Travel China honestly.
Free guides that answer the questions you actually search — visas, payments, apps, food and getting around — one city at a time. Shenzhen is live; more cities open when their guides are ready, not before.
A first trip, in the right order
Four steps, then the questions people actually type into a search box. English is the canonical text.
- 01
Before you go
Visa rule, official arrival card, Alipay and a data plan — at home, on home Wi-Fi.
- 02
Arrive
Immigration at Shenzhen Bao’an (SZX), or a Hong Kong crossing that actually matches your rule.
- 03
First 24 hours
Hotel registration, the metro, a first meal. A tight, honest day, not a trophy hunt.
- 04
Explore
Whether Shenzhen is for you, how many days, and the honest takes — including the downsides.
Most asked
Policy watch
- The 30-day visa-free list still covers 50 countries. For 48 of them, official pages we checked still give 31 December 2026 as the end date. We have not seen a public extension into 2027.
- The official arrival card is free at s.nia.gov.cn. Ignore lookalike sites that charge a fee. Paper cards still exist at the port.
- Shenzhen Metro has accepted foreign contactless cards on 17 lines since 10 September 2026 — confirm at the gate on the day.
Sources: National Immigration Administration; Shenzhen Metro. We will update this block when an official page changes — not before.
Honest takes
- EditorialWhat nobody tells you
The first-afternoon surprises that are not disasters.
- EditorialWhat we wish first-timers knew
Editorial guidance, not a fake personal diary.
- MythsMyths vs reality
Visa rumours, cash myths, and the Shenzhen factory cliché.
- 2026Pros and cons of visiting in 2026
Who will have a good trip, and who should wait or go elsewhere.
One country, city by city.
We go deep on one city before opening the next. Shenzhen comes first; the other cities open when their guides are ready, not before.
All destinations →Schematic city positions, not a map. ● Live now ○ Coming soon
South China · 华南
深圳ShenzhenFood, tech markets and the Hong Kong borderLive now→广州GuangzhouCantonese food and a first-timer’s guideComing soon→Southwest · 西南
重庆ChongqingHotpot for first-timers: how to order, what to sayComing soon→成都ChengduSichuan food, beyond hotpotComing soon→云南YunnanKunming · Dali · Lijiang, and hiring a driver between themComing soon→East China · 华东
上海ShanghaiGetting around and eating wellComing soon→Before any city, the basics.
Visas, payments, apps, getting between cities, safety and manners. These rules apply wherever you go.
All China essentials →Source: National Immigration Administration.
Entry & visas
Which rule gets you in.
- 240-hour visa-free transit
- 30-day visa-free entry
- Entering from Hong Kong
Money & payments
Pay the way the city actually pays, without surprise fees.
- Alipay & WeChat Pay with a foreign card
- Cash & ATMs
- Paying by card in each city
Internet & apps
What to install before you land.
- eSIM & mobile data
- Maps: Amap vs Google Maps
- Translation apps
Between cities
High-speed rail, flights and drivers.
- High-speed rail
- DiDi and taxis
- Domestic flights
Safety & emergency
Calm, practical, verified.
- Emergency numbers
- Health & pharmacies
- Avoiding overcharging
Etiquette & language
Small words, big difference.
- Ordering when you can’t read the menu
- Phrases for taxis & drivers
- Everyday etiquette
Ten chapters. The same in every city.
Before you go, money, the train, the table, the walk. Shenzhen is first; the other cities will follow this skeleton.
Browse all chaptersBefore you go
Visa-free rules, hotel registration, packing, and the weather — what to settle before you fly.
02Money & payments
Alipay, WeChat Pay, cash, fees, tipping and bargaining — how money actually moves.
03Connectivity & apps
eSIM, roaming, maps and translation — which apps work, and which usually do not.
04Getting around
Metro, DiDi, high-speed rail, airports and neighbourhoods — how to move, and where to base yourself.
05Eat
Cuisines, how to order, and eating with restrictions — dishes with their Chinese names, no paid rankings.
06See & do
Parks, museums, day trips and nightlife — honest looks, not brochure photography.
07Itineraries
First days, three-day plans, and side trips to Guangzhou, Macau or the coast.
08Budget
Approximate daily costs, in 2026 bands, to be tightened after we pay them ourselves.
