A Father-and-Daughter Guide to Your First Trip to China (2026)
“I’m Visiting China Soon… and I’m Excited to Learn About Everything.”
While browsing a Facebook travel group recently, we came across a post from a traveller named July.
“Hello, I’m July and something to know about me is I will be visiting China soon and I’m excited to learn about everything.”
It wasn’t a complicated question.
There were no concerns about visas or train tickets.
Just genuine EXCITEMENT about discovering a country she had never visited before.
Elaine looked over my shoulder and smiled.
“Dad… that’s exactly how I felt before our first trip.”
That simple sentence reminded us of our own journey.
Before our first visit, we had countless questions.
Would the payment apps work?
Would we get lost?
Could we book trains?
Would we manage without speaking much Mandarin?
Today, after travelling through Beijing, Xi’an, Chengdu, Hong Kong and many other places, we can honestly say this:
China isn’t difficult to visit.
It’s simply different.
Once you understand how things work, travelling around China becomes remarkably straightforward—and incredibly rewarding.
If you’re visiting China for the first time, this guide is where we’d recommend you start.
Why We Created This Guide
ChinaTravelBug was never meant to be just another travel blog.
When I first brought Elaine to China, the goal wasn’t simply to visit famous attractions.
Travel became part of her education.
There’s an old Chinese saying:
读万卷书，不如行万里路
“Reading ten thousand books is not as valuable as travelling ten thousand miles.”
Every museum became a classroom.
Every old street told a story.
Every conversation helped us understand China a little better.
Along the way, we realised that first-time visitors kept asking the same practical questions.
Rather than scattering the answers across dozens of articles, we’ve brought them together in one place.
Think of this as your starting point before diving deeper into our destination guides.
1. Prepare Your Phone Before You Fly
If there’s one piece of advice we’d give every first-time visitor, it’s this:
Prepare your phone before leaving home.
In China, your phone quickly becomes your travel companion.
It helps you:
- pay for meals
- book taxis
- buy train tickets
- navigate cities
- translate signs
- store hotel bookings
- access attraction tickets
Installing the right apps before departure is far easier than trying to do everything after you land.
2. Download These Essential Apps
These are the apps we now install before every China trip.
Alipay (支付宝)
The single most useful app for most international visitors.
You can use it for:
- restaurants
- convenience stores
- supermarkets
- museums
- many public transport systems
- DiDi ride-hailing
Many overseas Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB and other international cards can now be linked, although compatibility depends on your card issuer and country. Completing verification before departure is recommended.
➡ Read: Can Foreign Tourists Use Alipay in China?
WeChat (微信)
China’s most widely used messaging platform also supports mobile payments.
Even if you mainly use Alipay, WeChat is an excellent backup.
Trip.com
Our preferred booking platform for:
- hotels
- domestic flights
- high-speed rail
- attraction tickets
Its English interface makes planning much easier for overseas visitors.
DiDi (滴滴出行)
Think of it as China’s version of Uber.
You can use the standalone app or access it directly through Alipay.
Amap (高德地图)
Many visitors ask whether Google Maps works in China.
The answer is partly.
Google Maps can still display many locations, but its business listings, public transport information and navigation are often incomplete or outdated within mainland China.
For everyday navigation, Amap (Gaode Maps), Baidu Maps or Apple Maps (for iPhone users) generally provide much better results.
Google Translate
Before leaving home, download the offline Chinese language pack.
If you’re using international roaming or many overseas eSIM providers, Google Translate usually works well in mainland China.
If you use a local Chinese SIM or internet connection, access to Google services may be restricted, so having the offline language pack is especially helpful.
3. Understanding Mobile Payments
One of the biggest surprises for first-time visitors is just how common mobile payments have become.
You’ll often see people paying with QR codes at:
- cafés
- museums
- metro stations
- restaurants
- convenience stores
- supermarkets
Many international hotel chains, luxury shopping centres and larger retailers also accept overseas credit cards.
However, QR-code payments remain the preferred way to pay for everyday purchases.
Although Renminbi (RMB) cash remains legal tender, carrying only cash is no longer the most convenient option.
We still carry a small amount of RMB as a backup—but most of our daily spending is done through Alipay.
4. China’s High-Speed Rail Is an Experience in Itself
Many people think of high-speed rail simply as transportation.
