Tunnelz

China trip guide

What should you download before going to China?

Your VPN or eSIM, WeChat, Alipay and a map that works there, all at home. Many VPN websites can’t be reached from mainland China, and hundreds of VPN apps are missing from Apple’s App Store there, so set them up before you fly and check your VPN connects.

Updated

At homeOnce you land VPN or eSIMWeChatAlipay or Weixin PayA map that works there set them up before you flyand check your VPN connects Many VPN websitescan’t be reachedVPN appsmissing from Apple’s App Store thereGoogleblocked as well At home VPN or eSIMWeChatAlipay or Weixin PayA map that works there set them up before you fly Once you land Many VPN websitescan’t be reachedVPN appsmissing from Apple’s App Store thereGoogleblocked as well
Fig. 01
Why the setup can’t wait until you land: the usual fixes are blocked too.

Why it can’t wait

Once you land, the usual fixes are blocked too. Many VPN websites can’t be reached from mainland China, and VPN apps are missing from Apple’s App Store there. Google, which you’d use to look for help, is blocked as well.

Apps to download at home

  • A VPN or a roaming eSIM. A VPN covers your laptop and hotel Wi-Fi; a roaming eSIM covers your phone’s mobile data. Which one you need.

  • WeChat. How people in China message and call each other. Set it up at home, so it’s ready when you land.

  • Alipay or Weixin Pay. Paying by phone is everywhere in China, and both apps accept many overseas bank cards. Add yours before you go.

  • A map that works there. Google Maps is blocked; Apple Maps works on an iPhone, and Amap now comes in English. Maps in China.

  • Anything you’ll watch or listen to. Download shows and playlists at home: Netflix, YouTube, Spotify.

Fig. 02
What to download at home.

Pre-trip checklist

  1. 1. Set up your VPN at home, timed to your trip. With Tunnelz, download it for Mac, choose a plan and set up your server. It takes about 10 minutes, once. A Trip Pass lasts 10 days from when you pay, so buy it the day before you fly and its days cover the trip. Monthly and Yearly start with a 3-day free trial if you want longer to try it.

  2. 2. Check that it connects. Turn it on once at home before you leave. A quick check is enough.

  3. 3. Update your apps before you leave, including the VPN, so you don’t need a download there.

  4. 4. Have a backup. Access can get tighter around key political events and dates. An eSIM for the phone and a VPN for the laptop cover each other.

Fig. 03
Your checklist before you leave.

With Tunnelz, after you land

It’s one switch. On hotel Wi-Fi, sign in to the Wi-Fi when the app shows the card for the login page (how it looks). If your server is ever blocked, Replace Server can set up a new one in minutes, as long as the app can reach Vultr. In China that may take eSIM data or another network (how).

Only have a phone? A roaming eSIM usually covers most of this today; Tunnelz for iPhone is coming.

Questions

What apps should I download before going to China?
Your VPN or a roaming eSIM, WeChat, Alipay or Weixin Pay with your card added, and a map that works there, such as Apple Maps or Amap. Download them at home: VPN apps and websites are hard to reach once you land.
Can I set up Tunnelz once I’m in China?
Don’t plan on it: set it up at home. Tunnelz builds your own server first, and that should be done and tested before you fly.
I forgot to set up a VPN. What now?
It’s much harder from inside China, because many VPN websites and apps can’t be reached there. If your phone has a travel eSIM that routes data outside China, its mobile data may still get you to them.
How long does Tunnelz take to set up?
About 10 minutes, once. The app sets up a private server in your own Vultr account; after that, it’s one switch.
What if my server gets blocked during the trip?
Use Replace Server in the app. It can set up a new server in minutes, as long as the app can reach Vultr. In China that may take eSIM data or another network.

Sources