China public holidays 2027: important dates and tips to dodge the crowds
You’ve got a 2027 calendar open and a China trip somewhere in your head. The tricky bit is working out which week is safe to book. A single holiday in China can fill trains, flights and famous sights all at once, and the days off shift around more than you’d think.
This guide lays out the China public holidays 2027 calendar from New Year’s Day to National Day. It explains the make-up workday system and flags the weeks to skip. The festival dates are fixed, but the exact days off are still waiting on the official notice, so treat the Dragon Boat and Mid-Autumn windows as the loosest estimates.
If you’re still deciding where to go, start with Mainland China and come back here to pick your dates.
The 2027 China holiday calendar at a glance
Want the short version first? Here are the China public holidays 2027 and the breaks we expect under the current rules.
Holiday | 2027 date | Expected break |
|---|---|---|
New Year’s Day | Fri, Jan 1 | 3 days, Jan 1 to 3 |
Chinese New Year | Sat, Feb 6 | 8 days, Feb 5 to 12 |
Qingming Festival | Mon, Apr 5 | 3 days, Apr 3 to 5 |
Labor Day | Sat, May 1 | 5 days, May 1 to 5 |
Dragon Boat Festival (estimated) | Wed, Jun 9 | 3 days, dates to be confirmed |
Mid-Autumn Festival (estimated) | Wed, Sep 15 | 3 days, dates to be confirmed |
National Day | Fri, Oct 1 | 7 days, Oct 1 to 7 |
China’s official 2027 holiday schedule hasn’t been announced yet, so the holiday dates and make-up workdays below are estimates, not confirmed dates. Check the State Council’s official website for the latest updates before making travel plans.
How China’s adjusted holidays (调休) work
Songzanlin Mnoastery in Yunnan Province, China | Image credit: Sebastian S via Unsplash
If you’ve ever wondered why a Saturday in China sometimes counts as a Monday, you’ve met tiaoxiu (调休), the adjusted holiday system. The government picks one or two weekend days next to a holiday and turns them into regular workdays. It then moves that time off onto the holiday, so a short official break can stretch to 7 or 8 days.
Those weekend workdays are the China make-up workdays you’ll see on official calendars. They only apply to people on Monday-to-Friday schedules, so you won’t have to do anything as a visitor. What they do change is travel, because the weekends just before and after a long break fill up with people heading home.
Under the current rules, Chinese New Year gets 8 days off starting from New Year’s Eve, National Day gets 7 starting October 1, and Labor Day gets 5. New Year’s Day, Qingming, Dragon Boat and Mid-Autumn get 3 days each. That adds up to 13 official holiday days, or about 32 days off once the weekend swaps are counted.
Public Holidays in China in 2027
Chinese New Year Lion dance in China | Image credit: jony Y via Unsplash
New Year’s Day 2027: Friday, Jan 1
January 1 is the quiet one. It’s a 3-day weekend rather than a week-long break, so the travel crush is much lighter than at Chinese New Year five weeks later.
Winter is also hot spring season, which makes a short, slow escape a good fit. We’ve picked a hot spring resort for this break in the where-to-stay section below.
Chinese New Year 2027: Saturday, Feb 6
Chinese New Year 2027 is the big one, and you can feel it everywhere. Cities empty out as people head home, and a huge share of the country is on the move at once. The break should run 8 days, from New Year’s Eve on Friday, Feb 5, through Friday, Feb 12.
Many restaurants and smaller shops close for the first few days, while malls and big sights stay open and busy. The worst crowds hit trains and airports in the days just before New Year’s Eve and right after the break ends. If you’re going anyway, base yourself somewhere built for crowds, like a big beach resort, and book early.
Qingming Festival 2027: Monday, Apr 5
Qingming is a tomb-sweeping holiday, so the mood is family-focused and calmer than the big festivals. We expect a 3-day break from Saturday, Apr 3, to Monday, Apr 5, with traffic jams on the first and last days as people head out of town. It’s also prime time for Longjing tea near Hangzhou, because the early spring leaf is at its best around Qingming.
