The library

Every guide, sorted by what you need

Eight tested walkthroughs for the systems that decide whether your first 48 hours in China go smoothly. No account, no email, no passport number required.

Shanghai skyline at night seen from the Bund

Start here — payments

How to set up Alipay with a foreign card The exact 5-minute process to link Visa, Mastercard, JCB or Diners — the 200 RMB fee rule and what does not work.

Internet & connectivity

Best eSIM & internet for China What breaks without a VPN, which eSIM to buy, how to install it at home, and the backups for when data dies.

Getting around

Maps & Didi — getting around without Google Amap setup, Apple Maps as your English layer, Didi registration and why GPS drift ruins pickups. How to ride China’s high-speed rail Book with a passport, clear the manual verification lane, and know which class is worth the money. How to use the subway without buying a ticket The Alipay metro QR code, security screening, transfers and which exit to surface from.

Accommodation

Avoid hotel scams — book a room that accepts foreigners Which properties cannot register a foreign passport, what the deposit really is, and the desk tricks to refuse.

Cities & sights

The Bund at night — Shanghai’s skyline like a pro Best time, the right Metro exit, three photo angles, and the touts to walk past. The Great Wall without the crowds or scams Why Mutianyu beats Badaling, real-name tickets, cable car up and toboggan down.