The practical guide to your first trip to China.
I've lived in Beijing for over twenty years. These pages cover the parts of a first visit that catch people out: getting online, paying for things, landing at the airport, where to stay, and what to book before you come.
Start with what you need.
Checklists, comparison tables, exact locations and the links you'll need, checked in person in Beijing. Use them while you plan, then again on your phone once you land.
Before you fly
China Trip Checklist
Documents, phone, money, reservations and what to pack, in order. Tick items off as you go.
Internet & Phone
Local SIM, travel eSIM or roaming, compared. The counters at Terminal 3, with prices.
Payment & Cash
Alipay, WeChat Pay, cards and cash: where each works, the fees, and what to do when a payment fails.
Plan Beijing
Where to Stay in Beijing
Six areas near transfer stations, from upscale to very local, and which one fits you.
Build your Beijing plan
Answer four questions and get a day-by-day starting plan for two to five days.
Resources & Booking
Official reservation pages and release times, the apps to install, and the booking links, on one page.
When you land
Arrival & Transport
Capital Airport Terminal 3 from Exit B: the four ways into the city with prices, then how the subway works.
Airport Wi-Fi at Terminal 3
How to get online in the first ten minutes, before a SIM or eSIM is sorted.
When a payment fails
Six things to try, in order, before you reach for cash.
A Guide to Your First Hour in Beijing
SIM cards, cash, and the four ways into the city, walked step by step from Exit B at Terminal 3.
Watch on YouTube →
How to Pay in China as a Foreigner
Subway to street food: what works where, the fees, and what to do when a payment doesn't go through.
Watch on YouTube →
Where to Stay in Beijing: 6 Best Areas by a Local
Six transfer-station neighbourhoods compared, from the CBD side to a night in a hutong courtyard.
Watch on YouTube →
I'm Gracie. I live here.
I've lived in Beijing for more than twenty years. This site is where I keep what a first-time visitor to China actually needs: what to set up before you fly, how to get online and pay, where to stay, what to book, and how to shape the days. Prices, rules and locations that can change are dated.
On YouTube I walk through the same places on camera: the entrances, counters, prices and routes you'll actually use. Planning your first trip? Start with the checklist, or build your Beijing plan.