My first guide covered the basics — train stations, payment, weather, maps. This one covers the stuff people actually ask about once they land.
Getting Online
This is the first question every guest asks. Here are the real options.
Option 1: Buy a SIM at the airport.
China Mobile, China Unicom, and China Telecom all have counters at arrivals in major airports. Bring your passport. Prices vary by airport and provider:
- China Mobile at Beijing: ¥85-100 for 7 days (~$12-14)
- China Unicom at Beijing: ¥100 for 5 days, ¥150 for 15 days
- China Mobile at Shanghai: ~¥130 for 30 days with data
The staff speak English and handle the setup for you. A 7-day tourist SIM with data runs about ¥85-150 ($12-21) depending on the airport and data amount.
Catch: a local SIM uses China’s domestic network. You’ll need a VPN installed before you leave if you want Google, Gmail, Instagram, or WhatsApp.
Option 2: Use an international eSIM (no VPN needed).
Airalo, Holafly, Nomad, and Trip.com all sell China eSIMs you install before you leave. They route data through their home country, so you access everything — Google, Instagram, WhatsApp — without a VPN. Prices as of 2026:
- Nomad: $4 for 1GB/7 days, $7-9 for 3GB
- Airalo: $4-5 for 1GB/7 days, ~$13 for 5GB/15 days
- Holafly: ~$27 for 7 days unlimited data (includes built-in VPN)
- Trip.com: from $2.94 for 500MB/2 days
The trick: register your key apps (Alipay, WeChat, DiDi, 12306) with your home number before you leave. Then when you land, you just need data. The eSIM handles that.
Option 3: International roaming.
Check with your home carrier. Many European and Australian providers now include China data in their global plans without extra charge. T-Mobile (US) gives free 2G data — slow but works for WeChat and maps. Roaming also bypasses the firewall.
One rule for every option: set up your apps at home. A guest once told me he spent his first two hours at Shanghai airport trying to install a VPN. Don’t be that person.
Visas Made Simple
Most first-timers have questions about visas. Here’s what you need to know, plus what Reddit users actually run into.
Official source: National Immigration Administration (English) has the policy details. Your local Chinese embassy website is often the clearest source for your specific country.
Check these three options first:
- 240-hour Transit Without a Visa (TWOV) — 10 days free. If you fly from Country A → China → Country C (different countries), you qualify. Apply at the airport on arrival. Covers 24 provinces including Zhejiang. Requires a confirmed onward ticket.
- Visa-free entry — 30 days. As of 2026, over 40 countries have unilateral visa-free access — France, Germany, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea, and since February 2026, the UK and Canada. Check the NIA website list for your country.
- Tourist visa (L visa). If neither applies, apply at your local Chinese embassy. Processing takes 4-7 days. Bring passport (6+ months validity), flight and hotel bookings, application form. Cost: roughly $100-180 depending on your country.
What Reddit users actually run into:
- “The airline at my home airport refused to board me because they didn’t know the 240-hour TWOV policy exists.” — This is the most common problem. Print the official Timatic policy page or the NIA English page before you go to the airport. Show it to the check-in agent if they look confused.
- “Can I enter the mainland from Hong Kong by train under TWOV?” — No. Rail and land borders from Hong Kong don’t qualify. You need to fly into a mainland airport or take a ferry to Shekou Port (Shenzhen) or Nansha Port (Guangzhou).
- “Can I use the transit twice — HK → Shenzhen → HK?” — No. Hong Kong → mainland → Hong Kong is a round trip, not transit. You need a proper third country.
- “Can I extend my 30-day visa-free stay?” — No. Visa-free entry cannot be extended. If you want to stay longer, you need to exit and re-enter. Extensions are only for L (tourist) visa holders.
- “Can I start in Country A, go to China, then go to Country A again?” — No. The exit country must be different from your entry country. Malaysia → China → Vietnam works. Malaysia → China → Malaysia does not.
