Download WeChat! This is how you will communicate with any businesses, restaurants, reservations, etc. We plan on setting up group chats for the wedding so we can all communicate easily during the week. You can always use Instagram to communicate with people back home, as long as you have an Esim card installed.
We recommend using Nomad or Airalo, as both work well in China. You can purchase the eSIM in advance by downloading the app of your choice on your phone, but wait to activate it until just before leaving for the airport, since Wi-Fi is required for installation. If you need help, there are YouTube tutorials that walk through the process.
Download Alipay! Cash is rarely accepted in China, and many places don’t take cards. The easiest option is to link your credit card or bank account to Alipay before you travel. Once set up, you can pay by scanning QR codes for almost everything—food, shopping, taxis, rideshares, and more. Alipay also lets you book rides via DiDi, use built-in translation, and check exchange rates. Note: Be sure to add your payment method before leaving the US.
Download DiDi! This is China’s version of Uber/Lyft/Taxi and can be accessed directly through Alipay to request rides around Chengdu. Note: You’ll need the Chinese address for your destination, which you can find using the Dianping app. When entering the vehicle, drivers will ask for the last four digits of your phone number to confirm your ride—due to the language barrier, it’s easiest to type the numbers on your phone and show them to the driver.
Download the Dianping app! It’s the best resource for finding nearby places and things to do in Chengdu. The app is in Chinese, but you can use your phone’s translator to search and navigate it. Dianping also provides Chinese addresses, which you can copy and paste into DiDi to request rides. When searching, be sure to include “in Chengdu.” For example, translate “Hotpot restaurants in Chengdu” into Chinese (成都的火锅店), then paste that into the app. It’s helpful to screenshot listings and use your phone’s photo-translation feature to translate details directly from the image.