Well, most expats in these areas try their best to head out to somewhere else during CNY, if that tells you anything. I don't think planning a special trip to China or HK for Chinese New Year (unless you are Chinese and returning to visit family) is all that great an idea. Better to do a trip to the area at a non-holiday time.
As said above, with the discretionary wealth floating about the region now, many Chinese (mainlanders as well as HK'ers, Taiwanese, etc.) are traveling to other resort spots to spend the holiday. If you want to avoid the additional crowds of millions this brings, then places like the beaches of Thailand are not a good choice. A better choice would be something unpopular with them, such as....Indonesia (except Bali) or maybe Myanmar, Laos, or Cambodia, or upcountry Thailand. Philippines a possibility? You don't have a lot of time but could spend a quickie 2-3 day CNY w/fireworks in HK then quick flight over for the balance at Boracay or Palawan or similar lovely beaches. Either open jaws into HKG then MNL-home or round-trip Hong Kong, then separate r-t HKG-MNL-final Phils destination.
Last edited by jiejie; Apr 6, 2012 at 6:37 pm