Quick answer
What should I pack for a trip to China?
Beyond the obvious: a **VPN installed and tested** (you can't download one in China), a **universal power adapter** (220V; types A, C, I), **offline map and translation packs**, **prescription medicines** with prescriptions (some ingredients are restricted — check first), **tissues** (public toilets often lack paper), and **¥1,000–2,000 cash** as backup. Everything else is cheap and easy to buy there.
Fact-checked 2026-10-09
Do these before you zip the bag
- Install and test a VPN — you cannot download one inside China. Install two if you can; test both on home Wi-Fi.
- Power adapter — China runs 220V. Sockets accept types A, C and I; most hotels have multi-sockets, but carry one universal adapter for old guesthouses.
- Offline packs — Amap offline maps for your cities, a translation app's offline Chinese pack, your hotel addresses saved as screenshots.
- Prescription medicines — in original packaging, with the prescription. Some common ingredients are restricted in China; check before packing.
The full packing list
| Category | Bring | Buy there |
|---|---|---|
| Documents | Passport, visa/approval, insurance policy, hotel bookings (printed + phone) | — |
| Tech | Universal adapter, power bank, eSIM QR installed | Cables, chargers — cheap everywhere |
| Toiletries | Your prescriptions, contact lens solution | Everything else — Watsons/Mannings equivalents on every street |
| Comfort | Tissues — public toilets often have no paper | Umbrellas, sunscreen, slippers |
| Money | ¥1,000–2,000 cash as backup | ATMs everywhere in cities |
Check your medicines, seriously
Some cold medicines, ADHD stimulants and strong painkillers contain ingredients controlled in China. If in doubt, check with the Chinese embassy's guidance — or leave it home and buy the local equivalent at a pharmacy (药店, yàodiàn) with the generic name written down.
What not to bring
- Too many clothes — laundry is cheap (hotels ~¥20–40/item, street shops less), and Uniqlo/Decathlon are everywhere.
- A stack of guidebooks — your phone plus offline packs replaces all of them.
- Worries about food safety at restaurants — eat where locals queue; street food in China is generally excellent. Tap water, though: don't drink it — bottled water is ¥2.
Go deeper
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