Essential China Travel Checklist 2024

This is a practical and comprehensive checklist to help prepare your travel or 144 HRs to mainland China. Email: [e-mail].

Disclaimer

I don't have any affiliation with any recommendations mentioned in this list. All recommendations are due to their practical usages from my personal experience of living in both China and US.

I strive to make all information be valid and up to date, however, I am not responsible for any issues that are caused by the information.

Documents

• Passport (valid for a minimum of 6 months)

• Chinese Visa permit, Xinjiang and Tibet will require extra permit.

• Hotel reservations

• Flight tickets

• Health insurance

• Medical record

• Driver License

• Keep a copy of documents in your phone, along with physical copies.

You are not allowed to drive a car in China with an US/international driver license, however, you can get your Chinese temporary driver license with your US driver license. Contact local DMV to apply when you are in China.

Hotel

• Bring a charger adapter, and voltage converter, because Chinese chargers are different from US, along with different voltage (220v in China)

• Hotels generally provide body wash, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush and toothpaste, slippers, towels. Feel free to bring your own.

• Keep hotel card with you in case of emergency.

• Notify local police station if you stay in other places instead, such as friend's house, within 24 hours of your stay.

  • Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou have provided online apps for reporting, check these apps on your Chinese phone.

Technically, every hotel must accept foreigners. The hard truth is many of them don't, therefore, it's best to book hotels from Trip.com(Well supported in China), Expedia, Agora or other western travel sites.

Flight

• Require extra travel visa approval if you are visiting Tibet or Xinjiang

• Popular destinations as your first stop

  • Beijing

  • Shanghai

  • Guangzhou

  • Shenzhen

  • Xi'an

  • Chengdu

  • Chongqing

• Bring necessary medicines if you have medical history.

• Don't bring any drugs, including weed, into China, it’s a very serious crime.

• Don’t bring or prepare any sensitive and controversial political contents.

• Check custom regulation list to make sure you don't bring any other illegal items.

Phone

• An US phone with international data roaming service set up, supported by Verizon, ATT, and T-Mobile.

• A second phone for communication in China

  • Must have SIM card slot, e-SIM is not supported.

  • Must be supported by Chinese service providers: China Mobile(中国移动), China Unicom(中国联通).
• A valid Chinese phone number.

  • You can set up with Nihao Mobile before entering China.
  • You can also set up your phone number with China Mobile and China Unicom after entering China.

China has been radically transforming into a digital, cashless society, almost every activity has been done through phone and Apps. A dedicated Chinese phone with Chinese phone number will make sure you have the best mobile coverage in mainland China, this is crucial for emergency, daily app usage and communication.

You should mainly use your Chinese phone in China, your US phone may have very weak signal if you are not in certain cities. Use your US phone as a backup plan to keep connection with your family and friends in US, make sure with international data roaming service set up.

Apps

Install VPNs on your phone before entering China to keep contact with US families and friends.

• Astrill VPN
• Let’s VPN
• ShadowRockets, supported by small VPN providers

It's recommended to install below apps on your Chinese phone with Chinese phone number.

• Install WeChat(iOS | Android) for communication.

  • (Backup) iMessage and Facetime Video, both are not banned.
• Install Alipay(iOS | Android) for online and on-site payments.
• Install Trip.com(iOS | Android) to book hotels, train/flight tickets, tours.

  • (Backup) Expedia(iOS | Android), Agora(iOS | Android) as back up. All three can be paid by your credit card.
• Install Baidu Translate(iOS | Android) for translating conversation, menu, etc.

  • (Backup) Apple Translate(iOS) and Google Translate(iOS | Android)(must with offline content).
• Install Apple Map(iOS) as your main navigation tool,

  • (Backup) Install Baidu Map(iOS | Android), no English version.
  • (Metro) Install Metro man(iOS | Android), very useful when booking Metro tickets.
• Install Didi(iOS | Android) to take taxi ride.

If you know Chinese... Great!

• Install Dian Ping(iOS | Android) to see reviews of local businesses, it's known as Chinese Yelp.
• Install Mei Tuan(iOS | Android) to shop for all kinds of local businesses, including dining, entertainment, food delivery, grocery, etc.
• Install Taobao(iOS | Android) to shop online, it's the largest online shopping platform in China and founded by the famous Chinese businessman: Jack Ma from Alibaba.

Be prepared: Nearly all western social media and communication tools are banned in China. You can still send email, but that has to be done through Chinese email providers. Apple iMessage and Facetime Video(audio is banned as well) are the only two tools that you can use without VPN set up.

