What to pack
What to pack for China: the essentials
A solid china packing list is less about clothes and more about the things that only matter once you land — the documents, the apps, the adapter. This china travel checklist keeps it to what first-timers actually need.
What to do on day one — SIM or eSIM, a little cash, DiDi, the first meal. The part people stress about most.
Arrival day
Your first 24 hours in China
Landing is the part that feels hardest, so plan it before you fly. At the airport grab a SIM or activate an eSIM, exchange a small amount of cash, and install DiDi and Alipay while you still have airport Wi-Fi. The first taxi, the first metro ride, the first bowl of noodles — they go smoother when the apps are already on your phone. High-speed trains (12306 or Trip.com) and the metro are clean, staffed, and signed in English in most big cities.
On the ground
Apps & money that work on the ground
A quick heads-up that saves a lot of confusion: Google, WhatsApp, Instagram, Gmail and many Western apps are blocked in mainland China. Sort it before you leave — download offline maps and a translator, and get a roaming eSIM or a local SIM so your data just works. For paying, Alipay and WeChat Pay both accept foreign cards now, so you can scan-and-pay in shops, trains and taxis without opening a Chinese bank account. Cash helps at tiny roadside stalls, but it’s rarely needed.
How it works
Three steps, then you’re set
Up top — no account, no password.
It lands in a few hours. Save it to your phone.
Tick boxes as you pack. That’s it.
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