How to travel in Qingdao during May Holiday

For anyone who lives in China or has experienced holidays in China, you would understand the crazy crowds and traffic jams. Just like the Chinese term "Ren Shan Ren Hai人山人海”, which literally means ”people mountain people sea”, a dramatic, but quite accurate description of all the popular places to visit during holidays in China. Qingdao will be no different since it's got all the must-visit places that tourists don't want to miss out.  

Hear from Zitang, one of our current high school students who’s (not, but almost)a local Qingdao ren. He’s got few pro tips for us to keep in mind while we plan to travel around Qingdao, How to dodge the tourist Tsunami this May Holiday.

1. Secret local spots FTW

Leave Badaguan and Beer streets for the tourists, go explore Licang or secret barbecue spots in Shibei. (PS: The only and first time I visited Qingdao before I moved here, a ⽼⻘岛 taxi driver drove my family to a “Local” beer street, I needed to stay inside bathroom the day after.

2. W Weekdays

Just chill at home during the weekend, go to places you want at the night before the holiday or the first day of holiday when most of the tourists haven’t arrived yet.

3. Master the Timing Game

Wake up early, watch the sunrise instead of the sunset. Go to the place before 8 am when all the lazy tourists are still enjoying their omelette in their nasty and crowded hotel. Eat during off-hours (2-4 PM), forget about the existence of metro and DiDis, use your feet or get a motorcycle. Remember that when tourist spots are at peak chaos, that's exactly when local neighborhoods are blissfully quiet.

4. Ditch the downtown dining scene

Eat where the locals eat—just don’t go to Zhongshan Road. Skip the overpriced seafood restaurants near tourist hubs. Instead, explore neighborhoods like Yushan Road (⻥⼭路) or Ningxia Road (宁夏路) for OG Bayu jiaozi (seafood dumplings) or Korean BBQ joints. Or if you're really that scared of the crowd, just use apps like Eleme or Meituan (Chinese DoorDash) to order delivery. Also I strongly recommend you to try the 4 days diet, you will feel like totally a new person after that.

5. Go vertical: Hike the lesser-known trails

Swap crowded mountains for quieter hikes. Stop going to the famous part of Laoshan Mountain which draws tour groups, smaller trails like Xiaoqingdao Park (⼩⻘岛公园) or Signal Hill Park (信号⼭公园) offer stunning city-and-sea views with minimal foot traffic. If you are a real hiker, try go to the more unknown part of Laoshan like Beizhai and Beijiushui (北九水), where all the roads are to be discovered.

Hope all those tips help you out during this Labor Day weekend, stay strong and enjoy the beautiful Spring.

劳动节快乐！