China Golden Week 2026 — Best Outbound Destinations

National Day Golden Week 2026 runs October 1-7. Here is where Chinese travelers are flying for the 7-day holiday — ranked by Trip.com booking volume, with live flight pricing from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

Oct 1-7
Official holiday
12 days
With Mid-Autumn
85+
Visa-free options
Jul 2026
Book by date

Why Golden Week 2026 is the year to fly outbound

The 2026 Golden Week comes with three travel-changing tailwinds for Chinese outbound travel: (1) the mutual visa-free agreements with Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, the UAE and 17 European countries that came into effect in 2024-2025 are now mature enough that the booking infrastructure is reliable; (2) Japan's September 2026 mutual visa-free pilot for Chinese passport holders opens a major new destination for autumn travel; (3) the yen plus most SE Asian currencies remain weak against the renminbi, meaning real travel spend is 18-30% cheaper than 2023.

The booking-curve economics: GW outbound flights from PEK, PVG, CAN to Bangkok, Singapore, KL and Tokyo climb 35-60% in the final 4 weeks. The latest sensible book-by date is mid-July 2026 for sub-USD-200 round-trip Asia fares.

Versus CNY 2027, Golden Week 2026 has wider supply (less Chunyun rush), better weather across Europe plus Japan plus Korea plus China northern domestic destinations, and slightly lower price inflation. The case for GW: variety. The case for CNY: tropical warmth.

#1🇯🇵

Tokyo, Japan

NRT

Autumn foliage starts mid-Oct in Hokkaido plus Tokyo. Yen at 11-year low. Visa-free 30-day pilot programme for Chinese passport runs through 2026.

From Beijing

¥2,200

4h direct · Trip.com

From Shanghai

¥1,750

3h direct · Trip.com

From Guangzhou

¥2,100

4.5h direct · Trip.com

Best for: Foliage photographers, foodies, USJ/Disney family trips

Weather: 18-23°C; perfect autumn weather

Visa: 30-day mutual visa-free pilot (Sep 2026 extension)

GW 2026 tip: Hokkaido plus Niseko early-bird ski packages on sale by Oct. Tokyo Disney Halloween special runs Sep 14-Nov 3.

Trip.com hotels Tokyo →
#2🇹🇭

Bangkok, Thailand

BKK

Mutual visa-free plus end of monsoon mid-Oct plus Vegetarian Festival Phuket Oct 1-9 plus low-season hotel prices.

From Beijing

¥1,900

6.5h direct · Trip.com

From Shanghai

¥1,650

5.5h direct · Trip.com

From Guangzhou

¥1,400

3.5h direct · Trip.com

Best for: Beach plus culture combos, families, foodies

Weather: 26-32°C; tail end of monsoon

Visa: Mutual visa-free, 30 days

GW 2026 tip: Phuket Vegetarian Festival is the Oct 1-9 highlight (lines up with GW). Trip.com BKK hotel inventory holds up better than CNY peak.

Trip.com hotels Bangkok →
#3🇸🇬

Singapore, Singapore

SIN

Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix Oct 2-4 2026 plus mutual visa-free plus 70% Chinese ethnic population means Mandarin everywhere.

From Beijing

¥2,400

7h direct · Trip.com

From Shanghai

¥2,050

6.5h direct · Trip.com

From Guangzhou

¥1,750

4.5h direct · Trip.com

Best for: F1 fans, families, multi-gen Chinese-speaking travel

Weather: 26-32°C humid; pack light cotton

Visa: Mutual visa-free, 30 days

GW 2026 tip: F1 weekend (Oct 2-4) pushes Marina Bay hotel rates 4x. Book Bugis or Chinatown hotels for 60% saving.

Trip.com hotels Singapore →
#4🇰🇷

Seoul, South Korea

ICN

Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving) Sep 25-27 ends just before GW equals quiet temples plus cheap hotels Oct 1-7. K-pop concerts back from summer break.

From Beijing

¥1,300

2h direct · Trip.com

From Shanghai

¥1,100

2h direct · Trip.com

From Guangzhou

¥1,550

3.5h direct · Trip.com

Best for: K-pop fans, families, young travelers

Weather: 15-22°C dry autumn; pack jacket for evenings

Visa: C-3-9 short-term visa USD 60

GW 2026 tip: BTS HYBE concerts plus Itaewon Halloween early start. Lotte World fall foliage parade Oct 1-31.

