Planning on coming to the Panda Capital of China - Chengdu? 
Here’s some top tips to make sure you’re as prepared as possible 
APPS
VPNs || You’ve probably heard of the Great Firewall! In China, you’ll need a VPN (virtual private network) to access certain sites, including Google, YouTube, Whatsapp and social media networks like Instagram, Facebook, Threads, etc. Make sure you download this BEFORE you go to China (save yourself the nightmare of trying to do this on the other side!). Big hitters like Express VPN and Astrill are popular choices, but here’s our top VPN for 2024
WeChat || China’s answer to Whatsapp, but it does so much more. Rather than repeat it here, check out this article.
Alipay || You can pay for things on WeChat but it’s good to have a backup. Alipay will help you not only pay for things, but order taxis, book trains etc. Check out our guide on how to use Alipay if you’re unsure!
Baidu Maps or Amap || Both great apps for navigating cities in China and finding the best route from A to B (Google Maps won’t work!)
Meituan || Ordering takeaway food in China is more convenient than you could ever imagine. If you want to order food or drinks delivered to your home in a flash, download this and get our team to help you in China.
Pleco || The foreigners’ live saver. Pleco is a Chinese dictionary in your pocket. Can’t think of that all-important word to complete your sentence? Pleco has your back.
Google/Baidu Translate || Bear in mind with Google Translate you’ll need a VPN for it to work, but either of these apps are super useful as mentioned with Pleco.
For a list of blocked websites and apps in China, check this out
WEATHER
Two words: hot and humid! 
In summer you can experience highs of a toasty 37 °C
Whilst that applies to most of the year, be aware that in winter you can expect lows of 5 °C.
For a more detailed guide and break down of each season, check this out:
SAFETY
Locals in Chengdu are super friendly, so if you’re lost, confused or just want to practice a little bit of 中文, they’ll be happy to help!
Chengdu is an incredibly safe city, you’ll even see people leaving their laptops/phones/wallets unattended in cafes while they go for a bathroom break! Whilst it’s always best to exercise caution, in Chengdu crime and scams aren’t generally things you need to worry about
TOP TIPS
Don’t worry about finding a gym and cafes, both are in the same building as LTL Chengdu (and you’ll get free access to the gym, as well as use of the ping pong and pool tables!)
Whilst cash isn’t widely used, you can still find places that use it. Come to China with some cash in hand for emergencies.
If you want to ask for something and don’t know what it’s called, your friend is 这个 (Zhège, meaning this one). Don’t be scared to use it!
You can link your foreign bank card to your WeChat and Alipay allowing you to buy things in China with your foreign card. You can follow our guides to learn how to do this. Do this before coming to China if you can.
MORE USEFUL RESOURCES
- Fun Things to Do in Chengdu
- Sichuan Hotpot - the Must-Try Meal in Chengdu
- Where to Find Pandas in Chengdu
There’s so much more to say on Chengdu… but for now we’ll leave it there.
Any questions? Drop them below 
LTL and the pandas hope to see you in Chengdu soon!
