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Arrival Airport to City: Getting Into Town in Any Chinese City How to get from Chinese airports to your hotel: metro, Didi, taxis, airport buses, costs, and which option works best in each major city.
02 Budget China on a Budget: A Local's Honest Breakdown Real daily cost breakdowns for China budget travel from a local: cheap food strategies, transport savings, free activities, and money-saving apps.
03 Connectivity China SIM Card & eSIM: Stay Connected from Day One Best China SIM card and eSIM options for tourists in 2026 — physical SIM, eSIM providers, airport pickup, carriers, data plans, and what actually works.
04 Super Apps Super Apps Explained: Why One App Does Everything Here Why WeChat and Alipay do everything in China — messaging, payments, food delivery, government services. A developer explains the super app model.
05 Visa-Free China 240-Hour Visa-Free Transit: Complete Guide Complete 2026 guide to China's 240-hour visa-free transit — eligibility, 55 countries, 65 ports, rules, common mistakes, and how to make the most of 10 days.
06 Apps The Only Apps You Actually Need in China The best apps for China travel in 2026 — a tier list from must-have to skip, covering Alipay, WeChat, Amap, Didi, Meituan, and more, from a local developer.
07 Checklist Your First 48 Hours in China: A Complete Landing Checklist Hour-by-hour guide for your first time in China: airport arrival, SIM setup, payment apps, first meal, transit, and everything you need sorted fast.
08 Internet Internet in China: What Works, What Doesn't, and Why What's blocked by China's Great Firewall, what still works, VPN reality, and practical solutions for staying connected during your trip.
09 Safety Is China Safe? What I Tell My Foreign Friends A local's honest take on China safety for tourists: violent crime, scams, food safety, traffic, hospitals, police, women's safety, and LGBTQ+ tips.
10 Beijing Landing in Beijing: A Local's First-Timer Guide A practical first-time Beijing travel guide covering airport to city, metro, where to stay, food, and everything for your first 48 hours.
11 Chengdu Landing in Chengdu: A Local's First-Timer Guide A practical first-time Chengdu travel guide covering Tianfu airport, Sichuan food, pandas, teahouse culture, and your first 48 hours.
12 Guangzhou Landing in Guangzhou: A Local's First-Timer Guide A practical first-time Guangzhou travel guide covering Baiyun airport, dim sum, Canton Fair logistics, metro, and your first 48 hours.
13 Shanghai Landing in Shanghai: A Local's First-Timer Guide A practical first-time Shanghai travel guide covering Pudong airport to city, Maglev, metro, neighborhoods, food, and your first 48 hours.
14 Xi'an Landing in Xi'an: A Local's First-Timer Guide A practical first-time Xi'an travel guide covering Xianyang airport, Terracotta Warriors, Muslim Quarter food, city wall, and your first 48 hours.
15 Food How to Order Food in China Without Speaking Chinese Practical guide to ordering food in China: QR code menus, food delivery apps, pointing strategies, and the Chinese phrases that actually help.
16 Payments How to Pay in China as a Foreigner (2026) Alipay, WeChat Pay, cash, and foreign cards — a practical guide to how to pay in China as a foreigner in 2026, from someone who's helped dozens set it up.
17 Solo Travel Solo Travel in China: What You Should Actually Know Solo travel in China without speaking Chinese -- a local's honest guide to language barriers, safety, dining alone, making connections, and the best cities.
18 Mini Programs Mini Programs: The Hidden App Layer Foreigners Miss What WeChat mini programs are, why they exist, and which ones foreign visitors to China actually need. A developer's technical breakdown.
19 QR Codes Why China Runs on QR Codes (A Developer's Explanation) A developer explains why China skipped credit cards and built its economy on QR codes. History, technical infrastructure, and what foreigners need to know.
20 Maps Why Google Maps Fails in China (And What to Use Instead) Google Maps shows wrong locations in China due to the GCJ-02 coordinate system. Here's the technical reason and what map apps actually work.