Travelling from Singapore
Going to China?
East Asia · About 4.5 to 6 hours from Singapore · pays in CNY
Mainland China — Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu and beyond — is a major destination for Singaporean travellers. The catch is the Great Firewall, which blocks Google, WhatsApp and Instagram.
By Marcus Tan·Verified
Your eSIM for China
Holafly
This is the one destination where the eSIM choice really matters. Many travel eSIMs route your data through servers outside mainland China, so apps like Google Maps, WhatsApp and Instagram keep working without a separate VPN. Holafly's unlimited China plans are popular for exactly this — but confirm the current routing before you rely on it.
Your travel card for China
YouTrip
China runs heavily on mobile payments (Alipay, WeChat Pay), which now accept foreign cards. Hold Chinese yuan on YouTrip and link it where possible, but carry some cash as backup.
Before you depart
Lounge access at Changi for the trip out
Before you fly to China
- Install your eSIM before you fly, so data works the moment you land in China.
- Load Chinese yuan (CNY) onto your travel card to lock in the rate.
- Check whether a credit card you already hold includes airport lounge access.
- Download offline maps for China in case you land before your eSIM activates.
- Remember a data-only eSIM has no local number — use WhatsApp or Telegram for calls and OTPs.
Still deciding?
Airalo vs Holafly: per-GB plans or unlimited data?
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