China Two Weeks April May

Question

Hi, I'm going to China two weeks end of April beginning of May and have come up with possible itinerary.

Day 0 Land Beijing afternoon

Day 1 Beijing Great Wall / Summer Palace

Day 2 Beijing Forbidden City / Tiamenen Square

Day 3 Beijing over night train

Day 4 Xian arrive 8am

Day 5 Xian Terracotta

Day 6 Xian

Day 7 Shanghai fly to early morning

Day 8 Shanghai

Day 9 Shanghai Day trip nearby

Day 10 Guilin fly to early morning

Day 11 Guilin

Day 12 Guilin

Day 13 HongKong

Day 14 HongKong

Day 15 HongKong

Day 16 HongKong

Day 17 Fly out

Is this a good split to start with? I have the problem at the moment with May 1 -> 5th whist i'm in Shanghai or Guilin but flights have been booked now. Should i totally skip Guilin/Yangshuo although it looks like flights there and hotels still appearing on Trip.com? will it be possible to do tours like river cruise

Thanks

Answer

Your two-week itinerary covers many of China’s highlights, but there are a few considerations to make it more realistic and enjoyable, especially around the May 1–5 period which coincides with Labor Day Golden Week in China—a major holiday when travel and tourism spots are extremely busy.

Here’s a detailed assessment:

Beijing (Days 0–2) – This is fine. You have sufficient time to cover the Great Wall, Summer Palace, Forbidden City, and Tiananmen Square. Early planning for timed tickets is recommended.
Beijing → Xi’an overnight train (Day 3) – Overnight trains are generally reliable, but booking a sleeper in advance is essential. Arriving Day 4 gives you a full day in Xi’an.
Xi’an (Days 4–6) – You have two full days, which is enough for Terracotta Warriors, Ancient City Wall, and exploring Muslim Quarter. Comfortable pacing.
Shanghai (Days 7–9) – Flying early morning to Shanghai works. However, Days 1–5 May are Golden Week, meaning the city, popular attractions, and nearby day trips (like Suzhou, Zhujiajiao) will be extremely crowded.
Guilin/Yangshuo (Days 10–12) – Traveling during May 1–5 is possible since flights and hotels are still available, but expect heavy crowds at Li River cruises, Reed Flute Cave, and Elephant Trunk Hill. Some smaller tours may operate, but booking early is essential. Consider whether the stress of crowds outweighs the experience.
Hong Kong (Days 13–16) – Good allocation for exploring Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, Lantau, and potentially Macau if interested.

Recommendations:

If avoiding crowds is a priority, you could skip Guilin/Yangshuo during Golden Week and extend Shanghai or Xi’an stay or add nearby quieter towns (like Hangzhou or Suzhou).
If Guilin is a must, book Li River cruises and any major attractions in advance. Expect full boats and some waiting times. Morning departures for cruises are better.
Be prepared for public transport and hotels to be busier than normal. Allow extra travel time between locations.
Flights already booked: Keep them, but check if flexible tickets or rescheduling is possible to avoid peak Golden Week in Guilin.

Overall, your itinerary is ambitious but doable. The main concern is Golden Week congestion in early May, especially in Guilin/Yangshuo and Shanghai. Adjusting plans or pre-booking tours can help mitigate stress.

China Two Weeks April May

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