EVERYDAY CHINA, MADE CLEAR
Live Smarter in
Digital China.
The practical details that make a difference.
Clear answers for your next step in China.
Guangzhou first. Nationwide where it matters.
Start with your first day
START HERE
Less guesswork. Better next steps.
Official sources, practical explanations,
and a backup when things do not work.
Your first 24 hours in Guangzhou
Phone, payment, transport and check-in: sort the basics in a useful order.
READY.
Practical guides
31 source-checked guides
Pay
Paying in China with a foreign bank card
Link a card, make a small test payment, and keep cash for the moments an app will not work.
Pay
Your payment failed: what to check next
Check whether money moved before trying again.
Pay
Can you pay cash in Guangzhou?
Keep small RMB notes for shops, taxis and payment-app failures.
Pay
Payment QR codes: should you scan or show your code?
Two ways to pay a shop—and one different code for transport.
Stay
Can hotels in Guangzhou accept foreign passports?
The rule—and the short message that helps prevent a wasted journey.
Stay
Your hotel refuses check-in: what to do now
Ask for the manager, get your booking platform involved, and arrange a room before arguing about the refund.
Stay
A Chinese message to confirm your hotel booking
Send a clear passport and late-arrival question before you travel.
Stay
Staying outside a hotel? Register within 24 hours
Who files, which official service to use, and what to do when online registration fails.
Move
Buy a China train ticket with a foreign passport
Use the right document, book a specific train and carry that same passport.
Move
12306 will not verify your passport
Check the entry once, then use the official review or ticket-counter route.
Move
Guangzhou South: get to the right station and board with your passport
Chinese station names, metro connections and the checks between the entrance and your train.
Move
Baiyun Airport: T1, T2 or T3 changes your route
Check your flight terminal before choosing a metro station or transfer.
Daily life
Get a Chinese SIM card: bring your passport and test it
Ask for a local number, calls and SMS—not just data.
Move
Get a taxi or booked ride—and find the driver
Check the Chinese destination, pickup area and licence plate.
Daily life
A Guangzhou hospital app rejects your passport: use the registration desk
Find the right campus and ask for manual identity registration.
Daily life
Send a parcel in China with a foreign passport
Ask a staffed courier outlet to verify your passport and keep the tracking number.
Daily life
Order food to your hotel without losing the delivery
Use the hotel’s Chinese address, a reachable number and a clear handover point.
Daily life
Need language help in Guangzhou? Call 960169
Use public-service interpretation and ask for a three-party call.
Arrive
China’s arrival card: use the free official form
The real government link, what to prepare and the fallback at border control.
Arrive
Canton Fair: get your buyer badge, then find the right hall
Check the phase, save your registration receipt and choose the metro exit for your exhibition area.
Move
Change or refund a China train ticket
Open the paid order, check the fee and use a counter for cash or printed receipts.
Daily life
Can I get a Chinese phone eSIM with a foreign passport?
Check your exact phone, find a capable carrier store and confirm passport handling before changing your number.
Daily life
Onelink Plaza: toys, gifts and homeware sourcing in Guangzhou
Find the correct building, contact the market and compare samples with clear order terms.
Daily life
Buy clothing or fabric in Guangzhou: Baima versus Zhongda
Choose finished garments or fabric first, then take the right product brief to the market.
Daily life
Guangzhou wholesale markets: choose a sourcing area
Start with the product, then choose a verified market instead of following an old “top ten” list.
Stay
Canton Fair: choose a hotel and prepare your first day
Choose a commute you can repeat, confirm passport check-in and prepare a small working kit.
Move
Get to the Canton Fair from the airport or railway station
Choose your terminal or railway station, then the metro exit for your exhibition area.
Arrive
140th Canton Fair 2026: choose the right phase
Match your products to the phase before booking flights, hotels or a day at the complex.
Pay
Open a bank account in China with a foreign passport
Call the branch first, take your original passport and expect identity and tax-residency checks.
Daily life
Receive a parcel at your hotel in China
Confirm the hotel will accept it, use its exact Chinese address and keep the courier tracking open.
Know the rule. Know what to do.
We work from Chinese official sources and explain the steps in plain English. Each guide shows its scope, sources and check date. When a process can fail, you get a practical fallback.
How we check our guides