Practical China travel notes for better-planned journeys.
Guides on routes, trains, payments, food, family pacing and local support, written for travellers who want China to feel exciting, not confusing.
Internet in China: VPN, eSIM and Staying Connected (2026 Guide)
Your phone will work in China, but many familiar apps will not unless you prepare. For most visitors, the safest setup is a China travel eSIM or roaming plan that keeps global apps working, with a compliant VPN backup if needed.
Useful before you go.
Specific answers to the details travellers often underestimate: routes, stations, payments, food, pacing, language and local backup.
Internet in China: VPN, eSIM and Staying Connected (2026 Guide)
Your phone will work in China, but many familiar apps will not unless you prepare. For most visitors, the safest setup is a China travel eSIM or roaming plan that keeps global apps working, with a compliant VPN backup if needed.
Inside Our Zongzi Workshop in London: Celebrating Dragon Boat Festival Through Food
A community recap of a hands-on zongzi workshop in London, hosted by London Chinese Culture Meetup and sponsored by Nihao Serica for Dragon Boat Festival.
Alipay WeChat Pay China Guide for Foreign Visitors (2026)
Foreign visitors can pay smoothly in China by setting up Alipay, adding WeChat Pay as a backup, and carrying a small amount of RMB cash for emergencies.
China High-Speed Trains: How to Use Them Without Losing Half the Day (2026)
A practical guide to booking, boarding, seat choices, luggage, station flow, and common mistakes when using China high-speed trains as a foreign visitor.
First Time in China: Everything You Need to Know Before You Go (2026)
Everything a first-time visitor to China needs to sort before departure: visas, mobile payments, essential apps, high-speed trains, which cities to start with, and how to get support on the ground.
In Suizhou, Even the Silence Felt Carefully Preserved: Fiona's Story
Fiona Vella's Suizhou journey moves through bronze chime bell history, Yan Emperor heritage, lake performance, ancient ginkgo groves, forest hotels, mountain pools and karst caves.
Shiyan Feels Suspended Between Myth and Modern China: Fiona's Story
Shiyan unfolds through Wudang Mountain, Tai Chi rituals, Taoist temples, turquoise markets, rammed-earth towns and rice wine traditions, revealing a side of Hubei shaped by both ancient belief and contemporary cultural life.
C-Dramas to China: Nala Meite’s Story
Nala’s curiosity about China began with C-dramas and grew through friendship, food, daily life, traditional clothing and travel across Shanghai, Wuhan and Hangzhou.
First Private China Trip: How to Plan a Route That Actually Works
A good first China trip is not the one with the most cities. It is the one that works after you land: clear route, sane pace, payment backup, good transfers, and enough space to enjoy where you are.
China High-Speed Trains: How to Use Them Without Losing Half the Day
China high-speed trains are fast. The stations are the part travellers underestimate. Build time around security, passport checks, station size, luggage, and the ride to and from the station.
Planning a China Family Trip With Children or Older Parents
A family China trip needs fewer hero days and more ordinary comfort: later starts, better transfers, food options, lifts where possible, and guides who can read the room.
How to Plan a Food-Focused China Trip Without Overdoing It
A good food trip is not a list of famous dishes. It is a route with appetite, timing, local help, and enough ordinary meals that the special ones still feel special.
China Travel Support When You Do Not Want a Full Tour
You may not need a guide all day. You may just need someone local when apps, payments, addresses, tickets, restaurants, or language suddenly stop being simple.
Shanghai, Suzhou and Hangzhou: A Softer First Week in China
Not every first China trip needs to cross the country. Shanghai, Suzhou, and Hangzhou give modern energy, gardens, canals, tea, food, and easier transfers in one calm first week.
Alipay, WeChat Pay and Cash in China: What to Set Up Before You Land
China is easy to pay in once your phone is ready. It is frustrating when it is not. Set up mobile payment before arrival, keep a backup card and cash, and have someone local to message if an app fails.