China Travel Tips for First-Time Visitors

China is one of the most rewarding places you'll ever visit — and also one of the most confusing if you show up unprepared. Most travel guides gloss over the practical stuff that actually makes or breaks a trip, because China's digital ecosystem changes faster than they can update.

This page is the starting point for planning a first trip to China. Updated for 2026, based on what actually works right now.

This is the single most important thing: Google (including Gmail, Maps, and YouTube), WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X, and most Western news sites do not work in China. Not "slow." Not "partially." Completely blocked.

A VPN or a travel eSIM is essential for most visitors — without one of the two, you can't check email, message family, or look up anything in English.

Not all VPNs work reliably from China, and which ones perform best changes over time — check recent traveler reports shortly before your trip, and carry two different providers as backup. Travel eSIMs that route data through Hong Kong (offered by providers such as Airalo or Holafly) avoid the issue entirely, though speeds and prices vary. Compare both approaches in our eSIM vs VPN guide.

Mobile payment dominates everyday spending in China — vendors, taxis and restaurants all run on Alipay or WeChat Pay. Some vendors and machines are mobile-payment only, so relying on cash alone will slow you down.

Good news: in 2026, Alipay supports linking Visa, Mastercard, AmEx, and JCB directly.

1. Download Alipay before leaving home
2. Register with your phone number
3. Go to "Me" → "Bank Cards" → add foreign card
4. Complete identity verification (passport photo)
5. Set a 6-digit payment PIN

WeChat Pay works with foreign cards too, but has historically been stricter about them, and foreign cards carry transaction limits that are lower than those for local cards — see our WeChat Pay guide for current details.

More detail: Alipay vs WeChat Pay · when payments fail · cash and ATMs

English is not widely spoken outside airports and luxury hotels. Even in Shanghai, menus and signs are in Chinese. The right apps make this manageable:

• Google Translate (with offline Chinese pack): Camera translation for menus — point and translate.
• Pleco: Chinese dictionary, offline, handwriting input. Free version is enough.
• DiDi: China's Uber with English interface. Links to Alipay.
• Amap or Baidu Maps: In Chinese, but far more accurate than Google Maps for China.

Learn "Ni hao" (hello), "Xie xie" (thank you), "Zhe ge" (this one), and "Duo shao qian?" (how much?).

1. Physical SIM in China: China Mobile/Unicom/Telecom store (bring passport). $15-25 for 20GB. Most reliable.
2. eSIM before you fly: Travel eSIM providers (such as Airalo, Holafly or Nomad) route data through Hong Kong, bypassing the firewall. Setup takes minutes; speeds are typically slower and prices vary — compare recent reviews before buying.
3. International roaming: Most expensive ($10-15/day) but zero setup. Good backup for day one.

Full comparison: SIM card vs eSIM for tourists.

• Never tip. Tipping is not practiced and can confuse staff.
• Don't stick chopsticks upright in rice. Resembles funeral rituals.
• Use both hands when giving or receiving anything — business cards, gifts, money.
• Don't point with your finger. Use your whole hand, palm up.
• Personal space is different. People stand closer. Queuing is more fluid. Don't take it personally.
• Squat toilets are common. Carry toilet paper and hand sanitizer.
• Many restaurants use QR-code menus. Ordering usually happens inside Alipay or WeChat — see our QR code menu guide.
• Tap water is not drinkable. Brush teeth with bottled water.

China currently offers unilateral visa-free entry to nationals of dozens of countries — including most of Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and several Southeast Asian states — typically for stays of up to 30 days. The eligible-country list changes often, so confirm your nationality's current status on official sources before booking.

Many other nationalities — including the US, UK and Canada — can use 240-hour visa-free transit: entering without a visa for up to 10 days when continuing to a third country, through a wide list of eligible ports of entry.

Read our complete 240-hour transit guide →

If you need an L-type tourist visa:

• Apply at your country's CVASC (Chinese Visa Application Service Center)
• Required: passport (6+ months), application, photo, flights, hotels, bank statements
• Processing: 4-7 business days standard; cost varies (~$140 US, ~85 GBP UK)

Safe: Hot, freshly cooked food (noodle soups, stir-fries, dumplings), bottled drinks, peeled fruits, hot tea, busy restaurants with high turnover.

Be careful with: Raw vegetables and unpeeled fruits, ice from street vendors, raw seafood, buffet food left sitting out.

Most travelers get mild stomach issues in the first few days — gut adjusting, usually passes. Buddhist vegetarian restaurants ("su shi") are reliably meat-free for dietary restrictions.

High-speed trains: Best for intercity travel. Book through Trip.com (accepts foreign cards, English) or the official 12306 app. Book 1-2 weeks ahead for popular routes. Before booking, read our Trip.com vs 12306 comparison and the ticket-name/passport rules — the #1 booking mistake is a name mismatch.

Subways: Clean, cheap (3-8 RMB/ride), English signage. Pay with Alipay QR code — no ticket needed.

DiDi: China's Uber, with an English interface. Always use the app — price is fixed. See our DiDi guide for setup. Uber does not operate in mainland China.

Taxis: Use official queues at airports. Have destination written in Chinese. Drivers rarely speak English.

China is generally very safe for tourists, and violent crime against visitors is rare. Normal precautions still apply — see our full safety guide for the complete picture.

Main risks are tourist scams:

• Tea Ceremony Scam: Friendly English-speakers invite you to a "traditional tea ceremony" → $100-300 bill. Politely decline unsolicited invitations.
• Art Student Scam: "My own artwork at a discount" → mass-produced. Buy from established galleries.
• Taxi overcharging: Use DiDi instead — fixed price in app.

Always carry your passport or a copy with visa page. Police can request ID checks, and hotels must register foreign guests within 24 hours. Emergency numbers: 110 (police), 120 (medical), 119 (fire).

• March-May (Spring): The sweet spot. Mild weather, cherry blossoms, moderate crowds. Best for Beijing, Shanghai, Xi'an, Great Wall.
• June-August (Summer): Hot and humid. Massive domestic crowds (summer break). Best for Tibet, Yunnan, Inner Mongolia.
• September-October (Autumn): Best season overall. Clear skies, comfortable. AVOID National Holiday week (Oct 1-7) — absolute chaos everywhere.
• November-February (Winter): North is bitterly cold but prices drop. Harbin Ice Festival (January). Southern cities stay mild.

Not every property in China is licensed to receive foreign guests, and policies vary by city and hotel. Before booking, confirm that the hotel accepts foreign passports — this is the single most common accommodation problem first-time visitors run into.

At check-in you'll need your passport, and the property registers your stay with local authorities. If you stay somewhere other than a hotel — for example with a friend or in a private rental — you must register with the local police station within 24 hours of arrival.