Payments

• Set up your online payment tools beforehand on your Chinese phone.

  • Set up Alipay in advance with your US Bank cards, Visa and Mastercard supported.

  • Set up WeChat in advance with your US Bank cards, Visa and Mastercard supported.

  • Limit: 6000 RMB per transaction, maximum 12000 RMB per day.

• Prepare enough small face value cash if your online payment tools don't work.

  • Keep 500 RMB in your wallet: 2 * 100 + 4 * 50 + 5 * 20.

  • Don't bring more than 5000 USD/30000 RMB cash in/out of China.

• Set up your American debit card or credit card to get cash from ATMs.

  • Recommend using Visa, MasterCard debit card/credit card.

  • Work with your bank in advance to make sure your card can be operated in China.

  • Notify your bank about your travel plan in case your card is locked due to foreign transactions.

  • Check with your bank about your pin as China uses 6 digits pin but US uses 4.

  • Limit 2000 RMB per transaction and maximum 20000 RMB per day

  • Choose to be charged in the local currency if you don't want to risk for nasty hidden fees.

It's illegal to not accept cash in China, however, many small local businesses nowadays don't have enough cash prepared due to extremely high usage of online payments. Meanwhile, many services can only be done through online payment tools, therefore, it's highly recommended to set up both Alipay and WeChat in advance.

Useful items

• Bring tissues with you, many restrooms don't provide tissues, or they will charge you for a fee.

• Bring hand sanitizer with you, many restrooms may not provide hand soap.

• Bring N95 mask or equivalent mask when travel during winter.

  • Especially if you travel in northern China during wintertime, you may experience heavy smog.

• Bring deodorants, if necessary, you have limited selections in China.

• Bring tampons, if necessary, you have limited selections in China.

Emergency

• Keep emergency contact of U.S. Embassy & Consulates

• Keep important telephone numbers on your Chinese phone

  • For crime, contact 110

  • For fire incident, call 119

  • For medical emergency, call 120

  • For traffic accidents, call 122

U.S. Embassy and Consulates

Beijing

Has jurisdiction over Beijing, Tianjin, Gansu, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Inner Mongolia, Jiangxi, Ningxia, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Xinjiang, Chongqing, Guizhou, Sichuan, Yunnan, Tibet

Address: No. 55 An Jia Lou Road, Chaoyang, Beijing Tel: [phone] or 011-86-10-8531 4000 if you are calling from the U.S. Fax: [phone] Email: [e-mail]

Guangzhou

Has jurisdiction over Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan

Address: No. 43 Huajiu Road, Zhujiang New Town, Tianhe District, Guangzhou, Guangdong Tel: [phone] or 011-86-20-3814 5775 if you are calling from the U.S. Fax: [phone] Email: [e-mail]

Shanghai

Has jurisdiction over Shanghai, Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang

Address: 9/F, Westgate Mall, No. 1038 West Nanjing Road, Shanghai Tel: [phone] or 011-86-21-8011-2400 if you are calling from the U.S. If this number does not work, please call 010-8531 4000, or 011-86-10-8531 4000 if you are calling from the U.S. Fax: [phone] Email: [e-mail]

Shenyang

Has jurisdiction over Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning

Address: 185 Qingnian Street, 5th floor of Maoye Tiandi shopping center, Shenhe District, Shenyang Tel: [phone] ext. 5188. If this number does not work, please call 010-8531 4000, or 011-86-24-2322 1198 if you are calling from the U.S. Fax: [phone] Email: [e-mail]

Wuhan

(Consulate General Wuhan is currently providing information and emergency services for U.S. citizens. For routine services at this time please contact U.S. Embassy Beijing.) Tel: [phone] or 011-86-27-8555 7791 if you are calling from the U.S. Email: [e-mail]

Culture

• Prepare for culture shock, respect local laws and people.

• People may come to you to ask for pictures due to your western appearance, accept or reject politely.

• Younger generation people usually understand English better and are able to hold up a conversion.

• Avoid discussions on politics and ideologies, don't involve with protests or any political related activities.

• Smoking is still prevalent, bring masks if you are sensitive to the smell.

Miscellaneous

• Learn to use chopsticks as many restaurants don't provide fork and knife.

• Restaurants may not be aware of vegetarian or vegan diet, ask for 素菜(vegetarian), 纯素(vegan).

• Restaurants usually provide hot water instead of ice water.

• Dairy products are limited, most of local grocery stores don't sell cheeses and butters.