A little preparation goes a long way.
Sort out documents, your route and arrival day before working through apps and packing.
1. Check the document you will use
Check each traveller’s document type, issuing country or region and validity separately. Residence, language and ethnicity are not substitutes for document details. Visa, visa-free entry and transit are different pathways. Resolve uncertainty with official sources before committing to non-refundable arrangements.
2. Count usable days
Do not count a late arrival as a full sightseeing day. Put arrival, departure and intercity moves on a calendar first, then choose two priority experiences. Multi-city Jiangnan trips need time for check-in and packing too.
3. Make arrival day concrete
Save your hotel’s Chinese name and address, pickup meeting point, a working contact method and an offline itinerary. If making your own way to the hotel, keep a transport alternative. Confirm waiting time and the procedure for a flight delay.
4. Test the essentials
Sign into payment tools, check card verification and SMS access, and prepare the maps or translation tools you need. Do not leave every contact, address and payment option on one phone; share essential offline information with a companion.