The Hangzhou high-speed rail day tour starts at US$177.80 and needs at least 2 guests. It suits first-timers who want West Lake without sorting out train tickets: a guide meets you at your Shanghai hotel around 7:30 AM, you ride the train at 8:30, then cruise West Lake, pick tea in Longjing Village and stroll Hefang Street. You’re back in Shanghai around 5:30 PM, and lunch isn’t included. Bring your passport, because you need it for the train.
Labor Day holiday China 2027: Saturday, May 1
Labor Day is the one that catches first-timers off guard. The break should run 5 days, May 1 to 5, and it’s one of the three busiest travel periods of the year in China, alongside Chinese New Year and National Day. Theme parks, beaches and big-name sights fill up fastest, and hotel rates climb with them.
Shanghai Disneyland is a good example, so sleeping close helps. Guests at the two Disney resort hotels get early park entry, up to an hour before opening, starting the day after check-in. A Shanghai Disneyland ticket runs from around US$60 for a standard day. That’s park entry only, so you’ll still queue for rides, and early entry is what gives you a head start.
Dragon Boat Festival 2027: Wednesday, Jun 9 (estimated)
Dragon Boat is the easy-going holiday. Locals watch boat races and eat zongzi (sticky rice dumplings wrapped in leaves) over a 3-day break. Because Jun 9 lands on a Wednesday, the government will probably swap weekend days to build that block, so we’ll confirm the dates once the notice is out. It’s early summer, so pack for heat and the odd downpour.
A 3-day break is enough for one big park trip, and Universal Studios Beijing is easy to do with a hotel right at the gate. You’ll find that stay below.
Mid-Autumn Festival 2027: Wednesday, Sep 15 (estimated)
Mid-Autumn is all about the full moon and family dinners, so evenings feel a little more special than usual. People swap mooncakes (round pastries with sweet or savory fillings) and gather outdoors to look at the moon. Sep 15 is a Wednesday, so the 3-day break window is still to be confirmed, but expect busy trains on the first and last days.
A night on the water suits the mood. The Huangpu River cruise (Qingjiang Line) is a one-hour sailing past the Bund and Pudong’s skyscrapers, from about US$15. The ticket is flexible, so you can pick a morning, afternoon or evening slot, and evening is the one to aim for. Don’t expect much from the food onboard, and choose a later slot if you want fewer people.
National Day holiday 2027: Friday, Oct 1
Golden Week 2027 is the heavyweight. The break should run 7 days, from Friday, Oct 1, to Thursday, Oct 7, and it’s one of the busiest stretches for domestic travel all year. Trains sell out, flights climb in price, and every famous sight has a line.
In Shanghai, The Bund is a National Day light-up hotspot, and the riverfront gets packed after dark. Arrive before sunset to find a spot along the water.
How to avoid the crowds in China
Crowds around the Chinese holidays 2027 are predictable, which means you can plan around them.
Book trains and flights early
Trains and flights sell out first around Chinese New Year, Labor Day and the National Day holiday. Book as soon as tickets go on sale, and avoid travel on the first and last day of a break, when everyone is heading the same way. Rooms follow the same pattern, so lock in your hotel before your sightseeing. Our China high-speed rail guide is a good starting point for riding the trains.
Klook Tip: Carry your passport everywhere. You need it to board high-speed trains and to enter major attractions.
Beijing: the Forbidden City and the Great Wall
Beijing is where holiday crowds are easiest to spot. The Forbidden City is the city’s top attraction and gets very crowded during Golden Week, and tickets can sell out in peak seasons. A private Forbidden City walking tour starts at US$147.30, with pre-arranged entry, a guide and a choice of 4 to 8 hours. The catch is Tiananmen Square, where security queues can top 1.5 hours in peak season, and your guide may suggest skipping it if the wait passes an hour.
