prep list before traveling to China

Just got back China with my wife, she's Chinese so she's been a huge help during the trip, but I still had to handle a lot of things on my own (yes, there are a lot of unwritten rules in China that apply specifically to foreigners). Here's a solid checklist if you're heading there:

Arrival card. Fill out the electronic version before you land.

eSIM for backup. Grab a short-term one when you arrive just to get connected. The one I use is redteago, since we connect in Hong Kong it's super convenient to NOT change plan getting into China mainland, and no VPN needed using banned Apps. That said, getting a local SIM is still recommended cos many local services require a Chinese phone number (think restaurant queueing apps, spot tickets, etc.).

Alipay + WeChat. Download both and link them to a foreign card (Wise works). Get familiar with the built-in translation features too. Also, pre-load the local metro/bus QR codes for the cities you're visiting. One heads-up: foreign cards via WeChat/Alipay get charged a 3% fee on transactions over 200 RMB

Navigation. Get Amap or Baidu Map. Google Maps is pretty unreliable there and even can't be reached without VPN(yeah i know)

High-speed trains. Download the 12306 app and complete the real-name verification with your passport info before you travel.

Power banks, don't bring any that lack the 3C certification mark they'll be confiscated.

Hope this saves someone the headache I went through! feel free to share your thoughts below!