Customs Lah

Number one is a VPN… it’s always a VPN.

I realize that this is most likely not the time to be writing this, as we are still in the midst of a global pandemic. However, one of the last countries I visited was China, and I wanted to write this while the experience is still *fairly* fresh in my mind.

I believe these apps will stand the test of time for the next few years, so if you’re planning any future trips a quick download of them will prepare you for a low-stress visit to China.

SPOILER ALERT: Tik Tok is not one of them

1.Express VPN —Virtual Private Network— ExpressVPN does not sponsor this article, however, I will attach my referral link to it for a discount code if you want to use it. I use ExpressVPN every time I go to China mainly because it is the fastest, easiest, and strongest VPN I’ve used. I also have had no issues using it on all of my devices (iPad, laptop, cellphone). A VPN stands for a Virtual Private Network and in non-tech terms it basically allows you to surf the web from a different location. For instance, if a feature is only available to users in Japan and you are in Canada, you can use a VPN to disguise your IP address as a user in Japan. VPN’s are great to use for general privacy, but the main reason you want this is because of The Great China Fire Wall. Almost all outside apps and sites (Google, Youtube, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) are blocked by the Chinese government. If you’re down for a social media cleanse then this is the perfect time to do it! Most people, including myself, find it very difficult to keep in touch back home or be productive without my usual applications so a VPN is a MUST when going to China. Here’s my referral link if you want to check it out: https://www.xvbelink.com/?a_fid=customs. You can also email me at customslah@gmail.com and we can do a refer friend deal for 30 days free for both of us!

2. WeChat —Messaging —  No one really sends plain text messages in China, everyone uses WeChat. This app has almost everything built into it. It is mainly used for messaging people, but you can also link your bank account (if you have a Chinese bank account) and pay for practically anything you want just through scanning QR codes. You can also use AliPay for this, but there is the same issue of linking a Chinese bank account. The app also has a great translate tool, a newsfeed with friends status updates, etc. I think of it as an all-in-one social media account except used by almost a billion other people. Of all the apps on this list, I actually use WeChat the most and still have it on my phone so I can message my friends back in China.

3. Pleco — Word Dictionary — This app is a MUST if you are learning Mandarin Chinese. I’ll assume since you are reading this article, that most of you are English speakers who may be traveling to China for the first time. This app works offline which is a big plus for it, so even if you get lost in the middle of nowhere you can look up what you need to say quickly. When I was studying in China last summer, finding a strong enough internet connection to translate my homework was a constant struggle. Even though I was on a college campus, the WiFi connection was awful. This app helped me out immensely, although a disclaimer is that some of the translations are slightly off. My teachers would occasionally be confused if we used the words in the wrong context, but the translations are much better than any other app I’ve used (P.S. Google Translate is pretty inaccurate and also blocked in China).

4.DiDi — Ride Sharing — I was a bit hesitant to put this app on here, mainly because I found it difficult to use. This is basically China’s version of Uber or Lyft, and the reason it’s tough to use is that for auto-payments you need to link a Chinese Bank Account (which I’ve never had). The app is also in Mandarin Chinese which is not the easiest language to read. When I’m in China I just stick to waving down taxis as normal. The taxis are plentiful when you are in large cities and they are really affordable (just make sure they are legal taxes, there are lots of taxi scams against tourists in China). There is apparently a DiDi App in English, but I haven’t had a chance to try it yet. If you’re able to use this app, then more power to you! 

5. Bai Du — Search — Okay, so this one is really just a bonus and ONLY if you’ve been studying Mandarin and pretty comfortable reading Hanzi (characters). This is the main search app in China but it’s pretty much all in Mandarin. The reason why I’ve included it is because you actually can search in English and receive results in English. Anytime the definition of a translation I received didn’t make sense, my friends would always pull this app up and look it up there. It’s more accurate but pretty overwhelming to non-native speakers. If you’re studying Mandarin Chinese, then I highly recommend it because you’ll learn a ridiculous amount of new vocabulary by just trying to navigate through the app.

That’s my list! You’ll notice I didn’t put any map apps in this article because that will come later in a much larger, more detailed article. Be sure to follow Customs publication to get notified when it’s out!

Originally Posted On Customs Medium on March 3rd, 2021