China's National Day holiday has led to a surge in travel across the country, with major attractions seeing festive crowds as families and friends enjoy the extended break.
In Dunhuang, Gansu province, the Mingsha Mountain and Crescent Spring scenic area became a standout destination. Aerial footage showed visitors seated across the sandy slopes beneath a large national flag, creating a striking desert panorama. Many tourists wore brightly colored sand-proof shoe covers, adding to the lively scene.
The site also rolled out special holiday programming under a Silk Road-themed celebration, featuring nightly costumed "NPC" parades and song-and-dance performances, alongside occasional drone shows. Camel rides remained a highlight, with visitors describing long camel caravans stretching for miles. With demand surging, some camel teams even queued at traffic lights—an unusual but memorable snapshot of the holiday rush.
Even with the high volume of visitors, tourists said the atmosphere was well-managed. Some praised the orderly crowd control and the availability of free shuttle buses after events. Others noted convenient amenities such as vending machines, with bottled water priced at 2 yuan.
The holiday travel boom has also been visible in other hotspots, including Hangzhou's West Lake, where popular areas like the Broken Bridge drew heavy foot traffic. Some visitors adjusted their schedules—turning in early and starting out at dawn—to enjoy sightseeing during quieter hours.
Transport data reflected the strong momentum. On Oct 2, cross-regional passenger movement nationwide was estimated to exceed 300 million trips, with highways and railways handling sustained demand and additional services added in some areas to support short-distance travel.
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