Community Tips

I couldn't link my Chase card directly to Alipay, but Tour Pass worked perfectly. I topped up $200 and it lasted me 2 weeks. Every single place accepted it — even the tiny dumpling stall in an alley. The key is to set it up BEFORE you arrive because the verification SMS might not work in China.

Astrill worked 95% of the time during my 3-week trip. The only time it struggled was during the "sensitive period" around June 4th. I had ExpressVPN as backup and it worked fine. My advice: always have two VPNs. Also, download ALL your maps and translations offline before arriving.

Most restaurants have QR code menus now. Scan with WeChat and you can see pictures of every dish. Point at what you want if the staff doesn't speak English. Also, the "translate" feature in WeChat works on camera — just point it at the Chinese menu and it overlays English. Not perfect but good enough.

Book trains on Trip.com in English — much easier than 12306. At the station, go to the international passenger window (look for English signs). You scan your passport to enter and exit. The trains are incredibly punctual and clean. First class is worth it for long trips — about $50-80 for 4 hours.

Two "friendly" girls invited me to a tea ceremony near the Muslim Quarter. The tea was nice but the bill was 800 RMB ($110)! They said "no obligation" but then pressured me to pay. I walked out. Lesson: if a stranger is TOO friendly and invites you to something, it's probably a scam. Real Chinese people are friendly but won't drag you to shops.

I booked a budget hotel on Ctrip and they refused to check me in because they didn't have a "foreign guest license." I had to find a different hotel at 11 PM. Always check the "接待外宾" (accepts foreigners) tag before booking. International chains are always safe.

I got food poisoning in Kunming. The local hospital had no English speakers. I used Pleco to translate my symptoms and it worked. The doctor was professional and the whole visit cost about 30 RMB ($4). Bring your own anti-diarrheal medicine just in case. Also, don't drink tap water even in nice hotels.

My Chinese is zero. But every time I was lost, someone helped me. One guy walked 10 minutes out of his way to show me the right bus stop. A restaurant owner called a taxi for me and told the driver where to go. Don't be afraid to ask for help — use hand gestures, Google Translate, or just show your destination on the map.