Two China trips this year taught me that the country is easy to travel, but only if you set up correctly before landing. Here’s the practical playbook I wish someone had handed me, tested in the field.
Payments: Set Up Before You Fly
China runs on Alipay and WeChat Pay, and both now have functional international onboarding, link your foreign card at home, over hotel Wi-Fi, not in a taxi queue. Cash technically works; in practice you’ll hold up every line you join. My two weeks in June: zero cash transactions.
Connectivity: The eSIM Decision
Many Western apps and sites are inaccessible on Chinese networks. The clean solution for visitors: a travel eSIM with international routing, set up before arrival, alongside a local connection for maps and payments. Test everything at the airport before leaving Wi-Fi. Connectivity in China rewards preparation and punishes improvisation.
Getting Around
High-speed rail beats flying for anything under 1,000 km, book via the official 12306 app or major travel apps, passport in hand (your passport is your ticket). In cities, Didi has an English interface and removes every language barrier a taxi conversation might hold.
Language
Translation apps with camera mode have quietly solved China. Menus, signs, ingredient labels, point, read, order. Download offline packs; see the section above about networks.
For Creators: The Drone Reality
Be serious about this one. Drones must be registered, city centers and sensitive areas are heavily restricted, and enforcement is real. Research the current rules for each specific location before packing the drone at all, in big cities, assume no, and treat any yes as a bonus. Rooftops and observation decks are how you get your aerials here.
The Overall Verdict
Difficulty in 2026: far lower than reputation suggests. China isn’t hard, it’s different, and the difference is front-loaded. One evening of setup at home buys you two weeks of the smoothest, safest, most futuristic travel infrastructure on Earth.
