2024 China Travel Guide: 17 Essential Tips Before Your Trip - Joel Friend

China Travel Guide: 17 Essential Tips Before Your Trip

17 things I wish I knew before visiting CHINA 🇨🇳

Destination:ChinaCity:ShanghaiPopulation:24.9 million

17 things I wish I knew before visiting CHINA 🇨🇳

Watch "17 things I wish I knew before visiting CHINA 🇨🇳" on YouTube

Joel Friend2024-09-0115 min

Here are 17 things I wish I knew before visiting China, from applying to Visa's, VPN's and more do not travel to China before watching this video!.

0:00 - Intro

0:18 - Don’t forget this!

3:02 - The ‘Uber’ of China

3:48 - MOBILE DATA

4:51 - Transport in China

6:00 - When to go?

6:58 - This shocked us!

7:33 - Visa’s

9:42 - THE FOOD

10:28 - Translating…

10:56 - VPN’s

12:36 - WeChat & Alipay

13:38 - Booking stuff

--- Joel Friend

September 1, 2024, Autumn in China

Video Chapters

Next travel video:

3 DAYS in CHENGDU - This CITY SURPRISED ME 🇨🇳

20 min

2024

3 DAYS in CHENGDU - This CITY SURPRISED ME Chengdu 3-Day Itinerary: Pandas, Hotpot & Ancient CharmAutumn, October 9, 2024Chengdu / Sichuan

More China travel guides by Joel Friend:

20 min
2024
12
3 DAYS in CHENGDU - This CITY SURPRISED ME Autumn, October 9, 2024Chengdu / Sichuan

More Beijing / China travel advices:More Beijing / China travel advices:More Beijing / China travel advices:

24 min
2026
10
First Time in BEIJING 4 Days Guide: Where to Go, What to Eat 🥢 China Travel VlogFirst Time in Beijing 4 Days Guide: Where to Go, What to EatMay 24, 2026

China Travel Guide: 17 Essential Tips Before Your Trip

Here are 17 things I wish I knew before visiting China, from applying to Visa's, VPN's and more do not travel to China before watching this video! Some links above are affiliate links and may give me a small amount of money if you decide to purchase anything after clicking these links :) 0:00 -...

Before you travel to China, watch this video! Joel Friend shares 17 essential things he wishes he'd known beforehand. From visa applications and VPNs to navigating China's unique transportation and mobile data systems, this video is packed with practical advice. Discover the best time to visit, uncover surprising cultural insights, and learn about food, translation apps, and essential payment methods like WeChat Pay and Alipay. Get ready for an unforgettable Chinese adventure!

Attractions in this video: Great Wall, Forbidden City

China Travel China Guide Before Travelling To China China Travel Guide Chinese Visa Travel Tips China China Transportation China Food Vpn China Payment Methods China Best Time To Visit China

More about the current video:(Published on 2024-09-01)

17 things I wish I knew before visiting CHINA 🇨🇳

Before you travel to China, watch this video! Joel Friend shares 17 essential things he wishes he'd known beforehand. From visa applications and VPNs to navigating China's unique transportation and mobile data systems, this video is packed with practical advice. Discover the best time to visit, uncover surprising cultural insights, and learn about food, translation apps, and essential payment methods like WeChat Pay and Alipay. Get ready for an unforgettable Chinese adventure!

Previous travel video:

WE TRY TO LEAVE CHINA 🇨🇳 -Travelling to Vietnam - Q&A

15 min

2024

WE TRY TO LEAVE CHINA -Travelling to Vietnam - Q&AChina to Vietnam: Epic Yangshuo JourneySummer, August 18, 2024Guilin / Guangxi

There's a 38-day gap between the above and below videos — probably off on a new trip!

17 things I wish I knew before visiting CHINA 🇨🇳

15 min

2024

17 things I wish I knew before visiting CHINA Autumn, September 1, 2024Shanghai Beijing Zhangjiajie / Beijing This is the current video you are viewing

WE TRY TO LEAVE CHINA 🇨🇳 -Travelling to Vietnam - Q&A

15 min

2024

WE TRY TO LEAVE CHINA -Travelling to Vietnam - Q&ASummer, August 18, 2024Guilin / Guangxi

China's MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE - Yangshuo 🇨🇳

13 min

2024

China's MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE - Yangshuo Summer, August 11, 2024Yangshuo Xing Ping / Guangxi

