It depends on your passport. As of 2025, citizens from over 50 countries — including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria and more — can enter China visa-free for up to 30 days. The US, UK, Canada and Australia also have visa-free access under current agreements. I always recommend checking the latest policy before you book, as these change. Drop me a message if you’re unsure — I’ll tell you in 2 minutes.

Not without a VPN. Google, Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook and most Western apps are blocked in mainland China. Download a reliable VPN before you arrive — once you’re in China, it’s much harder to set one up. ExpressVPN and Astrill work well. I’ll also send you a full pre-trip tech checklist when you book with me — WeChat, maps, payment apps, everything sorted before you land.

China runs on mobile payment — Alipay and WeChat Pay. The good news: foreigners can now link an international Visa or Mastercard directly to Alipay and WeChat Pay. Set this up before you arrive. Cash (RMB) still works at smaller vendors and wet markets, so carry a little. Most hotels and malls accept foreign credit cards too. I send all my guests a step-by-step payment setup guide — it takes 10 minutes and saves you a lot of awkward moments at the counter.

Genuinely one of the safest countries I’ve ever travelled in — and I’ve been to 32. Street crime is rare. Scams exist but are easy to avoid once you know the patterns (I’ll brief you on all of them). Shanghai in particular is extremely foreigner-friendly. The main challenges aren’t safety — they’re the language barrier, the apps, and knowing where not to go. That’s exactly what I’m here for.

In hotels, airports and tourist areas — yes, enough to get by. On the street, in local markets, in the places worth going — not really. This isn’t a problem. It’s actually part of the magic. But it does mean having someone who can bridge the gap makes the difference between a surface-level trip and a real one. Google Translate (camera mode) is also surprisingly good — just remember to download the Chinese language pack offline before you arrive.

April–May and September–November are the sweet spots — mild temperatures, lower humidity, and the city at its most beautiful. July and August are brutal: hot, humid, and packed. Winter (December–February) is underrated — fewer tourists, cosy street food stalls, and a different kind of magic. Chinese public holidays (especially Golden Week in October and Chinese New Year in January/February) bring enormous domestic crowds everywhere — plan around them if you can.

I’m not an agency. I’m one person — Coco — and I design every trip myself. No templates, no scripts, no rotating guides. I lived in the UK and France, travelled 32 countries with my daughter, and came back to Shanghai because I genuinely believe this city deserves to be seen properly. The places I take people to are places I actually go myself. The food I recommend is food I actually eat. If you want a coach tour with a flag and a headset, I’m not the right fit. If you want someone who knows which alley has the best breakfast and why the locals avoid that famous temple on weekends — let’s talk.

Fill in the short form on my Plan Your Trip page — it takes 3 minutes. Tell me your dates, how many people, and what kind of experience you’re after. I’ll get back to you within 24 hours. Or if you’d rather just talk, WhatsApp me directly at +86 131 6725 2001. No commitment, no pressure — just a conversation.