The eSIM to buy before you fly to China (and the trick most visitors don't know).
Install it at home and you land with maps, Didi and Alipay working. Pick the right plan and Google and WhatsApp work too, no VPN.
Why an eSIM
You land, switch your phone on, and you need data straight away: the map to your hotel, Didi, Alipay, a message home. Airport WiFi can want a phone number you don't have. The SIM counter has a queue.
An eSIM is a phone plan you download into your phone, no plastic card. Buy and install it at home, and it switches on when you land.
The trick: your data leaves China
China filters its internet. Google, WhatsApp, Instagram and many other services don't load on Chinese networks.
But most travel eSIMs route your data through a network outside mainland China, often Hong Kong. That means Google, WhatsApp and Instagram usually just work, no VPN needed. Your home SIM on roaming does the same thing.
Two exceptions to know:
- Hotel, café and airport WiFi are Chinese connections, so they're filtered. Turn WiFi off when you need Google.
- AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude don't serve Hong Kong, so on an eSIM that exits there they may still not work.
Check the plan's description before you buy. Good China plans say they work with Google and WhatsApp.
Your options
1. A travel eSIM (best for most people)
Providers like Airalo, Holafly and Nomad sell China plans. A week with a few gigabytes typically costs around US$10. Unlimited plans cost more. Prices change, so compare.
- Pros: cheap, installed before you fly, works on landing, usually gets round the firewall.
- Cons: no Chinese phone number. That matters for some things, like food delivery apps, which only accept a +86 number at checkout.
2. Roaming on your home SIM
Your carrier's daily roaming pass. Same firewall benefit, and you keep your home number for bank codes.
- Cons: usually much more expensive over a week or two. Check the daily rate.
3. A Chinese SIM, too
If you're staying a while, exploring on your own, or want food delivery, buy a Chinese SIM at the airport counter after customs as well. Bring your passport. A Chinese SIM is on a Chinese network, so it's filtered: keep your eSIM for data and use the Chinese SIM for the +86 number.
Install steps
- At home: buy the plan, install the eSIM, and check your phone supports eSIM and is unlocked.
- Check when the plan starts. Many start counting days when they first connect at your destination; some start at install. Read the plan's activation rules.
- Before landing: set the eSIM as your data line and turn on data roaming for it. Turn off data on your home SIM if you don't want roaming charges.
- After landing: give it a minute to connect. Test by opening Google Maps or WhatsApp. If it connects but nothing loads, restart the phone, then check the provider's help page for the APN setting.
This is a short excerpt from the Survive in China guide. Chapter 01 covers your first 24 hours, including whether you need a Chinese number at all. Chapter 09 covers the firewall, VPNs and the Chinese apps that just work.
Want the deeper version? Same author, 240 pages of it.
See the guide →