For us, it became part of the adventure.
Travelling at over 300 km/h, China’s high-speed rail network connects hundreds of cities with remarkable speed and comfort.
Foreign visitors usually travel using their passport as the travel document.
Stations include airport-style security screening, so arriving around 30–60 minutes before departure is a sensible guideline.
Elaine’s first ride ended with a grin.
“Dad… that was smoother than flying.”
5. You Don’t Need to Speak Mandarin
This surprises many people.
You can travel comfortably without speaking Mandarin, particularly in major tourist cities.
Hotels, airports and popular attractions often have staff who know some English.
That said, learning a few simple phrases goes a long way.
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 你好 | Nǐ hǎo | Hello |
| 谢谢 | Xièxie | Thank you |
| 请 | Qǐng | Please |
| 地铁 | Dìtiě | Metro |
| 厕所在哪里？ | Cèsuǒ zài nǎlǐ? | Where is the toilet? |
Elaine enjoyed trying these phrases whenever we ordered food or asked for directions.
People genuinely appreciated the effort.
6. Choose Quality Over Quantity
China is far bigger than most visitors imagine.
Rather than rushing through six or seven cities, we recommend choosing three or four and spending enough time to appreciate each one.
Here’s a classic first-time itinerary.
Hong Kong (2–3 Days)
Ease into your journey through one of Asia’s most familiar international gateways.
Remember that Hong Kong has its own immigration system, currency (Hong Kong Dollar), Octopus transport card and payment ecosystem, so it operates differently from mainland China.
Beijing (4–5 Days)
Walk through the heart of imperial China.
Highlights include:
- Forbidden City
- Tiananmen Square
- Temple of Heaven
- Summer Palace
- Great Wall
- Historic hutongs
Xi’an (3 Days)
If Beijing tells the story of China’s emperors, Xi’an explains how China became a unified civilisation.
Once the capital of 13 dynasties and the eastern starting point of the ancient Silk Road, Xi’an offers an extraordinary blend of archaeology, history and living culture.
Don’t miss:
- Terracotta Warriors
- Xi’an City Wall
- Muslim Quarter
- Giant Wild Goose Pagoda
- Xi’an Museum
If you enjoy history, consider adding the Qin-Han Civilization Museum. These lesser-known museums provide remarkable insights into the Qin and Han dynasties and perfectly complement a visit to the Terracotta Warriors.
Chengdu (3–4 Days)
Slow the pace.
Enjoy:
- Giant Panda Base
- People’s Park
- Traditional tea houses
- Sichuan cuisine
- Jinli Ancient Street
History lovers should also make time for the Sanxingdui Museum, one of China’s most important archaeological sites.
7. Bring CURIOCITY, Not Expectations
This is perhaps the biggest lesson we’ve learnt.
Don’t visit China trying to confirm what you’ve already heard.
Visit with an open mind.
Talk to people.
Ride the metro.
Sit in a local tea house.
Visit museums.
Watch families enjoying their evening in the park.
Some of our most memorable experiences weren’t famous attractions—they were ordinary moments that helped us better understand everyday life.
Cheers’ Backpack Checklist
Before every trip, Cheers checks that his backpack contains:
- Passport
- Alipay
- Trip.com
- Amap
- DiDi
- Mobile data or eSIM
- Power bank
- International bank card
- A small amount of RMB cash
Then Elaine adds one final item.
Curiosity.
Because that’s the one thing no app can replace.
Final Thoughts
July’s Facebook post reminded us that every traveler begins in exactly the same place—with curiosity.
If you’re reading this before your first trip to China, you’re already doing the most important thing: preparing.
Once you’ve sorted out your apps, payments and transport, the rest of the journey becomes far less intimidating.
What awaits is more than a holiday.
It’s the chance to experience one of the world’s oldest continuous civilisations, where ancient history and modern innovation exist side by side.
As I often tell Elaine before each new journey:
“Don’t just visit China. Try to UNDERSTAND it.”
That’s the philosophy behind every article we write at ChinaTravelBUG.
Continue Planning Your First China Trip
Start with these detailed guides:
China High-Speed Rail for Foreign Tourists (2026 Guide)
First Time Travelling to China? The Complete 2026 Travel Checklist
