THE PAID GUIDE
Vacation Guide
Thirteen practical, in-depth guides — plus a pre-departure checklist — that turn a confusing trip into your smoothest one yet.
Reviewed August 2026
Scan to save
Point your phone camera at the code to open this page on your phone. Then bookmark it, or add it to your Home Screen for one-tap access.
pandapanda.group
Money & Mobile Payments
Link your foreign card to Alipay and WeChat Pay before you fly, handle cash and ATMs smartly, and know exactly when to tip (almost never).
Open guide →Staying Connected
Get online in minutes with an eSIM, keep your home apps working with a VPN, and translate everything with free tools.
Open guide →Transport & Trains
Book bullet trains with a passport in five minutes, ride metros with your phone, and never stand on a street corner waiting for a taxi again.
Open guide →Where to Stay
Book the right base for every city, understand Chinese booking platforms, and breeze through passport registration.
Open guide →Eating Like a Local
Navigate regional cuisines, eat street food safely, handle spice levels like a pro, and order with a phone.
Open guide →Itineraries & Routes
Proven 7/14/21-day routes, theme trips for foodies, historians and photographers, and the pacing secrets that make a China trip great.
Open guide →Surviving the Language
The essential phrases that actually get used, menu-decoding skills, and the apps that translate everything else.
Open guide →Culture & Etiquette
Greet, eat, gift and photograph like a guest who understands — from face and chopsticks to red packets and temple rules.
Open guide →Safety & Health
Emergency numbers, hospitals that work with foreigners, the three scams to ignore, and how insurance + prep keep you bulletproof.
Open guide →Seasons & Festivals
The month-by-month best-time map, Golden Week survival, and China's festival calendar explained.
Open guide →Budget & Money-Saving
Daily budget ranges, the ticket-booking tricks that save hours and yuan, discounts you didn't know existed, and free experiences worth having.
Open guide →Traveling with Pets
China's rules on pets are clearer than they look: dogs and cats only, one per traveler, a microchip, and the right certificates. Plan the paperwork, pick pet-friendly airlines and trains, and your companion can travel the country with you.
Open guide →Pre-Departure Checklist
The interactive pre-departure checklist: documents, payments, VPN, eSIM, apps, bookings and final-24-hour checks. Tick items off and save the list to your phone.
Open guide →