Everything you need to sort before you fly
Fourteen practical guides: visa-free entry, mobile payments that actually work with a foreign card, getting round the firewall, booking capped attraction tickets, and what a fortnight really costs.
01Before you go
Bookings, paperwork and timing
The decisions that are expensive to get wrong, and the ones that have to be made months ahead.
Visas & Visa-Free Entry
China opened up dramatically in 2024–25. Most Western visitors can now arrive without a visa at all — here is how to work out which route applies to you.
When to Go
China spans 50 degrees of latitude and five climate zones. The right month depends entirely on where you are heading — and on avoiding two specific weeks.
Tickets & Advance Booking
China's major sights run on capped, passport-linked, advance-only online tickets. Turning up at the gate increasingly does not work.
What a Trip Actually Costs
Once you are on the ground China is cheaper than most of Western Europe — with the notable exceptions of flagship attraction tickets and anything in Hong Kong.
02On the ground
Money, connectivity and moving around
The practical machinery of a Chinese trip — most of which has changed completely since 2023.
Money & Mobile Payments
China skipped credit cards and went straight to QR codes. Since 2024 foreign Visa and Mastercard can be bound directly inside Alipay and WeChat Pay — set this up before you fly.
SIM Cards, Internet & the Firewall
Google, WhatsApp and Instagram do not work on a Chinese connection. International roaming or a foreign eSIM routes around the problem entirely — and is the answer for almost every visitor.
High-Speed Rail & Getting Around
48,000 km of high-speed rail at up to 350 km/h. For any journey under about five hours it beats flying, and your passport is the ticket.
Where to Stay
Chinese domestic hotel chains are modern, cheap and excellent — but not every hotel can legally accept a foreign guest, and that catches people out.
Language & the Apps You Need
English is rare outside hotels and museums, and it matters far less than it used to. Camera translation and a dozen phrases will carry you through.
03Experience
Eating, behaving and staying well
How to order, what not to do, and the risks that are real rather than imagined.
How to Eat in China
There is no such thing as Chinese food — there are at least eight major regional cuisines, and the one you know from home is a narrow slice of one of them.
Etiquette & Cultural Notes
China is far less formal than visitors expect, and the rules that matter are few. Here are the ones that are genuinely worth knowing.
Health, Safety & Scams
China is a very safe country for visitors. The genuine risks are traffic, air quality, altitude and a handful of well-rehearsed tourist scams.
What to Pack
Plugs, a power bank, tissues, and the small things that are annoying to source once you are there.
Your First 24 Hours
A step-by-step for landing day, from the fingerprint kiosk to your first bowl of noodles.