Your first 24 hours in China
A calm arrival checklist from the airport to your first breakfast.
The first day is easier when your essentials are accessible offline. Keep the plan light, solve practical needs first and leave ambitious sightseeing for tomorrow.
Rules, fees and app features can change. Recheck official sources shortly before departure.
At the airport
Connect to data, withdraw or exchange a modest amount of cash, and follow official signs for metro, airport rail or the taxi queue. Ignore unsolicited ride offers.
At your hotel
Have your passport and booking ready. Ask the front desk to write the hotel name in Chinese and confirm the nearest useful metro entrance.
The gentle first evening
Walk locally, eat somewhere busy and casual, buy water and let your body clock adjust. Save a screenshot of tomorrow’s first destination before sleeping.
Estimate your budget, build a packing checklist, then turn the plan into a route.
Open Travel Toolkit ↗