For the Great Wall, Mutianyu Great Wall is the scenic pick and a better bet outside peak holidays. You can ride a cable car or chairlift up and take a toboggan down. The private Beijing day tour combines Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City and the Great Wall in 8 to 9 hours, from US$331.59, with hotel pickup. The drive from the Forbidden City to Mutianyu takes about 1.5 hours, and your guide may skip the square if queues run long, with no refund since entry is free.
Where to stay during China’s holiday weeks
Atlantis hotel, Sanya, China
Rooms go first and rates climb fast in holiday weeks, so the hotel is worth deciding early. Here’s one pick for each break, in calendar order: a hot spring resort for New Year’s Day, a beach resort for Chinese New Year, the Disney hotels for Labor Day, a Universal stay for Dragon Boat, a budget Shanghai base for Mid-Autumn and a central one for Golden Week. Prices are “from” rates and run higher on holiday dates.
Goodview Hot Spring Hotel Tangxia
Goodview Hot Spring Hotel Tangxia starts around US$96 a night, which is low for a resort with its own hot springs and several pools. It suits couples and families who want a soak instead of a city break, and the hotel says Shenzhen North Station is about 30 minutes away. The rooms sit on Dazhongling Lake, and the property was renovated in August 2026. Guest scores average 4.0 out of 5, a notch below the other stays here, so skim recent reviews first.
Address: Yingbin Avenue, Tangxia, Dongguan
Check-in: 3 PM | Check-out: 12 PM
Atlantis Sanya
Atlantis Sanya starts around US$227 a night, and holiday weeks cost more. Families get the most from it, since a water park and an aquarium are right next door and most rooms have an ocean view. Sanya’s airport is 35 km away, about 40 minutes by car, so budget for the transfer. Guests praise the breakfast but mention a thin gym and patchy Wi-Fi, so don’t plan to work from the room.
Address: No. 36, Haitang North Road, Haitang Bay, Haitang District, Sanya
Check-in: 3 PM | Check-out: 12 PM
Toy Story Hotel
Toy Story Hotel runs around US$175 a night on quiet dates and climbs sharply on holiday ones. It’s built for families with young kids: the rooms are Woody-and-Jessie themed, Shanghai Disneyland is 400 meters away, and a free shuttle goes there too. Stays include early park entry from the day after you check in. Space is the trade-off, since extra beds aren’t allowed and each room sleeps two adults and up to two kids aged 11 or under.
Address: No. 360 West Shendi Rd, Pudong New District, Shanghai
Check-in: 3 PM | Check-out:11 AM
Shanghai Disneyland Hotel
Shanghai Disneyland Hotel starts around US$495 a night, the priciest stay on this list. It’s for couples and families who want the full Disney bubble, with an Art Nouveau lobby, character dining at Lumière’s Kitchen and early park entry. The park is 800 meters away, and a free shuttle bus runs between the two. With only about 400 rooms, book early for holiday weeks.
Address: No. 1009 West Shendi Rd, Pudong New District, Shanghai
Check-in: 3 PM | Check-out:11 AM
The Universal Studios Grand Hotel
The Universal Studios Grand Hotel starts around US$227 a night. It suits families who want to skip the commute: the hotel sits at the park entrance, about 200 meters from Universal Studios Beijing, and guests get an hour of early entry. Rooms come in Minions and Kung Fu Panda themes, and the Kung Fu Panda ones are bigger at 42 square meters. One downside is the area outside, since CityWalk has restaurants but no convenience store, so pack snacks.
Address: Courtyard No.2, Sunrise Avenue, Tongzhou, Beijing
Check-in: 4 PM | Check-out:11 AM
Novotel Shanghai Clover
Novotel Shanghai Clover starts around US$91 a night, among the cheapest stays on this list. It suits families on a budget, with free shuttles to Shanghai Disneyland, Pudong Airport, Hongqiao Railway Station and the Bund, plus free evening porridge. Disneyland is 2.8 km away, so ask the front desk to reserve your shuttle slot.
