This futuristic nation can feel like a step back in time

July 13, 2026 — 5:00am

More than two decades ago in 2003, I was dancing on the Great Wall of China as DJ Paul Oakenfold played from an ancient watchtower.

My sister and I were dressed in down parkas and the sight of us raving in full winter kit in the pouring rain on this UNESCO site would have sent social media into a flurry. But there’s no digital footprint of that night, only memories. This was before the age of Instagram, and a decade before China introduced the “Great Firewall”, a state-run internet censorship system that blocks access to foreign websites and apps.

I recently returned to China, and there are some things you really need to know before you travel. Thankfully, visas are not one of them. Late last year, China extended its visa-free program for Australians until December 2026, allowing us to travel up to 30 days without applying for a visa.

Most of us have come to rely on our smartphones when we travel to help with daily navigation, booking restaurants, paying for purchases and ordering rideshares and taxis. Unless you’re prepared, visiting China can feel like jumping in a DeLorean and time travelling back to the ’70s. The technology (especially the apps) that we have come to know and love evaporates overnight.

First thing to do before you leave is download Alipay (in absence of Apple Pay) and WeChat (China’s answer to WhatsApp). Alipay and WeChat are the most common ways to make transactions, and you’ll need to link a card before being provided with a QR code, which you use to make payments. You can’t pay with a physical card. WeChat is used for messaging, but also has a payment function.

Uber is blocked in China, instead use the Alipay app to order a DiDi ride-share or taxi, which functions in English. Keep some cash on hand, too.

Alongside lifeline Alipay, an e-sim is essential. Holafly (esim.holafly.com) provides unlimited data e-sims for China with an inbuilt VPN, so you can access Instagram, Facebook and Google Maps.

Netflix will work on your smartphone, but if you want to stream it on your laptop, you’ll need to hotspot from your phone.

If you usually travel with a power bank, leave it at home and buy one when you arrive. My expensive power bank was confiscated at the airport, along with many others because it didn’t meet the new requirements hastily introduced last year. In China, power banks must now have a “CCC” stamp to prove they have been made and manufactured in the country.

Last but certainly not least, the Google Translate app comes in handy, especially as English menus are still a rarity in mainland China. Use the “Camera” function to translate menus into English (and be prepared to giggle at the sometimes absurd interpretations).

You can also use the microphone function to translate by speech. Ask a question into the microphone, and it will translate into the text of your choice, which you can show to the person you’re interacting with.

Be calm and patient and remember that it’s all part of the experience. And if you ever find yourself raving on the Great Wall of China, fire up that e-sim and waste no time in sharing it to your socials.