My flight to Chongqing is tomorrow. I am a bit late to watch this video. I did book a stay with English speaking staff luckily. Setting up all my apps now. Thank you so much!! btw.. Je Nederlands accent is super cute.
0:58 your video is very refreshing. I have been living in China for a year now. Have experienced firsthand the same difficulties that you have. I’m tight fisted so while your internet connections are viable I look for cheaper alternatives. Keep posting as I look forward to your videos
HI! I'm planning on going to China next month for vacation. Do you know if VPN Astrill works on Samsung Android phones? Will it allow me to get onto Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Yahoo, Google? Also do you think it's necessary to get eSIM card as well? Can you tell me why we need both VPN and eSIM card? Thanks for your help! I'm not familiar with VPN usage.
Hi! That’s so nice! I’m not familiar with android phones so you’ll need to check on Google to be sure. An e-sim is a digital simcard on your phone for data. I had it to be able to use internet because my phone couldn’t connect to any WiFi in China. VPN is a separate thing so you can use apps like Facebook and TH-cam. Hope this answers your questions ☺️
Thanks for the video, learned a lot! Regarding the metro, can you also reuse the card and charge it so one does not have to use the machine every time? And is transporation universal across all chinese cities?
Hi! Glad it was helpful :) the metro card I used are not reusable, they’ll be eaten again by the turnstile when you exit. I asked my nieces about this and they say that most people in China use Alipay on their phone when using the metro so they don’t have to buy a ticket every time. If you don’t have Alipay, it’s also possible to get a reusable metro card at a service desk at the metro station. The ones you get from the ticket machines (which I got) are only for one use. Hope this helps!
You could buy a diffrent prepay card for metro and it could be recharge in some machine. And nowadays most people can just use the app on the phone to scan to use metro so the prepay card is not so popular. But its still available in all the metro in China cities at least those I visited：） Anyway for myself I keep a prepay metro card because I dont like to take out my phone every time and find the app. And though its been called a "card" , in fact I buy a tiny version just in size of a coin so I attached it to my key. You can buy it in the metro shop
I only had ExpressVPN.. so I didn’t try any other ones. It did work when I used my data from Airalo, super strange. With WiFi or a local simcard it was completely useless.
Hi Sophie. Thanks for another great video right on time for me… Two questions: 1. AirAlo app - can this be used for all your international WhatsApp calls too? I mean in China if I need to call or use data I’ll use AirAlo but for calling international with WhatsApp can I still use this? And express VPN helps for WiFi connection right? (Thanks for the AirAlo discount code BTW). 2. International hotels - Hilton or others are on Booking. Do you think I’d have any problem with staying with those? 3 - last bonus question 😬😅😜: regular taxi is safe right? I mean those are regulated taxis? If I want to make a bit longer trips can I use taxis? And how is car rental works? Can I drive or is it safe driving a rental in China for a Westerner? Thanks a lot 🤗🤗🤗
Hello! Glad I could help you on time :) my answers for your questions: A1: Airalo is an e-sim that you can download for data, but it’s not for calling. It’s an e-sim for data only, you won’t get a new phone number and you won’t be able to call with the e-sim. When you call with WhatsApp, you’re on data (or WiFi) so it’s possible, although I wouldn’t use WhatsApp calls on your data unless it’s necessary because it cost a lot of data to call. VPNs don’t help with the WiFi connection. VPNs makes it possible for you to go on the blocked apps in China such as WhatsApp, and TH-cam, but you still need to have internet connection to be able to go on the apps. So if you want to use TH-cam in China, you need: internet (WiFi or data) + VPN. A2: Like I mentioned in the video, I don’t think hotels on Booking would reject foreigners as they’re already registered on international platforms. If you’re still in doubt, I’d mail or call them before arriving just to ask if it’s a problem. If it’s a hotel you found on a Chinese platform, I’d definitely double check with them if you can check in with a foreign passport. A3: Regular taxi’s are safe! They all have a personal taxi number and their licenses displayed inside the car so you know it’s legit. Sometimes there are people trying to get you in their cars while you’re waiting for a taxi in at the official taxi station, but I wouldn’t trust those people. You can use taxi’s for longer trips but it depends on how long your trip is, is it still within the city/region or completely outside? For longer trips to another city, there are any other options to get around, for example the train. Lastly about renting a car in China, if you really need it at a remote place you could do it, but in big cities I really don’t recommend you to rent a car. The traffic could get bad and not everyone drives according to the rules, so it can be dangerous if you’re not used to this. Most of the times there are enough public transport options for you to get around, so you won’t need to put yourself through the stress of driving in a big city in China. Hope this helps, if you have more questions let me know and wishing you a pleasant journey in China.
