China Trip Checklist — 30 Things You'll Forget

7 Days Before You Fly

• [ ] Alipapy: Download app, register with passport, link Visa/Mastercard. Try sending ¥1 to a friend. If it fails, try a different card. If both fail, bring extra cash and set up WeChat Pay as backup.
• [ ] WeChat Pay: Same as above. Having both means if one blocks you, you still eat.
• [ ] VPN or eSIM: Install and test. Don't wait until the airport WiFi. Test it on mobile data too — some carriers block VPN connections.
• [ ] Phone compatibility check: Does your phone support Chinese LTE bands? Most modern iPhones (XR and newer) and flagship Androids do. If you have a carrier-locked phone, get it unlocked now.
• [ ] Bank notification: Call your bank. Tell them "I'll be in China from [date] to [date]. Please don't freeze my card." Some banks let you set travel notices in their app.
• [ ] Backup bank card: Bring a second card from a different bank, stored separately from your main card. If one gets eaten by an ATM (it happens), you're not stranded.
• [ ] Scan everything: Passport photo page, visa page, flight confirmations, hotel bookings, travel insurance. Save to your phone AND email them to yourself. Paper copies in a separate bag from your passport.
• [ ] Download offline maps: Google Maps barely works in China. Download Maps.me or use Apple Maps (works fine in China). Pin your hotel and the nearest ATM on the map.
• [ ] Download Pleco: The offline Chinese dictionary. Worth the dictionary add-on ($15). You can draw characters you don't know and it recognizes them.
• [ ] Download translation app: Google Translate with offline Chinese pack downloaded. Or Baidu Translate. You won't always have internet.

Documents to Carry

• [ ] Passport (valid 6+ months beyond your stay)
• [ ] Chinese visa (print a copy — some hotels want to see it)
• [ ] Flight confirmations (printed)
• [ ] Hotel booking confirmations (printed, with Chinese address)
• [ ] Travel insurance card and policy number
• [ ] 2 extra passport photos (for visa extension or lost passport)
• [ ] Photocopy of passport photo page (separate from passport)

Money

• [ ] ¥300-500 cash — enough for a taxi, a meal, and a SIM card if your cards don't work on day one. Exchange at your home airport or withdraw from an ATM the moment you land in China.
• [ ] Main bank card (Visa or Mastercard, chip-enabled)
• [ ] Backup bank card (different bank, stored separately)
• [ ] Second backup: A friend or family member back home who can Western Union you money in an emergency. Have their number saved.
• [ ] Know the ATM trick: when the machine asks "Credit or Savings?", pick Credit — even for a debit card. Chinese ATMs treat Visa/MC debit cards as credit. Picking "Savings" usually fails.

Phone & Internet

• [ ] VPN tested on home WiFi AND mobile data
• [ ] eSIM installed if using one (test it before departure)
• [ ] China SIM plan: Know whether you're buying at the airport (¥100-200, works immediately) or a city store (cheaper, better plans, needs passport). Airport is easier.
• [ ] Offline translation and maps downloaded
• [ ] Important phone numbers saved: Your hotel's Chinese phone number, your country's embassy/consulate, your travel insurance hotline
• [ ] Power bank charged and in carry-on (not checked luggage — lithium battery rules)

What to Pack

• [ ] Universal power adapter: China uses Type A and Type I outlets. Most modern chargers work, but bring a universal adapter just in case.
• [ ] Small pack of tissues: Public bathrooms often don't have toilet paper. Carry a travel pack.
• [ ] Hand sanitizer: Same reason.
• [ ] Comfortable walking shoes: You will walk more than you think. Break them in before the trip.
• [ ] Any prescription medication in original bottles with a copy of the prescription. Check that your medication is legal in China — some common Western drugs are restricted.
• [ ] Basic first aid: Band-aids, ibuprofen/paracetamol, anti-diarrheal (Imodium or equivalent), antihistamine. Pharmacies in China are common but you won't know the Chinese names when you need them.
• [ ] Deodorant: Western brands are hard to find in China and what's available is expensive.
• [ ] Sunscreen: Same as above. Chinese sunscreens exist but formulations differ from what you may be used to.
• [ ] A small notebook and pen: Sometimes pointing to a written Chinese address is faster than any app.
• [ ] A doorstop: A rubber wedge. For solo travelers — extra peace of mind in hotels.

At the Airport (Before Boarding)

• [ ] Confirm Alipay/WeChat Pay opens and your card shows as linked
• [ ] Turn on your VPN — you want it running the moment you land
• [ ] Screenshot your hotel's Chinese address and phone number
• [ ] Text a friend or family member your flight number and ETA

First Hour in China

• [ ] Connect to airport WiFi (if available — not all Chinese airports have open WiFi). Use VPN immediately.
• [ ] Buy or activate your China SIM (if getting one at the airport)
• [ ] Withdraw cash from an ATM (airport ATMs accept foreign cards — pick Credit when asked)
• [ ] Test Alipay: Buy a bottle of water at a convenience store. If it works, you're set. If it doesn't, you have cash.
• [ ] Get to your hotel: DiDi (Chinese Uber, inside Alipay) is cheaper than taxis. But a taxi is easier for the first ride — show them the Chinese address on your phone.

Things Nobody Tells You

• Chinese toilets are mostly squat-style in public places. Hotels and malls usually have at least one Western toilet. Scout them out early.
• "Hot water" (热水) is everywhere — most restaurants give you free hot water or tea. Tap water is not drinkable.
• Restaurant ordering is increasingly QR-code-only. You scan a code, the menu opens in a mini-program, you order and pay through your phone. If your phone dies or your payment apps aren't working, you need to find staff who may not speak English.
• Chinese cities are incredibly safe for walking at night. Violent street crime is extremely rare. The biggest safety risk is traffic — drivers don't always yield to pedestrians.
• The air quality can be bad, especially in northern cities in winter. Check the AQI before outdoor activities. Bring N95 masks if you're sensitive.
• Tap-and-go contactless payment in China is different from the West. It's not Visa/MC tap — it's Alipay/WeChat QR scan. Your physical card is almost useless for daily purchases.
• DiDi (ride-hailing) is inside Alipay. You don't need the separate DiDi app. Open Alipay → DiDi mini-program → set destination → ride arrives.
• 外卖 (waimai / food delivery) is ubiquitous and shockingly cheap. Meituan and Ele.me are the main apps. But they're Chinese-only. Use your hotel front desk or a Chinese-speaking friend to order for you the first time.

This checklist is a free resource from International Guest Support. For the complete system — including Alipay failure fixes, detailed phrase cards, airport arrival guides, and a 10-day itinerary — check out the full China Without Chinese guide.