Before you travel

Documents, entry and checks

The first layer to settle is your paperwork: a valid passport, entry requirements, a visa if one is needed, travel insurance, flight tickets and hotel confirmations. In China it matters especially that you keep hotel details and addresses in both English and Chinese, because drivers, clerks and service staff won't always manage with an English-only address.

Check your passport against your actual travel dates, including a safety margin after you return. Entry requirements can change according to citizenship, destination, length of stay and trip type, so it is worth checking the official details close to your departure and not only when you book.

Keep digital and printed copies of your passport, insurance, flights, hotels and important contacts. Save a passport photo on your phone, an offline file, and a printed copy in a separate bag. Hotels, railway stations and the entrance to certain sites may ask for the physical passport.

• A valid passport with a safety margin after your return date.
• Check entry requirements and visas against your citizenship and travel dates.
• Keep hotel and site addresses in both English and Chinese.
• Digital and offline copies of passport, insurance, flights and hotels.

Internet in China, VPNs and connectivity

Not every Western internet service is available or fully functional in China. Some apps, news sites, Google services and certain communication features may be restricted. So work out in advance what you genuinely need during the trip: maps, WhatsApp, email, remote work, or steady access to Western services.

For connectivity there are several good options: an international eSIM, a local SIM, or a roaming package bought at home. In most cases an eSIM and a home roaming package route through infrastructure outside China, so by default they reach services blocked behind the GFW without needing a VPN. A local Chinese SIM, by contrast, runs through the local network — so if you need access to blocked Western services, you will usually need a VPN as well.

If you choose to rely on a local SIM, or need a backup for work and communication, install, configure and test a VPN before your flight. Arriving in China and only then starting to look for a solution is a bad idea, when convenient access to app stores, verification and the providers' own sites is already gone. Either way, check the data allowance, speed, tethering support, coverage in cities and remote areas, and whether you get comfortable access to the services you actually use.

• Install and test a VPN before the flight, if you need one.
• Decide in advance between an eSIM, a local SIM or a roaming package from home.
• Remember: an eSIM or a home package usually needs no VPN, but a local SIM may.
• Make sure the package supports tethering and has enough data for the whole trip.
• Keep activation instructions, QR codes and provider details somewhere available offline.

Phone, payment and essential apps

Install and set up Alipay and WeChat in advance. Both apps are extremely useful for payment, local services, communication, bookings and sometimes for reaching mini-apps. Link a credit card ahead of time, verify the account works, and run a basic test before the flight rather than after landing.

For navigation, install Amap — 高德地图 in Chinese. Inside China it is generally more useful than Western maps, especially for public transport, walking, taxis, journey times and local addresses. Save your hotels and key points in the app in advance, and screenshot the important addresses as well.

On payment, don't rely on a single method. Even if Alipay or WeChat work, carry a credit card, some cash in yuan, and a backup of your booking details and documents. Sometimes a foreign payment is declined, an app asks for verification, or a small place simply prefers something simpler.

• A working connectivity solution before day one.
• Alipay installed, linked to a card and tested in advance.
• WeChat installed and ready for communication, payment and local services.
• Amap / 高德地图 installed, with hotels and key points saved in advance.
• Some cash in yuan, a credit card and a backup of documents and bookings.

Packing, itinerary and daily rhythm

China is vast, so packing for "China" as a single country isn't enough. Check the weather for the specific cities and regions you will actually pass through. Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Chengdu, Yunnan and mountain areas can demand completely different layers within the same trip.

Leave slack when planning the itinerary. Large railway stations, security checks, urban distances, crowds and sprawling sites can take far longer than the map suggests. In China it is better to plan fewer points per day and do them calmly, without pressure.

Prepare the names of hotels, railway stations, airports and major sites in Chinese too. It is genuinely useful when ordering a ride, asking for help, or searching for a destination inside Amap. A screenshot of a place name in Chinese can save a lot of time when communication is difficult.

Make a short list of the things that must happen, and next to it a flexible list of options. If the day is going well you can add another stop, and if there is tiredness, crowding or awkward weather, you already know what to drop without feeling you missed out.

• Check the weather by city and region, not just by country.
• Names and addresses in Chinese for hotels, stations and important sites.
• Layers and comfortable shoes for long walking days.
• An itinerary with clear anchor points and room for change.
• Screenshots of addresses, bookings and key places in case you lose signal.