@@sophieandthemoon you’re sooo beautiful, so gorgeous and so so big hearted for taking time and sharing all this info… don’t know you but I do appreciate you 🤗🤗🤗 Thanks a million, Sophie!!! 🥰🥰🥰
Thankyou for your very informative video! I do have a question for you. How are Americans received in China these days? I have been in the past and absolutely loved it! The people were very warm and friendly, and I had a really amazing time. Now given the current political atmosphere between the U.S. and China I was wondering if it would be advisable to travel there now. I would be interested to hear your perspective on this. Thanks ! PS your are absolutely gorgeous!
Hi Greg, thank you so much for your warm message! That’s a very good question, but I’m afraid I can’t give you a good objective answer for it. When I was there, I didn’t experience much regarding this situation. For me, it felt similar to the years before when I was visiting China. This is my personal experience, so it could be different for others of course. If you’re hesitating, I’d suggest you to look into it before going just to be sure. I hope this helps you a bit, if you have more questions let me know! 😊
You’re welcome! It really depends on how much you’re planning to spend and where you are. If you keep it really simple, you can easily live on ¥100 a day, but you can make it as expensive as you want :)
Hi! The Airalo eSIM only provides you with data, so it’s a good back up for when you can’t connect to any WiFi in China (like me in the last 2 years). To be able to access blocked apps, you’ll need a VPN. So to be able to access TH-cam for example, you’ll need internet (data or WiFi) + working VPN. Hope this helps and if you need more help let me know!
does airalo allow you to use google, facebook, instagram, and other western apps without connecting to a VPN?? also, could I use the Airalo e-sim in addition to my original UK sim card, or would I have to remove the UK sim card to use Airalo?
Good question! But unfortunately no, Airalo only provides data and it’s not a VPN. So if you want to be able to access all the apps while in China, you’ll need internet (data or wifi) + VPN. About your UK sim card: you can still keep your physical sim card in your phone because Airalo is just an e-sim in the app on your phone. I’d recommend you to turn off your UK sim in settings when using the Airalo e-sim to prevent roaming and extra costs. You could have both on in settings, but I always turn my main sim off when using Airalo so I know my data is all from Airalo.
@@dkane2040there must be non Apple tags! But I don’t have any experience with other ones so I can’t recommend you any good ones. Maybe search for ‘gps tags for luggage/pets’, you’ll get many options!
did you figure out how to connect to wifi in china? also: does bying the Airalo e-sim allow you to connect to mobile data? if so, does it work? can you then use a vpn to connect to google, facebook, etc.?
Hi! I can connect to the WiFi in China but for some reason it never has internet connection. Airalo is an e-sim, it gives you data and it works well for me. The last 2 years when I couldn’t connect to any WiFi in china, I relied on Airalo to be connected. Once you have internet, you can turn on your VPN to be able to access all the apps.
Hi! To get data, would a Chinese sim card work on your phone? Or on a UK phone (Samsung Note 8)? Thanks for advising that some phones are incompatible with esim :)
i recommend 3hk for you it has preparid esim 30 days Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau esim v total 15GB
$ 138 can use in china directly
My flight to Chongqing is tomorrow. I am a bit late to watch this video. I did book a stay with English speaking staff luckily. Setting up all my apps now. Thank you so much!! btw.. Je Nederlands accent is super cute.
Nooo I wish you couldn’t hear my Dutch accent 🥹. Have fun in Chongqing!
0:58 your video is very refreshing. I have been living in China for a year now. Have experienced firsthand the same difficulties that you have. I’m tight fisted so while your internet connections are viable I look for cheaper alternatives. Keep posting as I look forward to your videos
Thank you so much for sharing your experience and your kind words! I really appreciate it ☺️
I Love your videos because those became so useful for me really and love that Kurzgusat duck in the back.
Hihi thank you! ☺️
Express vpn and Nord vpn doesn't work in china. I would recommend astrill vpn.
Good to know, thanks!
@@aFakerYT Express VPN is UTTER GARBAGE in China. Nord just scams people
I’m going to Shanghai in a month and read astrill works, so that’s what I’m going to try. Fingers crossed it works 🤞
@@agentbb007 I'm in Shanghai rn, proton works great
@@agentbb007 DID IT WORK???
Yes, Airalo has a built in VPN
Hi Sophie. I will travel to China for 15 days. Would 2GB eSIM card be enough? thanks
Hi! You can start with 2GB and buy more if needed! If you’ll be using your phone a lot for maps etc. I’d advise to get 3-5GB just in case.
Hi, I am wondering if the sights and shops are open during the holidays in October. Thanks for the info.
every thing will be open, especially on holidays (except the Spring festival, some shops will be closed) in China, no worries.
