Can I use Google in China? Nope — not without a VPN. Google, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter/X — none of them work on China's domestic internet. I tell all my clients this before their trip, because I've seen too many people land at Beijing airport and panic when they can't check their messages. Here's what I recommend: Download a VPN before you leave home. Most VPN sites are blocked inside China. Install everything you'll need on your home WiFi: VPN app, WhatsApp, Google Maps offline, Alipay, DiDi. Test the VPN works before you board. Which VPN actually works in China? It changes constantly. The government blocks some, others get through. I update my list on the blog regularly. One thing people don't realize: hotel WiFi has the same restrictions. So plan ahead and you'll be fine.

Short answer: nope. Uber sold its China business to Didi in 2016, so the app won't work here. But honestly? Didi is better anyway. Works exactly like Uber with English interface and maps. I've been using it for years with clients who can't read a word of Chinese. One tip: link it to Alipay before you leave home. Saves the hassle of figuring out payment when you're jet-lagged at 2am outside the airport. Oh, and download the app BEFORE you land. Setting it up needs a SMS verification. Do it on WiFi at home.