have several unique cultural aspects to make bearing the cold worthwhile.

You'll get to see some of China's most interesting minorities throughout the city. Though Han Chinese still make up a majority of the city, the ethnic Mongolian influence is extensive, as well as smaller populations of Hui Muslims and Koreans. Mongolian Buddhism is still present in the city and even during the winter months you will be able to find your way out to the famous Mongolian grasslands without huge tour buses full of tourists trampling all over your Genghis Khan fantasy. 

Due to the smaller crowds you'll also be able to score some significant discounts on plane tickets to the city. Regarding how to get there, Hohhot is connected directly to most major cities in China including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou. From those major cities you will be looking at about 1000-2000 RMB.

2) Shanghai
Okay, before you start gnashing your teeth, hear this one out. At any other time of the year Shanghai is a bustling metropolis filled to the brim with people from all corners of China, and the rest of the world. That fact is exactly why Shanghai is so quiet during the holidays—everyone goes home or travelling. Millions of migrants who come to Shanghai for work take the holiday opportunity to go back and visit with their loved ones in their hometowns. That leaves only the native Shanghainese and foreigners who are too scared to brave the tourist crowds. Granted, that's still a large number of people, but you'd be hard pressed to find Shanghai any more deserted than it gets during national holidays.

Also, unlike Beijing, Shanghai does not have as many culturally significant landmarks for people to swarm over. Of course, there will still be people on the Bund and on East Nanjing road, but in the smaller, less glitzy corners of Shanghai, you can take a break from the hyperactive pace that normally defines Shanghai.

And if nothing else, Shanghai is easy to get in to. Flights from all over the world go into Shanghai's Pudong International Airport. Shanghai's Hongqiao Airport deals with a great majority of domestic flights. Due to the high number of flights running into the city you'll be able to find tickets from as low as 500 RMB depending on where you're starting from.

3) Taipei
Taipei's difficulty of access to mainlanders is its saving grace. While the city, like Shanghai, still has plenty of people, it can seem downright roomy to anybody who has spent the holidays on the mainland. It also helps that there is a mass retreat to the countryside surrounding the city during the holidays, so a fair number of Taiwanese are also gone, giving you a chance to see the quieter side of the city. Granted the train and bus stations may still be swarming with people trying to leave the city, but you should have an easier time if you're trying to get into Taipei.

Also, contrary to the mainland, a number of places in the city will continue to stay open despite the festivities. Finding accommodations at a hotel is comparatively easier, but it would still be wise to book your rooms in advance. Fortunately, like Shanghai, Taipei is very easy to get to since it is a major international hub. There will be no shortage of flights to the island and there will be plenty of hotels and accommodations that will still be open to cater to visitors. Keep in mind that the flight will set you back 2000-3000 RMB due to the fact that it's technically an international flight from the mainland.

4) Kashgar
Way out in the farthest reaches of western Xinjiang lies one of the most unique and culturally interesting cities in China. Few people in China venture out this far west, but those who do are greatly rewarded. Though inhabitants of Kashgar still celebrate Chinese holidays such as the New Year, due to the majority of Kashgar's inhabitants being Muslim Uyghur they tend to put a greater focus on traditional Islamic holidays. Kashgar also has several interesting day trips away from the city, like Shipton's Arch and the Karakorum Highway. 

The one downside to Kashgar is that you will have to go way out there to reach it. Your best bet to make it there would be to take a flight to Urumqi and take another flight down to Kashgar to avoid the horrifically overcrowded trains. Depending on where you live, the whole trip by flight could take you upwards of six or seven hours, including the transfer in Urumqi. And this trip will be even more expensive than to Taipei, with flights from eastern cities in the 3500-4000 RMB range for round trip tickets.  

5) Beihai
Nestled in the warm southern Guangxi Province, Beihai benefits from two things. First, it's located near the two significantly more tourist-friendly cities of Guilin and Yangshuo; and second, it is comparatively undiscovered (though this is quickly changing). Beihai is also significantly cheaper than nearby Hainan Island, and you'll still be able to enjoy many beautiful beaches that are yet untrampled by the soles of thousands of ocean-loving Chinese tourists.

Beihai is also relatively easy to get to. If you're in the southern part of China consider yourself lucky because there are flights leaving from Guangzhou daily. If you don't live in the southern part of China, you'll need to fly to Guangzhou or Guilin and make the appropriate connections from there. Even if you are coming from Beijing, the tickets to Guilin are still only in the 1000-1750 RMB range, plus the added travel costs of getting to Beihai. 

Warning：The use of any news and articles published on eChinacities.com without written permission from eChinacities.com constitutes copyright infringement, and legal action can be taken.

Keywords: vacation travelling quiet destination national holidays China