Before you book anything
China, planned
properly.
Visas, mobile payments, trains, connectivity — the parts that trip up first-time visitors, explained in plain English. Plus routes we would actually recommend.
Free. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
What lands in your inbox
-
01
The pre-flight checklist
Twelve things to sort before you fly — from visa-free transit eligibility to the apps you should install while you still have your home SIM.
-
02
Payments and connectivity
How Alipay and WeChat Pay work without a Chinese bank account, what still needs cash, and why your usual roaming plan is not enough.
-
03
A ten-day starter route
Beijing, Xi'an, and Shanghai with realistic travel times, plus how to add a tea region without turning the trip into a logistics exercise.
Planning takes an evening. Getting it wrong takes a day of your trip.
Get the starter guides