How to plan for your first China trip & what to expect! | 2026 China Travel Tips 🇨🇳

☎️ Get 10-15% off your Airalo eSIM: CHERIE10 (10% off for ANY users): https://airalo.pxf.io/CHERIE10 CHERIE15 (15% off for NEW users only): https://airalo.pxf.io/CHERIE15 Never thought I'd ever record a full video like this one day but with the growing popularity of China as a travel destination, I decided to sit down and share my comprehensive travel tips for this incredible country. ** As of November 2025 everything in this is still valid but I strongly suggest ensuring you have a CCC power bank if you will be doing any form of travel within China. 🌟 Book your trip to China through Trip.com: https://www.trip.com/t/LY0hQ3ktrP2 🧳 Part 1: Planning 00:00 Intro 00:24 Planning your trip 00:26 Visa 00:53: When to visit 00:58 Dates to avoid 02:00 Where to visit 02:31 How many days per city 02:52 Booking accommodation 03:43 Booking train tickets 04:22 Things to note when booking trains 04:49 Train ticket classes 05:41 Staying connected 05:46 International roaming 05:55 eSIM 06:08 Chinese SIM 06:18 VPN 06:33 Do you need a Chinese phone number 07:22 Where to buy a Chinese SIM 07:28 Set up Alipay and WeChat 07:56 Booking attraction tickets 🇨🇳 Part 2: In China 08:14 What to expect on the ground 08:18 Getting around 08:36 Ride hailing: how to use WeChat and Alipay to book a ride 08:49 Metro 09:19 High-speed rail / trains 11:17 Using WeChat and Alipay 11:55 Paying using QR codes 12:14 Cash 13:05 Map / navigation apps: Baidu Maps and Gaode / Amap 13:42 Chinese cuisine 13:59 Food and dining options 14:41 Ordering food at restaurants 14:59 Tipping 15:04 Carry your physical passport at all times 15:40 A small aside on toilet paper lol 📸 Travel Gear (affiliate links) DJI Osmo Pocket 3: https://amzn.to/4gnTe18 FujiFilm XS-20: https://amzn.to/4aFVakj 20000 mAh power bank: https://amzn.to/3CpDFIx Tripod: https://amzn.to/3CwPs7U 🎶 Music: Get a free trial of Epidemic Sound using my link: ↳https://share.epidemicsound.com/d1zdho Links 📷 Instagram: @cherie.diaries ↳   / cherie.diaries   📝 Blog ↳ https://buymeacoffee.com/cheriediarie... 📍 Current location: Sydney, Australia 📊 Current sub count: 1360 #asiantravel #travel #solotravel #china #chinatravel china, china travel, china tips, china travel guide, solo travelling in china