The China Travel Cheat Sheet

Visas & entry

The big 2026 change most guides haven't caught up on:

• 30-day visa-free: 79 nationalities can enter and stay up to 30 days with NO visa and NO onward ticket — including the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, nearly all of Europe, plus Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and more. If you've read that UK/EU/Canadian/Australian tourists need a visa, that's out of date. China's unilateral list (50 countries) currently runs through 31 December 2026; the rest come from mutual agreements that aren't tied to that date.
• United States passport holders are the main exception — still NOT visa-free. Either get a tourist visa, or use the separate 240-hour (10-day) visa-free transit when flying onward to a third country, entering via a designated port with an onward ticket. Czechia and Lithuania are EU members that are also off the visa-free list.
• Register your address with local police within 24 hours of arrival. Hotels do this automatically at check-in; in a private home or some Airbnbs you must register yourself at the neighborhood police station.
• Carry your physical passport at all times — needed for hotels, train tickets, some attractions, SIMs, and occasional ID checks.
• Tibet needs an organized tour + Tibet Travel Permit (arranged by a licensed agency, ~3+ weeks ahead) — visa-free entry does not cover it. Hong Kong & Macau are separate immigration zones; re-entering the mainland needs a fresh visa-free entry or a multi-entry visa.

These rules re-checked July 2026. Check your exact nationality →

Payments

• You don't need a Chinese bank account. Link an international Visa/Mastercard to Alipay or WeChat Pay, verify your passport, and pay by QR almost everywhere. Set this up before you fly.
• China is largely cashless, but carry 200–300 RMB in small notes for street vendors, temples, some taxis, and rural spots. Major-bank ATMs (Bank of China, ICBC) take foreign cards.
• Physical Western cards work only at international hotels and big malls — everyday shops and transport want the apps. Currency is the renminbi (RMB/CNY), counted in yuan (¥), colloquially 'kuai' (块).

Connectivity — eSIM & VPN

• Google, Gmail, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube and many Western maps/news sites are blocked by the Great Firewall. Install a reputable VPN BEFORE you arrive — the app stores for these are restricted inside China.
• A roaming eSIM bought before arrival (e.g. Airalo, Holafly) gives data the moment you land and often bypasses the firewall — your traffic routes through a foreign carrier, so Telegram/WhatsApp/Google can work without a separate VPN.
• Trip.com also sells short-term travel eSIMs for China — handy if you'd rather keep your data, trains, and hotels in one app. Install and activate it before you fly.
• Works fine without a VPN: WeChat, Alipay, DiDi, Amap/高德 and Apple Maps, Trip.com, Pleco (offline dictionary). Google Maps is unreliable inside China — use Apple Maps or Amap (has an English mode).

Language & translation

• Don't let the language barrier put you off — with a data connection it's barely an issue. English is limited outside big-city hotels and major sights, but an AI assistant on your phone (this bot, or apps like ChatGPT/DeepL) handles text, photos of menus and signs, and even speech in real time, so you'll rarely be stuck. Keep one offline app — Pleco, or Microsoft Translator with the Chinese pack pre-downloaded — for the rare no-signal spot.
• Save your hotel's name and address in Chinese characters (screenshot it) to show taxi drivers — many don't read pinyin or English. A photo of the hotel's business card is the classic backup for getting home.

Getting around

• DiDi is China's Uber and the easiest option — set the app to English, type your destination, pay automatically via Alipay/WeChat. At pickup the driver often confirms you by the last 4 digits of your phone number; if you can't say them in Chinese, just show them on your screen.
• High-speed 'G' trains are fast and punctual (Beijing–Shanghai ~4.5h). Book on Trip.com or the official 12306 app; your passport IS your ticket (paperless). Arrive 30+ minutes early for security.
• In big-city metros, open Alipay → 'Transport' (出行), add the city Metro QR, and scan at the gate. Keep your passport — some stations check ID.

Accommodation

• Chinese hotels now generally accept foreign guests — the old 'foreigner-licensed hotels only' rule has largely eased. At smaller or local places staff may not speak English, but a translation app and booking through Trip.com (the English version of Ctrip) smooth check-in easily.
• Hand over your passport at check-in — hotels register your stay with the police (this is normal). Many take a small refundable cash or card deposit, returned at checkout.
• Booking a private home or some Airbnbs? You may have to register yourself at the local police station within 24 hours of arrival.

Food

• Regional map: Sichuan & Chongqing = numbing-spicy (málà) hotpot; Cantonese = mild, fresh dim sum; Beijing = Peking duck; Shanghai & Jiangnan = soup dumplings (xiaolongbao); Xi'an = lamb & hand-pulled noodles; Yunnan = mushrooms & rice noodles.
• Spice control: '微辣' (wēi là) = mild, '不要辣' (bù yào là) = no chili. For hotpot, order a split 'mandarin duck' (鸳鸯) pot to taste málà without the full heat.
• Safest street food is the busy stall with constant turnover and a local queue. Vegetarian? Many broths and sauces hide meat/lard/fish — learn '我吃素' (wǒ chī sù) and carry a written card.

Etiquette

• Tipping is generally not expected and can cause confusion — not customary in restaurants or taxis.
• Bargaining is expected at markets and souvenir stalls (start near half, meet in the middle) — but NOT in malls, supermarkets, or restaurants, which have fixed prices.
• Small wins: give/receive cards and gifts with both hands; don't stand chopsticks upright in rice; dress modestly at temples. A little Mandarin goes far: 你好 (nǐ hǎo), 谢谢 (xièxie), 多少钱 (duōshao qián).

Health & practical

• Don't drink the tap water — use bottled or boiled (brushing teeth with tap is fine). Many public toilets are squat-style and lack paper; carry tissues and hand sanitizer.
• Power is 220V with Type A (US-style) and Type I (angled) sockets — bring a universal adapter and check your devices are dual-voltage.
• Emergency numbers: police 110, ambulance 120, fire 119. Big cities have international clinics with English-speaking staff; bring prescription meds in original packaging.

Scams & safety

• China is very safe with low violent crime. The main tourist traps near big sights are the 'tea ceremony' and 'art student' setups — a friendly English-speaker invites you somewhere, then a huge bill lands. Politely decline strangers' invitations.
• Only take DiDi or metered taxis — never unmarked 'black cabs'. Your bigger risks are overpaying and the language barrier, not street crime.

When to go

• Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) are best: mild, drier, good for sightseeing. Summer is hot, humid, and the domestic peak; northern winters are cold but quieter.
• Avoid the two big domestic surges if you can — National Day 'Golden Week' (Oct 1–7) and Chinese New Year (late Jan/Feb): trains and hotels sell out and sights are mobbed. Travelling then? Book weeks ahead.