1 post · Curated China travel tips
Can I use Google in China? Nope — not without a VPN. Google, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter/X — none of them work on China's domestic internet. I tell all my clients this before their trip, because I've seen too many people land at Beijing airport and panic when they can't check their messages. Here's what I recommend: Download a VPN before you leave home. Most VPN sites are blocked inside China. Install everything you'll need on your home WiFi: VPN app, WhatsApp, Google Maps offline, Alipay, DiDi. Test the VPN works before you board. Which VPN actually works in China? It changes constantly. The government blocks some, others get through. I update my list on the blog regularly. One thing people don't realize: hotel WiFi has the same restrictions. So plan ahead and you'll be fine.