09Honest tips & scams
Etiquette, the scams that actually happen, travelling solo or with children, and accessibility.
10Safety & emergencies
110, 119, 120, 122, hospitals, and what to do if a passport goes missing.
Start in Shenzhen, answers first.
Start with a border rule, a first-day plan, or an honest take on whether the city is for you.
Explore Shenzhen →
Hong Kong to Shenzhen: which border to use, and which visa rule applies
Walking across at Luohu or Futian? The 240-hour transit won’t cover you. Here’s what will.
Show-the-driver cards: 10 printable places
Eat in Shenzhen: by cuisine, district and occasion
240-hour visa-free transit: the nationwide rules
Written to be found — and used.
Practical answers first: visas, payments, getting around, food and honest day plans. Every page is dated and sourced.
All guides →China’s 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit: Who Qualifies, Which Ports, and the Catch
Eligible passport holders from 57 countries can transit China for up to 240 hours without a visa — if they have a confirmed onward ticket to a third country or region and use a designated port. The honest fine print, sourced to the National Immigration Administration.
China essentials · EntryChina’s 30-Day Visa-Free Entry: The 50-Country List, the End Date, and Who Is Left Out
Ordinary-passport holders from 50 countries can enter China for up to 30 days without a visa. The United States is not on the list. For most countries the official end date we found is still 31 December 2026 — confirm before you book.
China essentials · ToolsWhich China Visa-Free Rule Can You Use? A Plain Decision Tree
US passport? UK, Canada, Australia, Japan? Coming from Hong Kong for the day? Open the situation that matches you. Then confirm it officially — this is a guide, not legal advice.
China essentials · PaymentsHow to Set Up Alipay and WeChat Pay in China With a Foreign Card
You do not need a Chinese bank account for everyday QR payments. Set both apps up at home, link a Visa or Mastercard, and know the 3% fee on single payments over ¥200. Step-by-step, from official visitor guidance.
China essentials · ToolsThe Night-Before Payment and App Checklist for China
A tick-as-you-go list: Alipay, WeChat Pay, your bank, Amap, a data plan, a Chinese address card, and a tiny test payment. Do this at home, while SMS still works.
China essentials · InternetStaying Connected in China: eSIM, Roaming, and Which Apps Actually Work
On mainland networks and hotel Wi-Fi, many familiar Google and social apps are restricted. An international roaming eSIM often reaches them on cellular data — hotel Wi-Fi usually does not. How to plan, without a product pitch.
China essentials · Between citiesHow to Ride China’s High-Speed Rail With a Passport
Foreign passport holders can book on the official 12306 English site: register, complete identity verification, and board with the same passport. How to do it, what happens at the station, and the West Kowloon catch for Shenzhen.
China essentials · Between citiesHow Foreign Visitors Use DiDi and Taxis in China
Official visitor guidance names three ways into DiDi: the Didi-Greater China app, Alipay’s Transport → Taxi, and WeChat’s Mobility section. A foreign phone number can be used. How a ride works, and how to handle a street taxi that will not meter.
Rule changes, new cities, new cards.
One short email when a visa or payment rule changes, when a new city opens, and when we have a dated field note worth sending. No weekly filler.
Check the rule. Tick the list.
A visa-free lookup, a stay calculator, and printable checklists. They run in your browser.
All toolsHonest editors, writing it straight.
We would rather leave a restaurant unnamed than invent a review, and we would rather send you to an official page than guess.
- Who writes this
- Guides are signed “Honestly China editors” — a brand editorial byline, not a fictional person. When a named author is added, it will be a real one. About the editors →
- City by city
- We open a city only when its guides are ready. Shenzhen is first. The others are listed as “coming soon” until then.
- How guides are made
- Answer first, then the facts. Every page lists its sources and a last-updated date. Addresses are checked on Amap before publishing.
- How we make money
- Right now, we don’t. If we ever add affiliate links or partner services, they’ll be clearly labelled at the top of the page, and your price stays the same.
- Tours & drivers
- We don’t run tours ourselves. When you ask for help, we introduce licensed local partners who provide the service.
- No fake reviews
- No paid rankings, no invented testimonials. If something’s overpriced, we say so.