First of all, we welcome people from different countries to travel to China, and hope that you will have fun and eat well here. China is a very large country with many provinces and cities, different food culture and customs exist in each region, you can choose the city you want to visit according to your interests and food habits before you leave, if you have enough time, you are welcome to travel from south to north or from east to west.

City Selection

If you are visiting China for the first time, I would recommend the following cities:

Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Beijing, Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing, Xi’an.

If you want to learn about Chinese culture: Beijing (the capital of China), Xi’an (historical city).

For food and social pace: Guangzhou (for lighter tastes), Changsha, Chengdu, Chongqing (for heavier tastes, spicy).

More international: Shanghai (the largest city in Mainland China), Hangzhou (technologically prosperous, hosting the Asian Games)

The above labels are only the simplest distinctions and do not at all summarize each city, which has its own unique culture and charm.

Network Problem

China’s Internet is quite special, most of the software you usually use everyday (Instagram, YouTube, X, Facebook…) may face the problem of not being able to use them directly in China, so in addition to the visa issue that must be solved, followed by the network problem. If you enter the territory of China is unable to directly connect these software, you need to use a VPN (simply put, it is a proxy for your IP address, thus skipping the network restrictions), the specific use of software can refer to this article https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/article-best-vpns- for-china.htm If you have friends in China, you can also let your friends help to solve this step is to be solved before departure (very important)

Cell phone traffic:

There are several ways to get a cell phone card and traffic (the first and second are the most recommended)

Your own home country’s cell phone card (buy foreign traffic coming to China)
Buy a cell phone card from nihaomobile (https://www.nihaomobile.cn/cn/home).
Apply for a cell phone card with your passport at a local business office when you arrive in China.
If you use your own country’s cell phone card to come to China, you can buy overseas traffic to use directly (some can be used directly without the use of vpn, some can not, there is no standard answer to this need to check your own information to get specific information, but make sure that before you go, you can use your normal daily software in China)

Common APP (software replacement option)

Chinese software is basically known for being big, and unlike other countries, Chinese software basically wants to do everything inside an app, so Chinese apps generally offer very many other types of services in addition to the most basic functions.

Daily Software

Alipay: a mobile payment APP, China’s society today, has been covered by electronic payment of almost all the payment scenes, so you can download a good change of software before you go to China, and now already support the binding of visa card, in China, large and small payment scenes can be used. Meanwhile, you can also use QR code to ride buses and subways in China, so it is recommended to download it.

WeChat: a communication software used by all Chinese people, if you have Chinese friends to talk business or communication, Chinese people are using this software. At the same time, as I said earlier, this software also provides payment function (similar to Alipay, these two are the most widely used electronic payment in China), and many other functions that will be used in life. WeChat has a public number function, which can be understood as a collection of most of China’s scenic spots, merchants, media, hospitals will be used in the daily function and a variety of promotional information. It is recommended to download it.

HOTELS

If foreigners to stay in the hotel, must pay attention to a problem is that China has requirements, foreigners must be able to receive foreign guests to the hotel to be stationed, if you booked the ordinary hotel then will not be able to be stationed, here I recommend two APP: Trip.com (show all the hotels can be booked by foreign guests) Ctrip (Chinese people will use their own travel software, if you use the software then filter conditions must be checked foreign guests applicable) Ctrip (Chinese people will use their own travel software, if you use this software, then the screening conditions must be checked foreign guests applicable)

Train Tickets

If you need to take the train in China, high-speed rail, train, then you need to use 12306 or Trip.com to buy tickets in advance. (If you have travel plans, we suggest you buy tickets in advance, as China is very crowded and there may not be any tickets for traveling on the same day.)

Food Search

The two most used food search apps in China are Dianping (大众点评) and Meituan (美团), the former is used to find all kinds of delicious food and recommendations, while the latter can search for food and also buy coupons directly.

Navigation and Taxi

The most popular navigation app in China is Gaode Maps, and the most popular taxi app is Dripping Taxi. As I said before, Chinese software usually includes a lot of features, so I use Gaode Maps to navigate and take a taxi directly in my own life.

Subway and Bus

China’s subway and bus system is different in every city, so you can see a lot of Chinese transportation cards in ApplePay Transportation Card, so you can just open the card if you only play in one city. My suggestion is that you use Alipay’s QR code function for buses directly, which supports most of the cities in China and can be opened directly from your cell phone without distinguishing between iOS and Android. It is supported by both buses and subways.

Reservation of Attraction Tickets

If it is a hot attraction, usually need to book a few days in advance, then you can use WeChat’s public number to book (such as the National Museum of China) can be booked 7 days in advance, if it is some scenic spots, then you can use Ctrip or Meituan to buy tickets in advance, and then pick up the tickets from the scenic spots at that time.

Other Social Media Apps

Watching videos: most people in China don’t use Youtube, but generally use Jitterbug and BiliBili, and AikiYi.

Send dynamic: generally will use microblogging and Xiaohongshu

Software comparison notes

Google maps => Gaode Maps

Uber => Ticketing/Google Maps

Summary list of software

Line/Whatsapp => WeChat
Electronic payment: Alipay, WeChat
Navigation: Gaode Maps
Train ticket, hotel: Trip.com , Ctrip, 12306
Food: Dianping, Meituan
Scenic Spot Tickets: Ctrip, Meituan, WeChat public number
Taxi：Trip.com/GoDe Map
Travel Note
Emergency Numbers in China
Alarm 110
Fire 119
Medical care 120
Traffic Accident 122
It is recommended that you also keep a record of the telephone number of your country’s embassy in China in case of emergency.

Other websites

Tourist introduction website: https://www.chinahighlights.com/