It is recommended to either install an eSIM application on your phone before
arriving, or upon arriving at the airport, to purchase a local China SIM card,
in order to stay connected during your stay in China. (Note that in USA some phones such as iPhone 14, etc. or newer will not have a physical SIM card and can only
take eSIMs)
TLDR
Download and setup these apps before you arrive in China:
➤ WeChat
➤ Alipay
➤ Didi
➤ Apple Maps or Amap (Gaode)
➤ eSIM app of your choice (if you plan to use eSIM)
➤ VPN app of your choice (if you plan to use VPN)
📶 Internet & VPN
It is recommened to get an eSIM in order to use your mobile's data services
for internet in China. The best deals are probably purchased ahead of time
online. But it can also be done after arriving.
Of course, you can also enable international roaming from your current mobile
plan provider. For example, T-mobile customer can purchase 1 time, 30 day,
15GB plan for $50+taxes. You can also use your personal hotspot to connect
your laptop.
We've personally used Airalo with success but there are other similar and potentially cheaper options
available. Another popular one is called Holafly. Others have used Nomad succesfully as well. A newer one that lots of folks like: Sally
Depending on if you're going to be in China only or other nearby countries,
you can buy the eSIM for specifically one country, or a regional eSIM which
works in multiple countries. (Regional will cost slightly more)
eSIM Apps
For internet access on mobile phone if you do not want to use roaming feature
of your home mobile carrier. (You may also need a VPN app in addition to the
eSIM app)
A lot of the websites/apps, such as Google, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp etc.,
cannot be accessed using regular internet in China. One can install VPN client(s)
ahead of time.
Many "mainstream" VPN services will not work, such as NordVPN, ExpressVPN.
Here are a list of VPN services that "should" work:
➤ Let's VPN - worked as of July. It has a free trial period
so you can make sure it works. After that, paid service 1 week price is
only $2.99. Client available on iOS, MacOS, Android & Windows. (But 2 devices
max)
➤ If you use International Roaming (i.e. Using a foreign SIM card with
roaming service turned on), you do not need to use a VPN.
➤ Also you may not need VPN if you're using Google-Fi mobile service
(not validated personally)
💶 Money & Payments
It's recommended to download the following apps ahead of time as they're very
useful getting around in China.
➤ WeChat [Highly Recommended]
➤ Instant and group messaging + Payment + social, etc.
➤ Some Museum need Wechat Payment for booking and paying for
ticket
➤ Likely will require verification by an existing WeChat/WeiXin
user/friend
➤ Please search for ‘WeChat’ in the App Store or on the official
WeChat website https://weixin.qq.com/, after logging in, please go
to ‘Me - Services - Wallet - Cards’ and bind an international
credit card, which will allow you to make payments in China. As
for now, there are no transaction fees for purchases less then or
equal to $200; a 3% transaction fee will be charged for anything
above this amount. （It is recommended to bind to a credit card
which does not charge Foreign Transaction Fees, although the 3%
may not be avoidable)
If you have WeChat and/or Alipay setup ahead of time (registered and added
your own credit cards), most of the time, there's no need to carry or use cash
(RMB) in China.
📍 Getting Around
To get around in the city, you may use either public transport, or use an Uber-like
service. The main app for that is Didi.
➤ Didi [Highly Recommended]
➤ "Uber of China". Useful for calling cars to get around the city
➤ Uber does not work in China market, so Didi is the main choice
➤ Metro/Subway
➤ Hangzhou has a good subway system
➤ You can use the Transit Feature in Alipay and present your
transit QR code at the fare gate scanner when riding subways and
buses.
Navigation Apps
Although Google Maps works if you're using VPN, the map may not be as accurate,
and there may not be as much local data.
Alternative, Apple Maps works well in China. But the best ones are Gaode and
Baidu Maps for local map and navigation.
➤ Gaode Maps 高德地图
➤ Baidu Maps 百度地图
Tourism
China is huge, so varieties of places to visit is vast. It all depends on what
type of places you'd like to see. There are tons of world heritage sites and
history places, as well as natural scenary to be seen. Here are some ideas.