Four land crossings, one arrival card and a foreigners' lane. How to cross from Hong Kong into Shenzhen, and which crossing suits your trip.
8 min read
Most restaurants in mainland China use QR ordering: scan a code at the table, order and pay from WeChat. This guide covers what the built-in translation gets right, what it breaks, and how to handle both.
7 min read
Alipay and WeChat Pay are how you pay for almost everything in mainland China. Neither needs a Chinese bank account or SIM, but both need setup before you fly — do this now, not mid-trip.
10 min read
China's high-speed rail is fast and punctual. What catches foreigners out is the station process: two security checks, passport-based ticketing, and boarding that can close before the printed departure time.
8 min read
Chinese metro systems run on QR codes, not tickets or cards. Activate a transit QR inside WeChat, then hold your phone to the gantry scanner to enter and exit — fares charge automatically.
7 min read
Google, WhatsApp, Instagram and YouTube are blocked in China. A travel eSIM on your phone is the sure bet and needs no VPN. Add a VPN for your laptop as backup, and set both up before you leave home.
6 min read