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China Travel Guide for First-Time Visitors

A practical starting point for planning an independent trip to China.

Reviewed August 20263 min readHow we review

Prepare the essentials before you choose every attraction. Entry rules, payments, connectivity and transport have the biggest impact on a smooth first trip.

Before you fly

Confirm how you will enter China, install the apps you need, arrange mobile data and add at least two payment methods.

  • Check passport and entry eligibility
  • Set up Alipay and a backup payment method
  • Choose an eSIM or roaming plan
  • Create a train and airport transfer plan

Build a realistic route

China is large. For a first trip, combine two or three geographic clusters instead of collecting distant cities.

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