A curated list of essential resources, tools, and guides for traveling and living in China as a foreigner
Policies change — always verify with an embassy or China National Immigration Administration / airline.
- Visa-free / transit policies — Many nationalities now use expanded visa-free entry or 144-hour / 240-hour visa-free transit at designated ports; check your passport country and city of entry before flying.
- China Travel Official — Government travel information portal (availability varies by language).
- IATA Travel Centre — Passport/visa requirements checker used by airlines.
- Trip.com China visa info hub — Practical booking + entry tips (cross-check officially).
Arrival checklist: eSIM or roaming data → Alipay/WeChat tourist payment → metro/ride-hailing → hotel registration (hotels usually handle police registration).
- 🛂 Visa & Entry
- 📚 Complete Guides
- 📱 Essential Apps
- 💰 Payment Setup
- 🚇 Transportation
- 🏨 Accommodation
- 🍜 Food & Dining
- 🚨 Emergency Resources
- 🛜 Internet & VPN
- 📖 Language Learning
- 🎫 Tourist Attractions
- 💼 Business Travel
- 🏥 Healthcare
- 🛍️ Shopping
- 🎓 Educational Resources
- 📺 YouTube Channels
- 💬 Communities
- 🔧 Tools & Utilities
- China Survival Kit ⭐ - All-in-one guide with 15+ interactive tools - Essential apps setup, payment guides, emergency cards, offline maps
- The China Travel Guide - Comprehensive travel information
- China Highlights - Tour planning and travel tips
- WikiTravel China - Community-driven travel guide
- Lonely Planet China - Professional travel guide
- WeChat (微信) - iOS | Android - Essential for everything: messaging, payments, mini-programs
- Alipay (支付宝) - iOS | Android - Payment, travel, utilities
- WeChat Pay - Integrated in WeChat, most widely accepted
- Alipay - Standalone app with more features for tourists
- UnionPay - Official Site - International card support
- Apple Pay - Limited support but growing in major cities
- DiDi (滴滴出行) - iOS | Android - China's Uber, English support available
- Amap/Gaode Maps (高德地图) - iOS | Android - Best for navigation
- Baidu Maps (百度地图) - iOS | Android - Alternative navigation
- 12306 China Railway - iOS | Android - Official train booking
- China Metro - iOS | Android - Subway maps for all cities
- Meituan (美团) - iOS | Android - Food delivery, reviews, bookings
- Ele.me (饿了么) - iOS | Android - Food delivery platform
- Dianping (大众点评) - Integrated in Meituan - Restaurant reviews and deals
- Sherpa's - iOS - International food delivery in major cities
- Skype - Works without VPN for calls
- Microsoft Teams - Business communication without VPN
- DingTalk (钉钉) - iOS - Business communication in China
- QQ - iOS | Android - Alternative to WeChat
- Baidu Maps - Most comprehensive local data
- Amap - Best routing algorithms
- Apple Maps - Works well in major cities
- Maps.me - iOS | Android - Offline maps
- Google Translate - iOS | Android - Works offline, camera translation
- Pleco - iOS | Android - Best Chinese dictionary
- Microsoft Translator - iOS - Works without VPN
- Baidu Translate (百度翻译) - iOS - Local alternative
- Alipay International Guide - Official setup for foreigners
- WeChat Pay for Foreigners - Official guide
- How to Set Up Alipay as a Foreigner - Step-by-step tutorial
- China Payment Guide for Tourists - Overview of options
- 12306 Official Website - Chinese railway official site
- China Train Guide - Types of trains explained
- Trip.com Train Booking - English booking interface
- Seat 61 - China - Detailed train travel guide
- Beijing Subway Map - Official English map
- Shanghai Metro - Official guide
- Guangzhou Metro - English information
- Shenzhen Metro - Route planner
- CAAC (Civil Aviation Administration) - Official aviation info
- FlightStats China - Real-time flight tracking
- China Southern Airlines - Major domestic carrier
- Air China - National carrier
- Trip.com - Best for China hotels
- Agoda - Good Asia coverage
- Booking.com - Works with VPN
- Airbnb China - Limited but available
- Huazhu Hotels - Major Chinese chain
- Jin Jiang Hotels - Extensive network
- Home Inn - Budget chain
- Serious Eats - Chinese Food - Regional cuisine guide
- China Food Guide - Comprehensive food resource
- Lost Plate - Food tours and guides
- Vegetarian China - Vegetarian restaurant finder
- Celiac Travel - China - Gluten-free dining cards
- Halal Trip - China - Halal food guide
- Police: 110
- Fire: 119
- Ambulance: 120
- Traffic Accident: 122
- US Embassy Beijing - Consular services
- UK Embassy Beijing - British consular services
- SOS International - Medical emergency services
- China Emergency Cards PDF - Printable emergency phrases
- Airalo — Travel eSIM marketplace (China packages vary by time).
