How did you actually plan your trip to China? Looking for your "Decision Path"! 🇨🇳

Hi everyone! I’m fascinated by how different people tackle the logistics of a China trip. With the recent visa-free policy expansions in 2026 and the digital arrival cards, the "path" seems to be changing.

I’m trying to understand the decision-making process for foreign tourists. If you’ve visited recently or are planning a trip, could you share:

1. The Spark: What was the first thing that made you say "I'm going to China"? (A YouTube video? A flight deal? Work?)
2. The "Oh No" Moment: What was the first major hurdle you encountered during research? (VPNs, Payments, Visa, or just picking a city?)
3. The App Stack: What were the first 3 apps you downloaded? Which one did you open most before the trip vs. during the trip?
4. Booking Logic: Did you book everything in advance (Trip.com, etc.), or did you leave room for spontaneity? If the latter, how did you find what to do "on the fly"?

Looking forward to hearing your stories! I'm actually looking into building some tools to make this smoother, so your pain points are super valuable.