China

China is vast, so a good plan makes all the difference. Think in regions: Beijing and Xi’an for history, Shanghai and Suzhou for urban energy and classic gardens, Guilin/Yangshuo for karst scenery, and Chengdu for pandas and spicy food. For a first trip, 10–14 days lets you link 3–4 hubs by high-speed train.

Use Hello’s trip planning tools to map out routes and save bookings, then group sights by neighborhood to cut down on transfers. Popular attractions like the Forbidden City, Terracotta Warriors, and Zhangjiajie National Forest Park often require timed tickets—book early, especially on weekends and Chinese public holidays. Avoid Lunar New Year and Golden Week in early October if you dislike crowds.

Travel moves fast here: high-speed trains can cover hundreds of kilometers in a few hours, but you’ll need your passport for all tickets and hotel check-ins. Build in buffer days for slower exploring—hutong lanes in Beijing, evening walks along the Bund in Shanghai, tea houses in Chengdu. As you go, keep notes and reservations together in Hello so your travel companions can see the plan and suggest changes without endless message threads.

China’s transport network is one of the easiest parts of traveling here once you know the basics. High-speed trains link most major cities; they’re clean, punctual, and often more convenient than flying. Book in advance for popular routes and always carry your passport, which is checked with your ticket.

Within cities, metros in places like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen are cheap and efficient. Signs and ticket machines usually have English, and single rides are typically under ¥6 (around US$1). Buses reach more local areas but can be tricky without Chinese; start with the metro, then add buses once you’re comfortable.

Taxis are widely available and relatively affordable: short rides in big cities often cost under ¥30 (about US$4–5). Have your destination written in Chinese characters to show the driver. In smaller cities or late at night, taxis may not take cards, so keep some cash handy.

A Hello eSIM is extremely useful here: you can look up routes, translate addresses, and share your live location with travel companions even underground, without worrying about roaming charges. Save station names, train numbers, and hotel addresses in Hello’s trip planning section so you always have them available offline.

Chinese cuisine is incredibly diverse, and eating widely is one of the best parts of traveling here. In Beijing, try Peking duck and jianbing (savory breakfast crepes). In Sichuan, hunt down hotpot and mapo tofu; in Shanghai, look for xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) and scallion oil noodles. Street food markets in cities like Xi’an’s Muslim Quarter or Chengdu’s Jinli Street are perfect for grazing on small dishes.

Many restaurants now have picture menus or QR code ordering, but smaller spots might only have Chinese. Use your Hello eSIM to access translation apps and photo-translate menus. If you have dietary restrictions, save key phrases in Chinese in your Hello trip notes to show staff.

Prices vary, but you can eat well on ¥30–60 (US$4–8) per meal in local places, more in trendy cafés or upscale restaurants. Street snacks often cost ¥5–15 each. Use Hello’s budget tracking to log what you spend in yuan so you quickly learn what feels like a fair price in each city. When sharing dishes with friends—a common way to eat here—Hello’s expense splitting makes it simple to divide the bill, no matter who ordered that extra round of dumplings.

China is increasingly cashless, but visitors can still get by with a mix of cash and cards plus a few smart tools. ATMs in major cities usually accept international cards; withdraw yuan (CNY) and keep some on hand for smaller shops, markets, and older taxis. Midrange hotels, malls, and many restaurants accept major credit cards, but mobile payments like Alipay and WeChat Pay dominate daily life.

Having a Hello eSIM set up before you land means you can immediately go online to register payment apps, access maps, and receive verification codes without hunting for Wi‑Fi. This also helps with practical details: checking air-quality reports, booking train tickets, or confirming attraction opening times on the go.

To keep costs under control, use Hello’s budget tracking in local currency. Set a daily budget in yuan—for example, ¥400–600 (US$55–80) covering meals, local transport, and modest sightseeing—and adjust as you move between cheaper and pricier cities. When traveling with others, Hello’s expense splitting feature is handy for shared hotel rooms, group tours, and family-style meals.

Some international sites and apps may be restricted; download any tools you rely on before you arrive. Keep digital copies of your passport and bookings saved in Hello so they’re easy to show at hotels, stations, or ticket offices when asked.