Practical 2026 guides for moving around China: metro QR payments, DiDi and taxis for foreigners, and how to avoid getting stuck at ticket gates or the wrong pickup point.
Digital Survival Kit · Pre-Trip China Travel Packing List 2026: What You Actually Need China packing is not only clothes—it is VPN before takeoff, wallets that scan, power banks with visible labels, and toilet paper in your day bag. Forget the digital layer and the trip stutters on day one….
Digital Survival Kit · Payments How to Use Alipay in China (2026): Visa & Mastercard for Tourists China is post-cash. Street vendors, metro gates, and hotel deposits all expect a QR scan—not a mag-stripe swipe. In 2026 the winning move is direct card binding before you land, plus a WeChat…
Digital Survival Kit · Connectivity How to Use eSIM in China on iPhone (2026) Sort mobile data before wheels-down—not at a slow airport kiosk. This guide walks through hardware checks, roaming vs local plans, QR install at home, and the one setting most travelers forget after landing: Data Roaming ON….
Digital Survival Kit · Legal & Connectivity Is Using a VPN Illegal in China? 2026 Survival Guide for Tourists Gmail, Google Maps, and WhatsApp do not load on standard mainland data. The real question is not only “is it illegal?”—it is whether you can stay connected for trains, tickets, and…
Digital Survival Kit · Connectivity Great Firewall in China 2026: eSIM vs VPN Google, WhatsApp, and Gmail do not load on plain Chinese mobile data or hotel Wi-Fi. The fix is not one app—it is knowing when roaming eSIM beats VPN, and when you still need both. Start China Travel…