Please some info regarding the tennis tournament in September. Tickets can be purchased on the spot. Thanks a lot
HI! I'm planning on going to China next month for vacation. Do you know if VPN Astrill works on Samsung Android phones? Will it allow me to get onto Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Yahoo, Google? Also do you think it's necessary to get eSIM card as well? Can you tell me why we need both VPN and eSIM card? Thanks for your help! I'm not familiar with VPN usage.
Hi! That’s so nice! I’m not familiar with android phones so you’ll need to check on Google to be sure. An e-sim is a digital simcard on your phone for data. I had it to be able to use internet because my phone couldn’t connect to any WiFi in China. VPN is a separate thing so you can use apps like Facebook and TH-cam. Hope this answers your questions ☺️
Thanks for the tips. when you next in China?
You’re welcome! I’ll be there next year ☺️
Hi if I am planning on going from USA to Shanghai then Shanghai to Hong Kong do I need a chinese visa or traveler visa I already for my passport?
Hi! When I buy Airalo e-SIM, I don't have to have the VPN and the Instagram, FB apps etc will work anyway?
Hii, no you still need a VPN! Airalo is just for the data, because my phone couldn’t connect to any WiFi in China.
@@sophieandthemoon Thanks! :)
@@sophieandthemoon i thought airalo has built in vpn?
Thanks for the video, learned a lot! Regarding the metro, can you also reuse the card and charge it so one does not have to use the machine every time? And is transporation universal across all chinese cities?
Hi! Glad it was helpful :) the metro card I used are not reusable, they’ll be eaten again by the turnstile when you exit. I asked my nieces about this and they say that most people in China use Alipay on their phone when using the metro so they don’t have to buy a ticket every time. If you don’t have Alipay, it’s also possible to get a reusable metro card at a service desk at the metro station. The ones you get from the ticket machines (which I got) are only for one use. Hope this helps!
@@sophieandthemoon thanks
You could buy a diffrent prepay card for metro and it could be recharge in some machine. And nowadays most people can just use the app on the phone to scan to use metro so the prepay card is not so popular. But its still available in all the metro in China cities at least those I visited：）
Anyway for myself I keep a prepay metro card because I dont like to take out my phone every time and find the app. And though its been called a "card" , in fact I buy a tiny version just in size of a coin so I attached it to my key. You can buy it in the metro shop
Thanks for your Trip’s Tips❤
I live inGermany and i wish a China Trip for 2025
You’re welcome! ☺️
Will it be a problem if you stay with a friend for one month and not a hotel?
Of course it’s fine!
So what vpn you used since express vpn didnt work?
I only had ExpressVPN.. so I didn’t try any other ones. It did work when I used my data from Airalo, super strange. With WiFi or a local simcard it was completely useless.
@@sophieandthemoon because airalo has built in vpn possibly? Thats what i read in google.
Hi Sophie. Thanks for another great video right on time for me…
Two questions:
1. AirAlo app - can this be used for all your international WhatsApp calls too? I mean in China if I need to call or use data I’ll use AirAlo but for calling international with WhatsApp can I still use this? And express VPN helps for WiFi connection right? (Thanks for the AirAlo discount code BTW).
2. International hotels - Hilton or others are on Booking. Do you think I’d have any problem with staying with those?
3 - last bonus question 😬😅😜: regular taxi is safe right? I mean those are regulated taxis? If I want to make a bit longer trips can I use taxis? And how is car rental works? Can I drive or is it safe driving a rental in China for a Westerner?
Thanks a lot 🤗🤗🤗
Hello! Glad I could help you on time :) my answers for your questions:
A1: Airalo is an e-sim that you can download for data, but it’s not for calling. It’s an e-sim for data only, you won’t get a new phone number and you won’t be able to call with the e-sim. When you call with WhatsApp, you’re on data (or WiFi) so it’s possible, although I wouldn’t use WhatsApp calls on your data unless it’s necessary because it cost a lot of data to call.
VPNs don’t help with the WiFi connection. VPNs makes it possible for you to go on the blocked apps in China such as WhatsApp, and TH-cam, but you still need to have internet connection to be able to go on the apps. So if you want to use TH-cam in China, you need: internet (WiFi or data) + VPN.
A2: Like I mentioned in the video, I don’t think hotels on Booking would reject foreigners as they’re already registered on international platforms. If you’re still in doubt, I’d mail or call them before arriving just to ask if it’s a problem. If it’s a hotel you found on a Chinese platform, I’d definitely double check with them if you can check in with a foreign passport.
A3: Regular taxi’s are safe! They all have a personal taxi number and their licenses displayed inside the car so you know it’s legit. Sometimes there are people trying to get you in their cars while you’re waiting for a taxi in at the official taxi station, but I wouldn’t trust those people.
