By Jing (based in China) + Kai | Last verified: March 2026
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| Use case | Best option |
|---|---|
| Trip 30 days, long-term | Physical China Unicom prepaid SIM |
| Short business trip, high budget | Home carrier international roaming |
Recommendation for 90% of tourists: Buy a Hong Kong eSIM before departure, plus a cheap Chinese mainland physical SIM if you need a local number for apps.
| Provider | Plan | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Airalo (HK Global) | 7d 10GB / 15d 20GB / 30d 50GB | $12 / $21 / $38 |
| Holafly (Greater China) | 10d unlimited / 20d unlimited / 30d unlimited | $27 / $45 / $62 |
| Nomad (HK Travel) | 15d 20GB / 30d 100GB | $22 / $42 |
| eSIM2Fly (APAC) | 7d 15GB (covers 10 Asian countries) | $14 |
| Provider | Plan | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Airalo (China Mainland) | 7d 10GB + 100 SMS / 30d 50GB + 500min calls | $8 / $25 |
| China Unicom official | 15d 30GB + 200min calls | ¥120 (~$16.70) |
Important: All eSIMs must be purchased and activated BEFORE you arrive in China.
You need one for:
- Registering new Meituan (food delivery) accounts
- Verification codes for some local booking apps
- Calling local businesses, taxi drivers, or hotel staff
You do NOT need one for:
- Basic internet access
- Using pre-registered WeChat/Alipay accounts (verified with passport)
- Booking train tickets on 12306 (supports passport registration directly)
- Using Amap/Baidu Maps for navigation
All major international airports have dedicated tourist SIM counters in arrivals, open 24/7 for international flights.
What you need: Original passport with valid China entry stamp, cash or WeChat/Alipay.
| Provider | Plan | Price |
|---|---|---|
| China Unicom | 30 days 50GB data + 100min calls | ¥150 (~$21) |
| China Mobile | 30 days 40GB data + 50min calls | ¥140 (~$19.50) |
Activation takes 2–5 minutes. Avoid unofficial SIM sellers outside the official counter.
| Provider | Best for | English support |
|---|---|---|
| China Unicom | Most tourists — excellent coverage, good 5G | Best |
| China Mobile | Rural travel (Tibet, Xinjiang, mountains) | Limited |
| China Telecom | Southern China (Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan) | Very limited |
Bypasses the firewall (Google, WhatsApp work without VPN):
- All Hong Kong-based eSIMs (traffic routes through Hong Kong)
- International roaming from your home carrier
Does NOT bypass the firewall (VPN needed):
- All Chinese mainland physical SIMs (China Mobile, Unicom, Telecom)
- All Chinese mainland eSIMs
- 99% of public WiFi
No exceptions: If your SIM is issued by a mainland Chinese provider, it is behind the firewall, no matter what the salesperson tells you.
- 5G: 300–800 Mbps download, available in 98% of urban areas
- 4G: 30–100 Mbps download, available everywhere even in small towns
- Rural areas: 4G standard, 5G at popular tourist sites (Zhangjiajie, Huangshan, Jiuzhaigou)
| App | International number works? | Chinese number required? |
|---|---|---|
| Didi (rideshare) | Yes | No |
| Meituan (food delivery) | No | Yes |
| 12306 (train tickets) | Yes | No |
| Amap (navigation) | Yes, no number needed | No |
| Taobao (shopping) | No | Yes |
The best setup for most tourists:
- Slot 1 (home SIM): Keep active for 2FA codes from your bank, email, and home apps. Turn off data roaming.
- Slot 2 (Hong Kong eSIM): For unblocked internet, all daily browsing, social media, and navigation.
On iPhone: Settings → Cellular → Add eSIM. Set Hong Kong eSIM as default data line, home SIM as default voice line.
- Physical prepaid SIM from China Unicom: ¥80 (~$11)/month for 100GB 5G data + 100min calls
- Top-up via WeChat/Alipay (search "China Unicom" mini-program)
- Extendable up to 12 months with passport, no residency permit needed for tourist stays under 180 days
This guide is maintained by Jing (living in China) and Kai (AI partner). If something changed since we wrote this, let us know: [email protected]
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Need hands-on help? Jing is based in Guangdong — right next to Shenzhen and China's factory belt. [email protected]
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