This year from January 22-28, China celebrates Chinese New Year. We will say goodbye to the Year of the Rabbit and ring in the Year of the Dragon. You might be thinking, “Fantastic– Get me on the next plane to witness this important festival!” Before getting on the plane, we’ll give you the inside scoop on Chinese New Year and if you should visit China during this time…
Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival (or chun jie in pinyin), is based off the lunar calendar, and occurs in late January/February each year. The celebration is a joyous occasion to ring in the new year and spend time with friends and family. This festival is by far and away the grand dame of Chinese holidays and each Chinese New Year Eve, families gather and bao jiaozi, or stuff dumplings, and light off fireworks in front of their homes.
For many expats and foreign travelers, the most surprising aspect of this holiday is the Chinese New Year fireworks. For two weeks, large firework kiosks are set up throughout the cities where anyone can purchase professional fireworks to light off at anytime of day. It’s an absolute scene.
Let’s move on to domestic travel during this period. Take a look below. How does this look?
Pretty stressful, no? Traveling during Chinese New Year is not impossible, but isn’t for the faint of heart. Tickets are harder to purchase, some restaurants will be closed and many of the sites will be crowded with domestic visitors. While you will be able to witness China’s greatest celebration, it will be a bit more work getting around the country.
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More questions about Chinese New Year? Drop a line at info@wildchina.com and one of WildChina’s Chinese travel consultants would love to answer any of your questions.