Trip.com hotels Seoul →
#5🇮🇩

Bali, Indonesia

DPS

Dry season plus best surf swell of year plus Uluwatu sunset shows plus Ubud rice terrace season. Bali is a top CN GW honeymoon destination.

From Beijing

¥2,700

7.5h direct · Trip.com

From Shanghai

¥2,300

7h direct · Trip.com

From Guangzhou

¥1,950

5.5h direct · Trip.com

Best for: Honeymoon couples, surfers, villa-stay groups

Weather: 27-30°C dry; perfect

Visa: VOA USD 35. E-VOA recommended.

GW 2026 tip: Seminyak beach clubs at peak. Mount Batur sunrise hike books out for GW. Ubud villas USD 100-300 per night.

Trip.com hotels Bali →
#6🇹🇭

Phuket, Thailand

HKT

Mutual visa-free plus Vegetarian Festival (Phuket biggest annual event) Oct 1-9 2026 lines up perfectly with GW.

From Beijing

¥2,300

6.5h direct · Trip.com

From Shanghai

¥2,000

5.5h direct · Trip.com

From Guangzhou

¥1,750

4h direct · Trip.com

Best for: Cultural festival travelers, Phi Phi day-trippers, families

Weather: 27-31°C, monsoon tail-end

Visa: Mutual visa-free, 30 days

GW 2026 tip: Vegetarian Festival processions in Phuket Town Oct 1-9. Phi Phi tours surge — book early November 2025 stays.

Trip.com hotels Phuket →
#7🇻🇳

Da Nang, Vietnam

DAD

Bana Hills Golden Bridge plus Hoi An lantern night plus warm 28°C beach. Vietnam e-visa easy. Visa-free competitor in Asia.

From Beijing

¥2,000

5h direct · Trip.com

From Shanghai

¥1,650

4.5h direct · Trip.com

From Guangzhou

¥1,350

3h direct · Trip.com

Best for: Instagram travelers, UNESCO Hoi An fans, couples

Weather: 23-28°C, dry season

Visa: E-visa USD 25 (90-day multi-entry)

GW 2026 tip: Bana Hills Golden Bridge has dedicated GW night-show. Hoi An Mid-Autumn lantern festival Oct 3-5 overlaps GW perfectly.

Trip.com hotels Da Nang →
#8🇲🇾

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

KUL

Mutual visa-free plus Hari Malaysia September buzz still active plus cheapest 4-star hotels in SE Asia.

From Beijing

¥2,200

6.5h direct · Trip.com

From Shanghai

¥1,850

5.5h direct · Trip.com

From Guangzhou

¥1,500

4h direct · Trip.com

Best for: Budget luxury, families, multi-stop with Penang/Langkawi

Weather: 24-32°C humid

Visa: Mutual visa-free, 30 days

GW 2026 tip: Petronas Towers plus Batu Caves plus Genting Highlands 3-day combo. Langkawi flight from KUL only 60 min.

Trip.com hotels Kuala Lumpur →
#9🇲🇻

Maldives, Maldives

MLE

Dry season Oct-Apr starts. End of monsoon. CN-popular resorts (Solunar, COMO, Conrad) at competitive shoulder pricing.

From Beijing

¥4,000

9.5h direct · Trip.com

From Shanghai

¥3,700

8.5h direct · Trip.com

From Guangzhou

¥3,400

7.5h direct · Trip.com

Best for: Couples, anniversary trips, luxury beach

Weather: 28-30°C, dry season begins

Visa: Free 30-day VOA

GW 2026 tip: Resort transfers easier in Oct vs CNY peak. October dry-season pricing 30% cheaper than Dec-Jan peak.

Trip.com hotels Maldives →
#10🇫🇷

Paris, France

CDG

15-day mutual visa-free plus Paris autumn weather plus Nuit Blanche art festival Oct 4 2026 plus post-summer-tourist-crush.

From Beijing

¥4,300

10.5h direct · Trip.com

From Shanghai

¥4,000

11.5h direct · Trip.com

From Guangzhou

¥3,800

13h direct · Trip.com

Best for: Luxury shoppers, art lovers, first-time Europe

Weather: 12-18°C; autumn coats

Visa: 15-day mutual visa-free pilot

GW 2026 tip: Nuit Blanche all-night arts festival Oct 4 equals free museum entry. Louvre plus Versailles plus Mont St-Michel doable in 5 days.