You can use taxi’s for longer trips but it depends on how long your trip is, is it still within the city/region or completely outside? For longer trips to another city, there are any other options to get around, for example the train.
Lastly about renting a car in China, if you really need it at a remote place you could do it, but in big cities I really don’t recommend you to rent a car. The traffic could get bad and not everyone drives according to the rules, so it can be dangerous if you’re not used to this. Most of the times there are enough public transport options for you to get around, so you won’t need to put yourself through the stress of driving in a big city in China.
Hope this helps, if you have more questions let me know and wishing you a pleasant journey in China.
@@sophieandthemoon you’re sooo beautiful, so gorgeous and so so big hearted for taking time and sharing all this info… don’t know you but I do appreciate you 🤗🤗🤗 Thanks a million, Sophie!!! 🥰🥰🥰
Thankyou for your very informative video! I do have a question for you. How are Americans received in China these days? I have been in the past and absolutely loved it! The people were very warm and friendly, and I had a really amazing time. Now given the current political atmosphere between the U.S. and China I was wondering if it would be advisable to travel there now. I would be interested to hear your perspective on this. Thanks ! PS your are absolutely gorgeous!
Hi Greg, thank you so much for your warm message! That’s a very good question, but I’m afraid I can’t give you a good objective answer for it. When I was there, I didn’t experience much regarding this situation. For me, it felt similar to the years before when I was visiting China. This is my personal experience, so it could be different for others of course. If you’re hesitating, I’d suggest you to look into it before going just to be sure.
I hope this helps you a bit, if you have more questions let me know! 😊
There is no problem, no need to worry.
Thanks for the trip advice. Did use the discount code 😉👍
You’re welcome ☺️
Thx for your tips. How much for food per day for a normal EU guy?
You’re welcome! It really depends on how much you’re planning to spend and where you are. If you keep it really simple, you can easily live on ¥100 a day, but you can make it as expensive as you want :)
Ground floor being 1 makes more sense.
Does Surfshark VPN okay ?
I never used it before so idk..
No it doesn’t work in China
Hey Sophie, may i ask if you could access directly to blocked APP, such as yahoo email, youtube, etc, via AirAlo without VPN? Thanks
Hi! The Airalo eSIM only provides you with data, so it’s a good back up for when you can’t connect to any WiFi in China (like me in the last 2 years). To be able to access blocked apps, you’ll need a VPN. So to be able to access TH-cam for example, you’ll need internet (data or WiFi) + working VPN.
Hope this helps and if you need more help let me know!
Hotel wifi works... for sites and apps used in China.
Glad to hear that ☺️
but can you then connect to a VPN and access google, facebook, or other western websites?
does airalo allow you to use google, facebook, instagram, and other western apps without connecting to a VPN?? also, could I use the Airalo e-sim in addition to my original UK sim card, or would I have to remove the UK sim card to use Airalo?
Good question! But unfortunately no, Airalo only provides data and it’s not a VPN. So if you want to be able to access all the apps while in China, you’ll need internet (data or wifi) + VPN.
About your UK sim card: you can still keep your physical sim card in your phone because Airalo is just an e-sim in the app on your phone. I’d recommend you to turn off your UK sim in settings when using the Airalo e-sim to prevent roaming and extra costs. You could have both on in settings, but I always turn my main sim off when using Airalo so I know my data is all from Airalo.
Hmmm.. when I was in Shanghai in May this year, airalo connects me to IG, FB, google.
what kind of geo tag do you use for your checked-in luggage to track it? could you give me a link?
I'm using an AirTag in my suitcase, here's a link to the one I use (Amazon): amzn.to/3wPwmXU
@@sophieandthemoon thanks! Is there one for non apple users?
@@dkane2040there must be non Apple tags! But I don’t have any experience with other ones so I can’t recommend you any good ones. Maybe search for ‘gps tags for luggage/pets’, you’ll get many options!
did you figure out how to connect to wifi in china? also: does bying the Airalo e-sim allow you to connect to mobile data? if so, does it work? can you then use a vpn to connect to google, facebook, etc.?
Hi! I can connect to the WiFi in China but for some reason it never has internet connection. Airalo is an e-sim, it gives you data and it works well for me. The last 2 years when I couldn’t connect to any WiFi in china, I relied on Airalo to be connected. Once you have internet, you can turn on your VPN to be able to access all the apps.
Hi! To get data, would a Chinese sim card work on your phone? Or on a UK phone (Samsung Note 8)? Thanks for advising that some phones are incompatible with esim :)
Hi, I am wondering if the sights and shops are open during the holidays in October. Thanks for the info.