25 min

2024

REAL LIFE AVATAR MOUNTAINS - 3 Days in Zhangjiajie, China Summer, August 4, 2024Zhangjiajie / Hunan

CHINA’s BIGGEST CITY YOU HAVEN’T HEARD OF - Chongqing 🇨🇳

20 min

2024

CHINA’s BIGGEST CITY YOU HAVEN’T HEARD OF - Chongqing Summer, July 28, 2024Chongqing

CHINA'S High-Speed BULLET TRAIN - Xi'an to Chongqing 🇨🇳

13 min

2024

CHINA'S High-Speed BULLET TRAIN - Xi'an to Chongqing Summer, July 21, 2024Chongqing

World's DEADLIEST Hike - CHINA'S Huashan Plank Walk 🇨🇳

17 min

2024

World's DEADLIEST Hike - CHINA'S Huashan Plank Walk Summer, July 15, 2024Huashan / Shaanxi

China's 1st CLASS SLEEPER TRAIN - Beijing to Xi'an 🇨🇳

9 min

2024

China's 1st CLASS SLEEPER TRAIN - Beijing to Xi'an Summer, July 7, 2024XiAn / Shaanxi

CAMPING on The GREAT WALL OF CHINA 🇨🇳 (WOKEN AT 5AM)

18 min

2024

CAMPING on The GREAT WALL OF CHINA (WOKEN AT 5AM)Summer, June 30, 2024Beijing

Joel Friend

We only show the latest 10 videos from Joel Friend on this page, there are 2 more China travel videos.

➤ View more from Joel Friend

Spring,

Yul Daze

Is This Really Beijing's Best Food? 🇨🇳

34 min

2026

Is This Really Beijing's Best Food? Beijing Street Food Day: Local Bites Beyond Peking DuckSpring, March 22, 2026Hugh Abroad

This is What Most People Don’t Understand About China (feat @aiden_qiuu)

24 min

2025

This is What Most People Don’t Understand About China (feat @aiden_qiuu)Understanding China: Culture, Identity, and Foreigner ExperiencesAutumn, November 7, 2025Because I'm Lizzy

BEIJING CHINA | All You Can Eat Dumplings for $6!!

21 min

2026

BEIJING CHINA | All You Can Eat Dumplings for $6!!Beijing on a Budget: All-You-Can-Eat Dumplings, Great Wall,PWinter, February 11, 2026Here's Good

48 Hours Exploring Beijing, China - This City Is SO IMPRESSIVE! 🇨🇳

30 min

2026

48 Hours Exploring Beijing, China - This City Is SO IMPRESSIVE! Beijing in a Day: Top Sights, Street Food and Public TransitWinter, February 1, 2026Rhea Shanika

Fake Market Shopping in Beijing, China (Pearl Market) 🇨🇳

26 min

2026

Fake Market Shopping in Beijing, China (Pearl Market) Beijing Pearl Market Shopping Guide: What to Buy and How toHWinter, February 7, 2026Rhea Shanika

Honest view on China after 35 years (Brit’s POV)

33 min

2025

Honest view on China after 35 years (Brit’s POV)35 Years in China: Brit's Honest View on Culture & InnovationAutumn, September 4, 2025Max Chernov

My British Dad’s Honest View on China After His First Time in Beijing 🇨🇳

29 min

2025

My British Dad’s Honest View on China After His First Time in Beijing British Dad's First China Trip: Beijing Culture Shock & Honest ImpressionsWinter, December 17, 2025On Tour With Dridgers #OTWD

All Alone on The Great Wall of China! Beijing to Jinshanling

58 min

2025

All Alone on The Great Wall of China! Beijing to JinshanlingGreat Wall of China: Hiking Jinshanling's Steep, Remote SectionWinter, December 7, 2025Jess & Jay

They LIED abt China! America can't compete with China's infrastructure! (Insane food)

25 min

2025

They LIED abt China! America can't compete with China's infrastructure! (Insane food)Beijing's Surprising Infrastructure and Food: A Reality CheckSummer, August 9, 2025that Evan guy

Support our vlogger: Joel Friend

Check out Joel Friend's awesome YouTube channel

Add your travel vlog & inspire others! 🌟 (100% Free)

China Travel GuidesFirst Time In ChinaChina Travel Advices

Chinese Food Bullet Train Is China Safe Truth About China

Follow us on Twitter(x.com)-

2026

2027

Share