China Travel Vlog Part 1 🇨🇳 | Dubai to Guangzhou | Canton Tower | China Visa | Alipay | SIM card

CHINA TRAVEL VLOG 🇨🇳 | PART 1 | From Dubai to Guangzhou Welcome to my China travel series! This 11 days adventure trip begins from Dubai, and for this trip I flew with Gulf Air via Bahrain. The total airfare cost me around AED 2,180 for the round trip. The transit was smooth. . Before travelling, one of the most important things was getting the China tourist visa. If you're applying from Dubai, the process is quite straightforward through the Chinese Visa Application Centre. Make sure you have your passport, UAE residence visa, flight bookings, hotel reservations, travel itinerary, and other required documents ready before applying. . Step 1- Create an account in china visa service center Dubai portal (https://www.visaforchina.cn/DXB3_EN/q...) and fill online for for tourism L type visa . Step 2 - Upload all documents including - passport, EID, residence visa, hotel reservation , flight booking and NOC from employer. Step 3- After online approval mail, submit passport in service center and pay 312 dirhams. Step 4- collect the passport after 4 days .(it took total 6 days for me including online approval of 2 days) . After a comfortable 9 hours journey, I landed in Guangzhou, one of China's largest and most modern cities. Immigration was smooth and hassle-free. One important tip: don't forget to fill out the arrival card before travelling. If you miss it, you can also fill one out at the airport before immigration. Arrival card form - https://s.nia.gov.cn/ArrivalCardFilli... . SIM card - I purchased a physical SIM card for 180 Yuan mainly for local calls and data. Alongside that, I already had an eSIM from Trip.com. One advantage of the Trip.com eSIM is that it routes traffic through an international network, allowing access to many social media platforms that are normally restricted within mainland China. If you're planning to use only a local Chinese SIM card, you'll need a VPN to access apps like Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and YouTube. During my trip, I found Cat VPN to be a simple and effective free option. . Currency -Let's quickly talk about currency. At the time of my visit: • 1 Chinese Yuan ≈ 0.51 UAE Dirham • 1 Chinese Yuan ≈ ₹12 Indian Rupees • 1 Chinese Yuan ≈ $0.14 US Dollars . Ali Pay -With connectivity sorted and some cash exchanged, it was time to head into the city. I took the Guangzhou Metro directly to my accommodation, using Alipay for all payments. Alipay is by far the most commonly used payment platform in China. I strongly recommend downloading the app, completing identity verification, and linking your bank card before you fly. It makes traveling around China incredibly convenient. . For accommodation, I stayed at Yoyo Youth Apartment. The hostel cost approximately AED 40 per night, making it a great budget-friendly option for solo travellers. . After freshening up, it was already around 4 PM, so I headed straight to one of Guangzhou's most iconic landmarks, the Canton Tower. Standing at approximately 600 metres tall, Canton Tower is the second tallest tower in China and one of the tallest towers in the world. Its unique twisted design, colourful LED lighting, and panoramic observation decks make it one of Guangzhou's biggest attractions. I purchased the Bubble Tram Combo Ticket for 298 Yuan, which is roughly AED 160. The highlight of the experience was definitely the Bubble Tram, the world's highest Ferris wheel located near the top of the tower. Riding above the city skyline during sunset and nighttime was simply unforgettable. The view from the top gave me an incredible perspective of Guangzhou's endless skyscrapers, illuminated bridges, and vibrant city lights. It was the perfect introduction to modern China. After the tower experience, I walked to Canton Tower Park to enjoy the full view of the tower beautifully lit up against the night sky. This is probably one of the best photo spots in Guangzhou. Next, I booked a Didi ride, China's version of Uber, and headed towards Beijing Road Pedestrian Street. Beijing Road is one of Guangzhou's most famous shopping and food districts. Although I arrived quite late and the crowds were smaller than usual, the atmosphere was still lively. To return, I used the metro once again, which was clean, efficient, and easy to navigate. Back near my hostel, I grabbed a quick dinner from McDonald's, called it a day, and got some much-needed rest after the long journey. And that's the end of Day 1 in China! Stay tuned for Part 2. See you in the next vlog! China Travel, Canton Tower, Beijing Road, China Tourist Visa from Dubai, China Budget Travel, Dubai to China, Alipay China, China SIM Card, China eSIM, Guangzhou Nightlife, China Travel Tips, China Vlog Malayalam. #ChinaTravel #ChinaVlog #Guangzhou #GuangzhouChina #CantonTower #BeijingRoad #TravelVlog #SoloTravel #BudgetTravel #DubaiToChina #GulfAir #ChinaTourism #ExploreChina #VisitChina