Spring Festival Travel Rush: Over 14,000 vehicles stranded in Haikou, flight tickets sold out

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The heaviest fog in a decade descended on Qiongzhou Strait in south China in the last few days of the Spring Festival. At its worst, fog limited visibility to below 200 meters. Authorities have had to cancel ferry services 14 times, and as a result, thousands of people and vehicles are stranded at port.

"I arrived at the port at 8 a.m. I have been here for 12 hours."

To ease traffic, most locals in Hainan Province's capital Haikou were encouraged to take Thursday off work. The local government has also resorted to emergency measures to deal with the number of people stuck in the area. Temporary bathrooms have been set up, as well as medical care centers. Many hotels, shops, and locals themselves have offered to help.

WEN WEIWEI HAIKOU BUREAU OF TRANSPORT & HARBOR MANAGEMENT "I come at midnight to take over the shift. I guide the passengers and vehicles to buy tickets."

Congestion at the port has put more pressure on air travel. Many tourists say it's impossible to get full-price tickets to big cities like Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou for the next three days. All direct flights are fully-booked, which has forced many to look for indirect and more expensive routes. Major airlines have added flights to Hainan, but getting everyone out may take several days.