We are palnning a trip to China in October 2007, and 2 issues are concerning me:
1) Construction work for the Olympics
2) the Golden week

Can anyone please tell me how these will impact on our travels? We are looking at Beijing, Xi'an, Yangshuo, & Yunnan

We are currently in China and when we booked our trip we had the same concerns. Our personal tour guide suggested that we not start our trip until after the 10th of October to bypass the hoards of local travelers. The construction for the upcoming games is all around but doesn't effect

any of the sites. Do your self a favor and get a private tour guide and car so you can bypass the crowds and rush hour. Our guide set the hours of our tour around local rush hour traffic. She said that most tours end up spending 2 to 3 hours a day in traffic. Jack

http://www.asiasuntours.com/

I have never visited during Golden Week but from what we gather from our local guides, it is NOT the time to visit China. Imagine everyone (ie millions and millions) on holidays at the same time visiting the same spots.

I was in China over the National Day holiday two years ago - Beijing, Hangzhou, Putuoshan, Shanghai, Suzhou. In fact, I took the train from Beijing to Hangzhou the night before Oct. 1. It is doable, but reservations for hotels and transport are a must (I made mine through Passport Travel in OZ, who subcontracted me to CITS.) It was VERY crowded - police directing the flow of people in the metro at Beijing station, standing room only in the soft sleeper waiting room, huge crowds at the temples - but interesting. I would avoid the week before as well as the week of Oct. 1, if you have a choice.

Can't help with the construction question, except to say that Beijing is changing so fast the sooner you go the better.

We were in China during Golden Week this year and it wasn't too bad. We went with the OAT group trip and had a great guide who got us around the biggest crowds easily. I sure would not want to do it on your own during this week.