Practical Tips Before Traveling China

Every year, before the trips begin, guests ask me the same good questions: Can I bring my own food into China? Which plug adapter do I need? Will WhatsApp and Instagram work? So I have collected the answers here. These are the practical things to sort out before you get on the plane - it will save you a lot of trouble on arrival.

Bringing Food Into China: What Customs Allows

Chinese customs is strict about animal products, but reasonable about processed, packaged food. Here is how it works in practice:

• Packaged bread - yes. Commercially packaged, factory-sealed bread (wheat, rye, or any baked bread) is fine for personal consumption. Keep it in its original, unopened packaging - that is the key.
• Olives in sealed jars or cans - yes. Processed plant products in sealed commercial packaging are allowed. Just remember: anything liquid over 100 ml (a jar of olives in brine, for example) must go in your checked luggage, never in carry-on.
• Cheese - risky. Officially, dairy products are on the restricted list, and hard sealed cheese in small quantities usually passes without any issue. But soft cheese, raw-milk cheese, or a whole cooler bag of cheese can be confiscated. If you bring cheese for breakfast, bring a modest amount of vacuum-packed hard cheese and don't be surprised if it is occasionally taken.
• Meat products - no. Ham, salami, sausages, jerky, and anything containing meat will almost certainly be confiscated at customs, and repeat offenders can be fined. Leave them at home.
• Fresh fruit and vegetables - no. These are strictly prohibited.

In short: sealed, processed, packaged food in reasonable personal quantities is generally fine. Raw, fresh, or meat-based food is not.

Traveling With Food Allergies

If you or someone in your group has a food allergy or dietary restriction, bringing your own supplies is a smart move. Special breads (natural wheat, rye, gluten-free) are still hard to find in Chinese supermarkets outside the biggest cities, so bringing enough packaged bread for the trip is perfectly allowed - just keep it commercially packaged and sealed.

Two extra tips: bring a translated allergy card (a small card in Chinese saying exactly what you cannot eat, shown to waiters), and let me know in advance - on our tours we can arrange hotel breakfasts and restaurants that work around the allergy.

Electrical Sockets in China

China uses 220V / 50Hz. The wall sockets are universal hybrids and accept three plug types: two flat pins (Type A), two round pins (Type C), and the three angled pins (Type I, same as Australia).

Good news for travelers from Europe and Turkey: most of your chargers with two round pins (Type C) plug straight into Chinese sockets with no adapter at all. The only thing that does not fit is the big grounded Schuko plug (Type F) with side earth clips. My recommendation is simple:

• Bring one universal travel adapter per person - it covers every socket type and lets you charge several devices if you add a small power strip.
• Check your chargers: nearly all phone, laptop, and camera chargers are rated 100-240V, so you do not need a voltage converter. Hair dryers are the usual exception - most hotels provide one, so leave yours at home.
• Power banks must always go in carry-on luggage, never checked, and must be under 100 Wh with the capacity clearly labeled on the case.

Mobile Internet, SIM Cards and VPN

This is the topic that surprises visitors most: WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, Gmail, Google Maps and YouTube are blocked in China. They simply do not connect on local networks, including hotel Wi-Fi. You have two reliable solutions - pick one before you fly:

• Option 1: International roaming eSIM (easiest). Buy a travel eSIM online before departure that includes China coverage through international roaming. Because your data is routed through a foreign carrier, all your apps - WhatsApp, Instagram, Google - work exactly as at home, with no VPN needed. This is what most of my guests use and it is the most hassle-free option.
• Option 2: Chinese SIM card + VPN. You can buy a local SIM at the airport (passport required, takes a few minutes), but then you need a VPN app installed before you arrive, because VPN websites are blocked inside China. VPNs also connect unreliably these days, so test it before your trip and have a backup.

Whichever you choose: download offline maps before the trip, and note that Google Maps works poorly in China anyway. Apple Maps works well, or ask me for the itinerary locations - I share all our shooting spots as pins.

Mobile Payments - Set Up Alipay Before You Fly

China runs on mobile payment. Small shops, taxis, and street food often don't take foreign cards or cash change easily. Download Alipay (or WeChat Pay) before departure and link your international credit card - it takes ten minutes at home and works everywhere in China once you arrive. Bring a small amount of cash (a few hundred yuan) just as backup, and get it changed at a Chinese bank or ATM rather than at the airport.

What Else I Recommend Bringing

• Personal medicines in their original packaging, ideally with a copy of the prescription. Some common cold and pain medicines contain ingredients (codeine, pseudoephedrine) that are restricted here - original packaging plus a doctor's note avoids any questions.
• Sunscreen and a hat - strong sun on the rivers and mountains, especially in summer.
• Comfortable walking shoes and a light rain jacket - Guilin and the mountain areas can be humid with sudden showers.
• Toilet paper / wet wipes - public toilets in smaller towns rarely provide paper.
• A copy of your itinerary (printed or offline) with hotel names in Chinese - handy for showing taxi drivers.
• A power strip if you travel with cameras, batteries, and a laptop - one adapter plus a power strip charges everything at night.

What to Avoid Bringing

• Drones - China is beautiful from the air, but every drone must be registered and many areas (cities, borders, most scenic spots) are no-fly. If you plan to fly, tell me well in advance - registration has to be done before arrival. Read my Drone Photography in China guide.
• Knives and multi-tools - even a small pocket knife in checked luggage leads to confiscation and questions. Leave them home.
• Meat products and fresh fruit - as above, they will be taken at customs.
• Walkie-talkies / two-way radios - technically restricted equipment for visitors; not worth the trouble at the border.
• Too much luggage - train stations in smaller cities have no escalators, and taxi trunks are small. One carry-on backpack for camera gear plus one checked suitcase is the sweet spot.

If there is anything specific you are unsure about - a device, a medicine, a food item - just send me a message before the trip. That is what I am here for.