- “My passport expires in 5 months, is that OK?” — No. You need 6+ months validity.
What to Pack
You don’t need much. But a few things make life easier:
- Power adapter. China uses the same two-flat-pin plug as Australia, New Zealand, and Argentina (Type I). If you’re from Europe or the US, bring an adapter. Most hotels have USB ports, but not all.
- Tissues or wet wipes. Keep a small pack in your bag. Useful after a meal, before a snack, or in a public restroom. Every local I know carries them.
- Sunscreen and sunglasses. If you have a brand you trust, bring it — not all Western brands are available here. Sunglasses are useful in summer regardless of what locals do.
- Bottled water. You can’t drink tap water in China. But bottled water costs ¥2-3 and convenience stores are on every corner. No need to carry a refillable bottle — just buy one when you’re thirsty.
- A light jacket. Not for temples — most Chinese temples don’t have strict dress codes. It’s for air conditioning. Buses, trains, and shopping malls crank the AC in summer. You’ll want an extra layer.
- Power bank. You’ll use your phone for maps, translation, QR code menus, and DiDi. Battery drains fast.
Leave the fancy shoes at home. You’ll walk more than you think.
Food Without Fear
You walk into a restaurant. Nobody comes to take your order. Don’t worry — that’s normal.
Most places in China use QR code menus. Scan the code on the table, and your phone loads the menu with photos. Order through the app. If you don’t have a Chinese SIM, restaurant WiFi usually works. Some menus are only in Chinese — Alipay can translate them for you.
No QR code? Most restaurants have paper menus with photos and dish numbers. Point at a photo and hold up fingers for the quantity. Works every time.
Dietary restrictions need planning.
Vegetarian? Buddhist temples serve excellent vegetarian food. Look for 素 (sù) on the menu.
Muslim? Many Chinese cities have Muslim quarters — a legacy of the Silk Road. Hangzhou has a 1,000-year-old mosque.
Gluten-free is difficult. Soy sauce is in everything. If you have a serious allergy, have it written in Chinese on a card.
Street food is fine. Wok-fried noodles, grilled skewers, jianbing — all cooked at high heat right in front of you.
Can’t use chopsticks? Just ask for a fork. Or use a spoon. Nobody will mind.
Toilets, Tipping & Temple Rules
Toilets. Public toilets in Chinese cities have improved a lot in recent years. Metro stations, malls, and tourist sites are generally clean and well-maintained. Most have squat toilets; Western-style toilets are increasingly common in cities. Rural areas are more basic. Carry your own tissues or wet wipes just in case — some places don’t provide toilet paper, and others have an attendant who sells a small pack for ¥1-2.
Tipping. Tipping isn’t part of daily Chinese culture — you won’t tip at a local restaurant, a taxi, or a convenience store. But in tourism and service industries that cater to international visitors, tips are always appreciated. If your guide or driver does a great job, leaving something is a nice gesture and never refused. A few high-end hotels and international restaurants have started adding service charges too. The rule of thumb: don’t feel obligated, but if the service was good, your tip will be warmly received.
Temple etiquette. Most Chinese Buddhist temples are welcoming to visitors. A few simple rules: dress modestly (cover shoulders and knees), speak quietly, don’t touch statues or artifacts, remove your hat when entering the main hall. Ask before taking photos of monks or people praying. Don’t step on the raised wooden threshold at the temple entrance — walk over it instead.
One more thing. Chinese restaurants don’t bring the check to your table. When you’re ready to pay, go to the counter and say “买单” (mǎi dān).
Want a Guide?
Most of these tips come from questions my guests have asked over the years. If you’re planning a trip to Hangzhou and want someone who’s been answering them for a decade, get in touch.
Also read: First-Timer’s Guide to China, Part 1 — train stations, payment, weather, maps.
Pima is an English-speaking private tour guide in Hangzhou. She’s guided guests from 40+ countries and heard every first-timer question at least twice. Contact Pima →