- Holafly — Unlimited-style travel eSIMs (verify China coverage).
- Trip.com eSIM — English UI data eSIMs for China.
- Carrier roaming — Enable before departure as backup if eSIM fails at the airport.
- ExpressVPN ⭐ - Most reliable for China
- NordVPN - Good backup option
- Astrill - Popular among expats
- VyprVPN - Chameleon protocol for China
- GreatFire.org - Check website accessibility
- China WiFi Guide - Public WiFi information
- China Mobile - Prepaid SIM cards
- HelloChinese - Best for beginners
- HSK Online - HSK test preparation
- Du Chinese - Reading practice
- ChinesePod - Podcast lessons
- Chinese Grammar Wiki - Comprehensive grammar guide
- Mandarin Chinese Dictionary - Online dictionary
- Hanzi Grids - Character writing practice
- FluentU Chinese - Video-based learning
- China UNESCO Sites - World Heritage sites
- Get Your Guide - China - Tours and activities
- Viator China Tours - Organized tours
- China Discovery - Tour packages
- Beijing Tourism - Official Beijing guide
- Shanghai Tourism - Official Shanghai guide
- Hong Kong Tourism Board - Official HK guide
- China Briefing - Business news and guides
- CBBC (China-Britain Business Council) - Business resources
- AmCham China - American Chamber of Commerce
- China Business Review - Business insights
- United Family Healthcare - International standard care
- Parkway Health - Expat-friendly hospitals
- International SOS - Emergency medical services
- China CDC - Health advisories
- HealthCare International - Medical insurance
- Smart Air Filters - Air quality solutions
- Taobao - China's eBay (Chinese only)
- JD.com - Electronics and genuine products
- Tmall - Brand flagship stores
- Amazon.cn - Limited but available
- How to Use Taobao - English Taobao guide
- Baopals - English Taobao interface
- China Shopping Guide - Shopping tips
- Coursera - Chinese for Beginners - Peking University course
- edX - China Courses - Various China-related courses
- FutureLearn - Chinese Culture - Cultural courses
- China Culture - Cultural information portal
- Chinese Culture University - Cultural learning resources
- Asia Society - China cultural content
- serpentza - Life in China perspectives
- Blondie in China - Amy's China travel videos
- The Food Ranger - Chinese street food
- Little Chinese Everywhere - Language and culture
- Gweilo 60 - Senior expat perspective
- r/China - General China discussion
- r/ChineseLanguage - Language learning community
- r/travelchina - Travel tips and advice
- r/shanghai - Shanghai expat community
- r/beijing - Beijing expat community
- China Expats & Travelers - General community
- Beijing Expat Network - Beijing focused
- Shanghai Expat Community - Shanghai focused
- Teaching English in China - For English teachers
- Local city expat groups (search within WeChat)
- Interest-based groups (hiking, photography, etc.)
- Professional networking groups
- China Survival Kit - Interactive tools: currency converter, size converter, taxi cards, allergy cards
- XE Currency - CNY exchange rates
- Time Zone Converter - China time zones
- Chinese Calendar - Public holidays
- Air Quality Index - Real-time air quality
- Chinese Visa Photo Tool - Visa photo requirements
- Pinyin Converter - Chinese to Pinyin
- Chinese Name Generator - Get a Chinese name
- China Tax Calculator - IIT calculator
- Fapiao Helper - Invoice verification
- China Business Name Search - Company registration check
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