Time Difference
China is 2 hours behind Australian Eastern Standard Time.
In Xinjiang Province (north west China), although the time zone officially remains the same as Beijing, people and businesses run on an unofficial time that is two hours behind. Shops and banks open from 10am to 7pm and you might find yourself eating dinner at the official time of 9pm.
Phone Calls
All hotels in China will have phones where you can make calls back home, however please be aware that the cost of these calls may be expensive and rates will vary between hotels.
It may be possible to use some mobile phone applications such as Skype through an internet connection to contact friends and family back home free of charge.
SIM cards can be pre purchased in Australia or on arrival in China at major airports, kiosks, street vendors and shops in most major cities.
If you wish to use your own sim card from Australia, we recommend that you contact your mobile provider if you intend to use international roaming during your holiday and ensure you investigate all associated costs before you leave home. Most major providers have an optional add-on charged by the day to use your phone for calls and internet when overseas.
Australia: To call Australia, the international access code is 00, followed by the country code 61, then the local area code (omitting the first 0), then the number. For example, to call Wendy Wu Tours' Sydney office from China you would call: 00 61 2 9224 8888.
China: China's country code is 86. To call China, dial 0011 followed by 86, then the local number. Alternatively, the 0011 can be replaced with a + followed by 86 (i.e. +86), then the local number.
Postage
We recommend that you use the Post Offices rather than your hotel to post items, as hotels are often more expensive and unreliable. We advise you to use a courier service from Post Offices to send anything valuable or important.
Internet and Email
Free Wi-Fi connections are available in most hotels in main cities and tourist destinations. Note some hotels will only provide free Wi-Fi in the hotel lobby, and internet access in your hotel room may come at an additional cost. Wi-Fi is available on your Yangtze Cruise ship at an additional cost.
In remote areas, you will rarely be able to access phone or internet facilities and mobile phones are not likely to have reception. We advise that you let friends and family at home know that you will be out of phone contact during these sections of your itinerary.
Please note, Google is sometimes restricted in China also so you may experience some difficulties using Google-based programs such as Gmail. Microsoft accounts, such as Outlook, are generally accessible though may be restricted, slower or filtered.
Censorship and Social Media
China restricts access to certain websites, usually those which include social media and forum-style discussions. Therefore, you will find that access to Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Twitter and other social network sites are not available in mainland China.
Microsoft accounts, such as Outlook, are generally accessible though may be restricted, slower or filtered. Gmail accounts are generally not accessible without an eSIM (see below).
Most locals rely on other social digital platforms such as WeChat, Douyin (China's version of Tik Tok) or Weibo for news, entertainment, shopping, etc. though you may choose to download an eSIM (see below).
eSIM
An eSIM (embedded SIM) is a virtual SIM card that allows a user to connect to a mobile network without a physical SIM card. It is like the small SIM card that is already in your mobile phone, however an eSIM works 100% digitally. Simply put, an eSIM that includes an in-built VPN can trick your phone into thinking it is somewhere else - for example, back in Australia, or in another country like the UK, Singapore, or even the USA. This means you would have access to the same applications as if you were in those countries.
What does the e-SIM do?
• Provides data for your trip to China (please check data limits as these are subject to change)
• Includes a built-in VPN for unrestricted browsing (without a VPN you won’t be able to access sites like Facebook or WhatsApp as these are blocked in China, even if you have internet access)
• Allows you to use your usual phone number (so apps like WhatsApp will work as normal)
• You won’t have to search for or join public Wi-Fi networks
• You won’t have to pay additional roaming charges
You must have a compatible smartphone to use an e-SIM. Most iPhones, Samsungs and Google Pixel phones are compatible, but please check before purchasing. You can check if your phone is compatible by checking with an eSIM provider's website.
How does the e-SIM work?
• Once purchased, you will immediately receive a QR code via email along with set up instructions
• Scan the QR code with your phone camera to access your e-SIM
• We recommend accessing your e-SIM prior to arrival in China to ensure everything is working correctly
• Activate your e-SIM and switch your data roaming on once in China
An eSIM should be set up before you travel to China. Should you wish to purchase an eSIM, we recommend purchasing an international e-SIM which can be downloaded onto your mobile from a provider such as:
Airalo - https://www.airalo.com/china-esim
HolaFly - https://esim.holafly.com/
ByteSIM - https://bytesim.com/
We have provided some information about Airalo below. For other providers, please refer to the links above.
Please note that the staff at Wendy Wu Tours are not able to assist with the installation process. If you are having any trouble, please refer to your select provider's online video tutorials, their help section, or ask a tech-savvy friend or family member for assistance.
Downloading and installing an Airalo eSIM
The below is based on an iPhone, though set up is similar for most smartphone devices. Please refer to the eSIM website directly for instructions relating to your specific device.
An instructional video is also available for Airalo on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RNFrMAVVjY
Open your smartphone’s app store (App Store for iOS, Google Play for Android). Search for "Airalo." Download and install.
Once installed, open the app and register with your Australian mobile phone number.
Follow the on screen prompts:
Search for China:
Select which plan works best for you:
🔥Hot tip! 🔥 Use code WWT for 10% off on the Airalo website or in the app!
After you have purchased your chosen plan, in the Airalo app you can find your eSIM under "My eSIMS"
Tap on the eSIM that you want to install. Then, select 'View Instructions'. Select 'Direct' at the top left:
Scroll to the bottom of the screen and select 'Install eSIM'. Tap 'Next' to scroll through the step-by-step installation guide.
This may take a few minutes. Please do not close the app during this installation process.
The installation process is complete when you see the below screen:
Select 'Done'.
You can now rename your eSIM so it is easy to identify later. We recommend a custom label, such as 'China eSIM':
When prompted, please select your default line as Primary so that you can use your ordinary phone number for things like WhatsApp and iMessages.
For Mobile Data, please select China eSIM (or whatever custom label you have chosen). This means that you will be using your eSIM's data once you arrive in China.
Your eSIM is now installed. Please note that you may now have two providers showing in the top corner of your phone: one is your usual provider, the other is your eSIM. Your eSIM will show no service until you arrive in China.
Back in the Airalo app, you will see that your eSIM has been successfully installed. Please take note under Step 2/2 where it gives you instructions about Data Roaming (it will say ON or OFF):
Once you arrive in China
To activate the data on your eSIM, open your phone Settings, scroll to Mobile, then under SIMs select your eSIM ('China eSIM').
Then, click on Network Selection and turn off 'Automatic'.
Next, turn on Data Roaming:
After this, return to your phone Settings, scroll to Mobile, then under SIMs select your Primary number, and ensure that Data Roaming is switched OFF. This is to ensure that you do not receive any roaming charges from your Australian network provider:
Your device should connect to a local network. If it does not, try turning on Airplane mode for a few seconds, then turning it off to try and reset the network search.
Please note that the staff at Wendy Wu Tours are not able to assist with the installation process. If you are having any trouble, please refer to your select provider's online video tutorials, their help section, or ask a tech-savvy friend or family member for assistance.
Disclaimer: Please note, we are not connected or endorsed by any company mentioned in the above and cannot be held responsible for their product. This is for general information purposes only and you should not rely upon the information as a basis for making any business or legal decisions. We are not responsible for the contents of any linked site.