Trip.com hotels Paris →
#11🇦🇪

Dubai, UAE

DXB

Mutual visa-free plus Dubai Fitness Challenge Oct plus weather starts cooling 28-32°C. Pre-shopping festival quiet.

From Beijing

¥2,700

8h direct · Trip.com

From Shanghai

¥2,500

9h direct · Trip.com

From Guangzhou

¥2,300

7.5h direct · Trip.com

Best for: Shoppers, families, business plus leisure

Weather: 28-35°C; cooling

Visa: Mutual visa-free, 30 days

GW 2026 tip: Dubai Fitness Challenge events all month free. Burj Khalifa observation easier to book vs CNY peak.

Trip.com hotels Dubai →
#12🇦🇺

Sydney, Australia

SYD

Australian spring (south hemisphere) plus whale-watching season ends Oct plus Bondi Beach plus Blue Mountains. Tourist e-visa USD 145.

From Beijing

¥4,400

11.5h direct · Trip.com

From Shanghai

¥4,100

11h direct · Trip.com

From Guangzhou

¥3,900

10h direct · Trip.com

Best for: Multi-gen families, photography travelers, Great Ocean Road trips

Weather: 17-23°C; spring

Visa: eVisitor or Tourist Stream Visa USD 145

GW 2026 tip: Sydney Royal Botanic Garden spring blooms. Blue Mountains plus Jenolan Caves 1-day combo.

Trip.com hotels Sydney →

Golden Week 2026 FAQs

Updated May 2026

When is China Golden Week 2026?+

National Day Golden Week 2026 runs October 1-7 (7 days), with the official holiday from Wednesday October 1 through Tuesday October 7. Most CN workers also take Sep 28-30 and Oct 8-9 off, creating an effective 12-day travel window. Mid-Autumn Festival 2026 falls on September 25 — many travelers stack the two holidays for 14-15 days off, Sep 25 to Oct 7.

When should I book Golden Week 2026 flights?+

For best prices, book by mid-July 2026. Trip.com data shows price climbs of 35-60% in the final 4 weeks before Oct 1. International outbound destinations (Bangkok, Tokyo, Singapore) inflate 2-3x during GW; domestic CN flights inflate 5-8x to Hainan, Tibet, Xinjiang. Outbound is the better value play for GW.

Which Golden Week 2026 destinations are visa-free for Chinese passport?+

Most popular: Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, UAE, Maldives, Mauritius, Vietnam (e-visa), Indonesia (VOA), Japan (mutual visa-free pilot Sep 2026), the 17-country European 15-day pilot (France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Netherlands etc), and Hong Kong/Macau (mainland endorsement).

What is the difference between Golden Week and Chinese New Year for travel?+

Golden Week (Oct 1-7) is autumn — better weather across SE Asia, Japan, Europe; less price-gouging than CNY because supply is wider (no Chunyun rush); but lower hotel inventory due to F1 Singapore plus Formula 1 plus autumn art festivals. CNY (Feb 17 2027) is winter — warmer beach destinations dominate; flights from CN to SE Asia inflate harder; cultural festivals overlap. Most CN families prefer GW for variety, CNY for warmth.

Are there destinations to avoid for Golden Week 2026?+

Two to skip: (1) domestic CN destinations during GW — Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Chengdu, Sanya, Lhasa are all 4-7x normal price plus 3-hour queues at every major attraction; (2) Hong Kong if you also dislike crowds — Disney plus Ocean Park book to capacity. Best outbound value: Vietnam (Da Nang), Malaysia (KL/Penang), Thailand (Phuket/Chiang Mai), Indonesia (Bali off-Seminyak).

What about Japan visa-free for Golden Week?+

Japan announced a 30-day mutual visa-free pilot for Chinese passport holders in September 2026, extending the December 2023 European pilot scheme to Asia's biggest CN-visitor market. As of May 2026 the policy is confirmed for the September 2026 launch — but verify with the Japan embassy 60 days before your trip in case of policy changes.

Related guides

Chinese Passport Visa-Free 2026

85+ destinations.

Chinese New Year 2027

Feb 17 — top 18 destinations.

Maldives for Chinese Travelers

Mandarin-speaking resorts.