Short answer: You do not need to speak Chinese to travel in China — but you do need a translation setup done before you fly. Install two apps (one online-capable, one fully offline), download the Chinese (Simplified) offline pack at home, test them in airplane mode, and save every hotel and station address in Chinese … Read more
Short answer: On a local Chinese connection — a local SIM, hotel Wi-Fi or airport Wi-Fi — expect Google, Gmail, Google Maps, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, X and many Western news sites to be unavailable, while WeChat, Alipay, DiDi, Amap, Baidu, Apple services and Microsoft services generally work. The key fact is that the restriction … Read more
Short answer: For most first-time visitors, buy a travel eSIM before you fly if your phone supports eSIM — you land already online, keep your home number, and avoid the airport SIM queue. Buy a local SIM at the airport or a carrier store only if you need a Chinese (+86) phone number, for example … Read more
