Shanghai is often referred to as the ‘Paris of the East’ and is renowned for its modern skyscrapers, bustling streets, and rich cultural heritage. Amidst the vibrant city life, there lies a serene heaven just a couple blocks away from some of the most popular tourist attractions in Shanghai: the Yuyuan Gardens, also known as Yu Garden.

Are you planning to travel to China and want to order an eSIM? This is a complete guide with everything you need to know about using an eSIM for traveling to China including a comparison of the best China eSIMs for 2026.

Getting connected with an eSIM when traveling to China will make your life so much easier. All my recommendations in this China eSIM guide for tourists are based on my own travel experiences from my recent trips to China. In 2026 I already visited China twice for in total 6 weeks and I visited Shanghai, Bejing, Guangzhou, Guilin, Chongqing, Chengdu and many more incredible places.

The internet censorship in China is a real pain, but forget about a VPN! You don't even need a VPN when using an eSIM for China.

Are you planning a trip to China and wondering if you can buy a sim card at Shanghai International Airport - PVG? The answer is yes!

But is a buying a prepaid sim card in China the best way to stay connected when traveling to China? The short answer is: No!

Based on my own experiences I do not recommend tourists to buy a local prepaid SIM card at Shanghai Airport for their trip to China. For me it was a big struggle to find a good VPN that actually worked. After 2 days I gave up and bought an Airalo eSIM for China with in-built VPN. Lifesaver...

As part of my recent business trip to Shanghai, attending the Huawei Connect conference, I had the unique opportunity to delve into the world of 5G technology and artificial intelligence at the 5G+ XtoB laboratory located within Huawei's sprawling campus in Suzhou.

This cutting-edge facility, opened in October 2022, is a hub of innovation and collaboration between Huawei and various industry research institutes, focused on standardizing and implementing successful 5G solutions across diverse sectors.