Last updated: May 28, 2026
China is one of the most incredible travel destinations in the world. It's also the one where arriving unprepared hits hardest — because the moment you land, most of the tools you normally rely on stop working.
Google Maps. WhatsApp. Instagram. Gmail. All blocked.
And the apps that replace them — WeChat, DiDi, Alipay — require setup that's significantly harder to complete once you're already inside the country.
The good news: all of it is fixable with about an hour of preparation before you fly. Do these 7 things before you board and you'll land in Beijing or Shanghai ready to go.
→ Get Your China eSIM from €2.99
1. Buy and Install Your eSIM Before You Fly
This is the most critical item on the list and needs to happen first.
Once you're inside China, most international eSIM provider websites are blocked — you cannot purchase a new plan after landing. The QR code delivery email may also be inaccessible. If you forget to do this before flying, you land with no data and no way to get any.
OVOSIM connects to China Mobile and China Telecom — two of China's three major networks — from €2.99. It bypasses the Great Firewall automatically, so Google Maps, WhatsApp, and Instagram all work from the moment you connect.
How to install:
- Go to ovosim.com/esim/china and choose your plan
- Pay with your home card — Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay
- Screenshot the QR code and save it to your camera roll
- Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM → Scan QR code
- Label it "China Data" and keep it switched off until you land
2. Set Up WeChat Before You Fly
WeChat is not optional in China. It's how you pay for food, scan menus, book rides, message locals, enter some venues, and communicate with hotels. China has effectively become a WeChat-first country.
The problem: setting up WeChat for the first time requires phone number verification and often a "social verification" step where an existing WeChat user has to approve your account. This process is significantly harder to complete once you're inside China.
Do this before flying:
- Download WeChat and create your account
- Complete phone number verification using your home number
- If asked for social verification, ask a friend who already has WeChat to approve you
- Link your international Visa or Mastercard to WeChat Pay — this is now possible for foreign cards and lets you pay at most Chinese vendors
If you can't link a card before departure, you can load WeChat Pay via international card at certain locations after arrival — but having it set up saves enormous hassle.
3. Download Offline Maps for Every City You're Visiting
Even with a working eSIM, downloading offline maps before you fly is essential in China.
Google Maps can be slow to load in congested areas, metro stations sometimes have weak signal, and having offline maps means you can navigate with zero data if needed. China's cities are massive and complex — you will be using maps constantly.
Download before flying:
- Google Maps — download offline maps for Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, Xi'an, or wherever you're going. Takes a few minutes on fast WiFi
- Baidu Maps — more accurate for Chinese addresses in smaller cities and hutong areas. Download offline packs
- Maps.me — fully offline, useful for rural areas and national parks where Google Maps has less detail
Do this at home on WiFi, not at the airport. Offline map files are large and take time to download.
4. Install DiDi and Link Your Payment Card
Taxis in China are complicated for tourists — language barrier, no meters in some cities, and scams around airports. DiDi (China's dominant ride-hailing app) solves all of this. Fixed prices shown upfront, GPS tracked, English interface available.
DiDi now accepts international credit cards directly, which is a significant improvement from a few years ago. You can book rides without WeChat Pay or Alipay.
Before flying:
- Download the DiDi app and create your account
- Link your international Visa or Mastercard
- Save your hotel address in DiDi's saved places — you can do this at home so you're ready to book the moment you land
DiDi operates in all major Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Xi'an, and everywhere tourists actually go.
5. Download Google Translate with Chinese Offline Pack
China is the destination where Google Translate earns its keep more than anywhere else in the world. Menus, street signs, hotel check-in forms, museum labels — almost nothing is in English outside major international hotels.
The camera translation mode is the feature you'll use most: point your camera at any text and it translates instantly. This requires an internet connection by default, but if you download the Chinese (Simplified) offline pack beforehand it works with zero data.
Before flying:
- Open Google Translate
- Download the Chinese (Simplified) offline language pack
- Also download Chinese (Traditional) if visiting Hong Kong or Taiwan
- Test the camera mode at home so you know how to use it before you need it
Also download Pleco — a dedicated Chinese dictionary app that's far more accurate than Google Translate for individual words and characters. Free version is excellent.
6. Install a VPN and Test It Before Departure
Your OVOSIM eSIM routes traffic internationally and bypasses the Great Firewall automatically — Google, WhatsApp, and Instagram all work without any extra setup. But having a VPN installed as a backup is still smart.
If you ever connect to hotel WiFi or any local Chinese network, the firewall applies again. A VPN lets you get around that.
The critical point: install your VPN before you leave home. VPN provider websites and apps are blocked inside China. If you try to download a VPN once you're there, the app may not be available in the Chinese App Store or Play Store.
VPNs that work in China:
- ExpressVPN — most reliable, enable Lightway protocol
- NordVPN — works with obfuscated servers enabled
- Mullvad — solid option, strong privacy
Install it, activate it, and test it works before your flight. Then if you ever connect to hotel WiFi and need it, it's already there.
7. Sort Your Cash Situation Before Landing
China is increasingly cashless — WeChat Pay and Alipay handle most payments in cities. But there are still situations where you need cash: smaller restaurants, markets, rural areas, some transport.
The problem: Chinese ATMs are hit or miss with foreign cards. Bank of China and ICBC ATMs are the most reliable for international Visa and Mastercard. Standalone ATMs in convenience stores are unreliable and often add fees.
Before flying:
- Check your bank's foreign transaction fees for China
- Withdraw a moderate amount of RMB (yuan) on arrival from a Bank of China or ICBC ATM in the airport before you leave the arrivals hall — these are the most reliable machines for foreign cards
- Don't rely on exchanging currency at the airport exchange counter — rates are poor
- Having ¥500–1,000 RMB in cash covers most emergencies and smaller vendors
Summary Checklist
Save this as a screenshot before you fly:
- ✅ Buy and install OVOSIM China eSIM before boarding
- ✅ Set up WeChat and link your payment card
- ✅ Download offline Google Maps for your cities
- ✅ Install DiDi and link your international card
- ✅ Download Google Translate Chinese offline pack
- ✅ Install VPN and test it works before departure
- ✅ Withdraw RMB cash at airport Bank of China ATM on arrival
- ⚠️ Cannot buy new eSIM plans from inside China — sort this before you fly
→ Get Your China eSIM from €2.99
Want the full detailed guide on internet access in China? Read: eSIM for China 2026 — Does It Bypass the Great Firewall?
Also traveling nearby? Check our plans for Japan eSIM, Thailand eSIM, Vietnam eSIM, and Hong Kong eSIM.
Last updated: May 28, 2026.