Phone, eSIM and VPN for China: what Australians need to set up before flying
How to keep your phone working in China: eSIM vs local SIM vs roaming, which apps are blocked, whether you need a VPN, and the five things to install before you leave Australia.
Your phone is the thing that makes China easy or hard. Payment, maps, translation and taxis all run through it. Thirty minutes of setup at home saves the first day.
The blocking problem, explained once
Mainland China blocks Google (search, Maps, Gmail, Drive), WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, X and most Western news sites. They do not work on Chinese wifi or a Chinese SIM. They do work on an Australian SIM roaming, and on most travel eSIMs, because the data is routed through the carrier’s home network outside China. This is the single most useful fact in this guide.
Your three options for data
| Option | Cost for 2 weeks | Blocked apps work? | Local number? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian SIM roaming (Telstra, Optus, Vodafone day packs) | A$70 to A$140 | Yes | Your own |
| Travel eSIM (Airalo, Nomad, Holafly, Saily and similar) | A$20 to A$45 | Yes, on most providers | No |
| Chinese SIM bought at the airport | A$20 to A$30 | No | Yes |
Our recommendation for most travellers: a travel eSIM installed before you fly, so it works the moment you land, plus your Australian SIM kept active for SMS codes from your bank. If you have a dual-SIM phone and need a Chinese number (for some apps and deliveries), add a local SIM at the airport; it needs your passport.
A travel eSIM bought in Australia routes data outside China, so WhatsApp, Google Maps and Gmail all work without a VPN. Speeds are slightly lower than a local SIM. Buy 10 to 20 GB for two weeks if you use maps and photos a lot.
Do you need a VPN?
Not if you use a travel eSIM or roaming for everything. You need one only if you will rely on hotel wifi or a Chinese SIM and still want Google and WhatsApp. If you do want one, install and test it before you leave; the download pages are blocked once you are there. VPN reliability in China changes month to month, so treat it as a backup rather than the plan.
Install before you fly
- Alipay with your Australian card linked. The payment app. Our setup guide walks through it.
- WeChat for messaging anyone in China, including your guide and hotel, and as a second payment app.
- Amap (Gaode) or Apple Maps. Google Maps is unreliable in China even when it loads; its mapping data is offset. Apple Maps works well on iPhone. Amap is what locals use and has an English mode.
- Didi for taxis, or use the Didi mini-program inside Alipay, which saves installing it.
- A translation app that works offline. Google Translate with the Chinese pack downloaded works offline without a VPN; Apple Translate and Microsoft Translator too.
Also screenshot your hotel address in Chinese, your passport photo page and your flight details, so they are available without data.
Phone calls and SMS
Keep your Australian SIM active for two-factor codes from your bank and myGov, even if you buy data elsewhere. Receiving SMS while roaming is free on the main Australian carriers; check your plan. For calls, use WhatsApp or WeChat.
Power
China uses 220 V with sockets that take the flat two-pin and three-pin plugs Australians use, so you usually do not need an adapter. Bring a power bank; a day of maps and photos drains a phone.
On our trips
Your guide does all of this with you in the first hour, including buying a local SIM if you want one. But doing the eSIM and Alipay at home means you can message us from the arrivals hall.
