How I Got Internet in China Without A VPN

I landed in Chengdu with no Chinese SIM card and a phone that had been in airplane mode for 11 hours. By the time I reached the taxi rank, everything was already working and connected, thanks to the travel eSIM I'd set up on my sofa at home a few days earlier.

If you're researching this, you've probably already found the forum threads that make it sound difficult: install a VPN before you arrive OR resign yourself to a fortnight without Google, WhatsApp, Instagram and TikTok! That wasn't my experience, and this page is exactly what I did instead…

Why an eSIM gets around the problem

A travel eSIM doesn't connect you to the Chinese internet the way a local SIM does. It roams - your data is carried back out through the provider's home network before it reaches the wider internet. In practice that meant the services I'd been told to expect trouble with simply loaded without issue.

Two caveats: This is roaming, not a VPN, and nobody can promise you a particular service on a particular day - routing and local conditions change. And it's worth reading up on the rules around VPN use in China before you go, precisely so you understand why not needing one can often be the easier path.

What I Bought

I used Holafly - unlimited GB for 1 month which came to £50.95 and works across Asia, not just in China. I picked it over the alternatives because it was slightly better value than the others and the unlimited data was exactly what I needed.

I also used Airalo for my teens which worked well for a specific amount of data.

Useful links:

Use this discount link to save 10% on your Holafly eSIM.

Use this link to get GBP £2.50 off your first eSIM with Airalo.

Set It Up BEFORE You Fly

The one mistake that costs people on the first day: waiting until you land to set it up. You need a working internet connection to install and activate an eSIM, which you won't have at the airport.

Here’s how it all works:

1) Buy the eSIM and install it at home, on wifi. Takes about 10 minutes.

2) You'll scan a QR code and the new eSIM profile installs as a second line on your phone.

3) Leave your normal number on line 1 (call it ‘Home’ if you like, and call the eSIM ‘Travel’). Keep it active for calls and texts, switch mobile data to the eSIM. You'll still get your bank's verification codes.

4) Turn data roaming on for the eSIM only - and turn it off for your home line, so you don't get a surprise bill.

5) When you land, switch on the eSIM. Mine connected in 2 minutes while I was still on the plane.

What Worked & What Didn’t

Worked: Google for business including Gmail, WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, all my banking apps, Claude, ChatGPT and more.

Didn't work, or was awkward: Ordering any food to be delivered was difficult without a local Chinese number because we couldn’t receive any of the validation texts needed for virtually everything here. Google Maps loads on the eSIM, but don't plan on using it. Its mainland data is poor and the coordinates are offset, so every local will tell you to use Amap instead. Download it before you fly.

Don’t Buy This…

If you're staying more than a couple of weeks; a local SIM will be cheaper and work far more smoothly for everything you want to do in the country.

If your phone doesn't support eSIM - most handsets do these days but check - none of this applies.

And if you need a Chinese phone number for local apps and deliveries, an eSIM won't give you one and I’d definitely recommend buying a local eSIM when you arrive at the airport.

If You’re Going…

This is the eSIM I used and would buy again: Holafly

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This page contains affiliate links. If you buy through them I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I paid for the eSIM I've written about here myself, no gifted products.