Qingdao Travel Forum

I will go to for combined Beijing/Quingdao trip (7-9 days) in May. Does anybody have any recommendations to give?

Sorry, you're waaaaaaaay too vague!! What on earth are you looking for?
Have you tried looking through the Travel Guide section of this website? There're so many travel tips posted by fellow members.

first of all I have heard rumours that EVERBODY will have their spring break around May 1st and that I should stay away from Beijing due to too many tourists that weekend. is that true? Secondly, one of the participators in the forum recommends to take the night train from Beijing to Qingdao, but what about day-time train to see more of the countryside? Thirdly, has anybody any recommendations in regard to tour operators offering one or two-day sightseeing-trips out of Qingdao?
Touchy

1) The May Labour Day holiday week will be cancelled from 2008 onwards, so that's a non-issue for you.
2) Don't think the scenery is going to be very interesting. Would rather take the overnight train and save on accommodation costs and travel time.
3) Sightseeing OUT of Qingdao? Not sure what you're looking for in that vicinity.

If you want to see the Great Wall I would def suggest going to Simatai as v few people there compared to other locations.
Organise a tour or take an early morning bus and go it alone!
jo

With all due respect to Elyse, for a foreign visitor to Beijing/Quingdao any travel though the countryside of China during the day will be fascinating. I arrived in Quingdao by bus and went to Beijing by train at the beginning of May 2007. I do not recall any boredom.

Whether cancellation of the May week holiday will make travel easier is yet to be seen. Train and bus tickets were a challenge. Even before the holiday (2nd week of April) I encountered some unexpected difficulty because of students traveling after examinations, but overall it was not close to the dire predictions I heard before I went.
I was blessed by good weather so I expect that you will also have good weather and getting around and doing things on your own will be relatively easy.

PS: Get a picture of beer being sold by the plastic bag in Quingdao for a VT cultural tip.

"The May Labour Day holiday week will be cancelled from 2008 onwards, so that's a non-issue for you."

Really?

ellyse - actually, the reports in the Chinese media speculate that the May "golden week" will be cancelled, but that May 1 will still remain a holiday. So Touchy's question about that weekend (i.e. May 1 which is a Thursday, and the following 3 days) experiencing a big travel crunch is a plausible concern.

Touchy - the holiday problem is really only bad if you are an independent traveler and cannot arrange advance transport for those days.

What about Nation Day week in Oct, and Chinese New Year?

The other two holiday weeks aren't affected.
I thought I read some news articles these couple of days that the May holiday week was definitely cancelled starting 2008.

Yes, from 2008, May 1st will be only one day holiday so people won't be able to travel around like before. It should be a relief for people who are going to travel in May, however, it could cause more congestion during Chinese New Year and Octomber holiday.

enzhu - yes, that concern of October and CNY becoming "diamond weeks" for travel is out there, i.e. that they'll be super busy. But I doubt it'll prove to be too bad. October 2003 wasn't extra bad after the SARS spring of 2003. And if extra holidays/long weekends are added throughout the year, with more rights given to people to take discretionary holidays, the impact of the travel peak weeks could even be blunted somewhat.