After reaching your “must see” travel spot, avoid being disappointed as you and your little ones are crammed in like sardines among what feels like a million other people.
Here are 4 simple tips which will help you avoid the crowds
1. If possible go during non holiday season
This will mean less busy airports and a more relaxed flight
2. Consider the locals crowds and avoid rush hour
Some famous sights draw heavy local traffic. We experienced this especially in Japan (pre-Berlin). Locals flock to temples and theme parks during end of year holidays. We rescheduled a few sites until after Japanese holiday is over as it was way easier to get around. We even went into Tokyo Skytree at sunset with no line!
3. For best experience go early morning, lunch time or later in the day
And check out extended opening hours of famous sites. When we were in Paris (again pre-Berlin), they had extended museum hours on some weekdays so we went to Louvre quite late and there were less than 10 people inside the Monalisa room!
4. Avoid the tour groups
They tend to create crowd bottle necks and usually visit sights mid morning or early afternoons. If you are stuck with them try to let them pass or go ahead of them.
This photo was taken at about lunchtime at Terracotta Army Mausoleum, Xian. Our awesome local guide Ding Yi suggested to adjust our visit day so that it coincide with the new school year and cooler weather. Yes our basic strategies will work, even in a country of over 1 Billion people!
Read our article on visiting China!