Address: Building No 1, Lane 3188 Xiupu Road, Pudong, Shanghai
Check-in: 2 PM | Check-out: 12 PM
Holiday Inn Shanghai Nanjing Road
Holiday Inn Shanghai Nanjing Road starts around US$209 a night. It suits first-timers who want to walk everywhere: Nanjing Road’s shopping streets are 3 minutes on foot, People’s Square metro is 600 meters away, and the Bund is about 1.3 km. Standard rooms are 28 square meters. Breakfast costs extra, around CNY 158 per person, so grab a bite out instead.
Address: No. 595 Jiujiang Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai
Check-in: 3 PM | Check-out: 12 PM
Best time to visit China around the holidays
Still choosing dates? Aim for the shoulder weeks just before or after a long break, and pick the 3-day holidays over the 7-day ones.
Spring (April and May) and autumn (late September to October) are the classic seasons for sightseeing, but they’re also when Qingming, Labor Day, Mid-Autumn and Golden Week land. The sweet spot is the week after a break ends. Once Golden Week 2027 wraps up on Oct 7, mid-October in Beijing is usually crisp and clear, and the crowds thin out fast.
The 3-day breaks are easier to handle. Qingming, Dragon Boat and Mid-Autumn bring busy first and last days, but nothing like the 7 to 8 day peaks. The middle day of each tends to be calmer.
For city plans, Beijing works well in the weeks after Golden Week, while Shanghai and Chengdu are easier outside the Labor Day and National Day breaks. Need ideas for a route? Our best places in China guide has plenty.
Klook Tip: If your dates are flexible, travel in the week after a long break ends. Trains, hotels and sights ease up quickly.
FAQs about China public holidays 2027
How many public holidays does China have in 2027?
China has 13 official public holiday days in 2027, spread across seven holidays. They’re New Year’s Day (1 day), Chinese New Year (4 days), Qingming (1 day), Labor Day (2 days), Dragon Boat (1 day), Mid-Autumn (1 day) and National Day (3 days). Weekend swaps stretch them into about 32 days off, and the official notice will confirm the final count.
When is Golden Week 2027 in China?
Golden Week 2027 is expected to run from Friday, Oct 1, to Thursday, Oct 7, a 7-day break. Only Oct 1 to 3 are official holiday days, and the rest comes from weekend swaps. It’s one of the busiest travel periods in China, so book trains and hotels early.
When is Chinese New Year 2027?
Chinese New Year 2027 falls on Saturday, Feb 6, and it’s the Year of the Goat. The break should start from New Year’s Eve on Friday, Feb 5, and run 8 days under the current rules. Expect packed trains and airports just before and after those dates.
What are make-up workdays in China?
Make-up workdays are weekend days that turn into regular workdays so people can get a longer holiday break. The government picks one or two weekend days next to a holiday, then moves that time off onto the holiday itself. You don’t need to work them as a visitor, but trains and roads are busy around them.
Is it a good idea to travel to China during Golden Week?
It’s doable, but it’s the hardest week of the year to travel. Trains, flights and major sights like the Forbidden City are at their busiest, and prices rise with demand. If your dates are flexible, the week after Oct 7 is far calmer.
When does China announce its holiday schedule for 2027?
The State Council usually announces the schedule in early November, so the 2027 notice should land within weeks. It covers the exact days off and make-up workdays for the whole year. We’ll update this page with the final dates once it’s out.
What is the best time of year to visit China?
Spring and autumn are the best seasons for most trips, roughly April to May and late September to October. The weather is mild, but both seasons include holiday peaks, so aim for the weeks between breaks. Winter is usually cheaper and quieter outside Chinese New Year, and summer is hot and wet in much of the country.
Pick your dates
Picture it: it’s mid-October, Golden Week is over, and you’re walking the Bund with room to spare. That’s what a little calendar planning buys you. Bookmark this page for the final China public holidays 2027 schedule, which we’ll add after the State Council notice. Your next step is to pick a shoulder week, then book your hotel and train tickets before anything else.
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