China Travel Essentials: What to Bring & What to Prepare – China Flow Retreat
Tags:
Traveling to China for the China Flow Retreat? China is an incredible country, but it works very differently from what you might be used to. A little preparation goes a long way!
This guide covers everything you need to know and bring — from power adapters and VPNs to SIM cards and currency. Follow these tips and you’ll arrive fully prepared. 🇨🇳
🔌 Electricity & Power · 📱 VPN & Internet · 💴 Currency & Payments
📋 Visa · 👕 Clothing · 🧳 Packing List · 💊 Health · 🔥 Props
🔌 ELECTRICITY & POWER
Plug Type: China uses Type A (two flat pins) and Type I (three angled pins) outlets. The voltage is 220V / 50Hz.
What to bring:
- 🔌 A universal travel adapter — If you’re coming from Europe (Type C/F), the US (Type A/B), or the UK (Type G), you’ll need an adapter. We recommend a universal one that works in multiple countries
- ⚡ Most modern phone/laptop chargers are dual-voltage (100–240V) — check the label on your charger. If it says 100–240V, you only need a plug adapter, not a voltage converter
🔋 Power Banks — Important!
Without your phone, you can’t pay for anything in China. Bring a power bank!
⚠️ China has strict rules for power banks:
- Your power bank must have the CCC mark (China Compulsory Certification / 中国强制性产品认证). Without this certification, your power bank could be confiscated at airport security!
- Power banks must be under 100Wh (watt-hours). Most standard power banks (10,000–20,000 mAh) are under this limit
- Power banks must be carried in your carry-on luggage — they are not allowed in checked baggage
- The capacity must be clearly marked on the power bank. If the label is worn off or unreadable, it may be confiscated
💡 Tip: Most well-known brands (Anker, Xiaomi, Baseus) sold internationally carry the CCC mark. Check the label before you travel. You can also buy a certified power bank at any electronics store in China upon arrival.
📱 VPN — ESSENTIAL!
China blocks many Western websites and apps behind the “Great Firewall”. Without a VPN, you cannot access:
- ❌ Google (Search, Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Drive, Translate)
- ❌ WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal
- ❌ Instagram, Facebook, Twitter/X, TikTok (international version)
- ❌ Spotify, Netflix, most streaming services
- ❌ Many news websites
👉 Install a VPN before you leave home! VPN websites are also blocked in China, so you won’t be able to download one after you arrive.
Recommended VPN Apps
Paid VPNs (most reliable):
- ⭐ ExpressVPN — consistently works in China, fast speeds
- ⭐ Astrill VPN — popular among expats in China
- ⭐ NordVPN — good budget option with obfuscated servers
💡 Setup tips:
- Download and install before departing
- Download the manual configuration files too (in case the app is blocked)
- Test the VPN at least once before your trip
- Download offline maps (Maps.me or Google Maps offline areas) as backup
📶 SIM CARD & MOBILE DATA
You’ll need mobile data from the moment you land — for payments, navigation, translation, and ride-hailing. Here are your options:
Option 1 — Buy a Chinese SIM at the airport (Recommended)
- Available at China Mobile, China Unicom, or China Telecom counters in arrivals
- Cost: ¥100–200 (~€13–25) for 10–30 days with plenty of data
- Requires your passport for registration
- Staff speak basic English and will set it up for you
Option 2 — International eSIM (Convenient)
- Buy an eSIM online before departure (Airalo, Holafly, Nomad)
- Activate it when you land — no physical SIM swap needed
- ⚠️ Note: Some eSIMs route through Hong Kong and may not work with Chinese apps like DiDi or 12306. A local Chinese SIM is more reliable
Option 3 — Roaming from your home carrier
- Check with your carrier for China roaming packages
- Often expensive, but convenient if you’re only staying a short time
💡 Tip: WhatsApp and Google will only work through your VPN, regardless of which SIM you use.
💴 CURRENCY & PAYMENTS
Currency: Chinese Yuan Renminbi (¥ / CNY / RMB)
Exchange rate: ~¥7.5–8 = €1 (check current rates before you go)
💳 Mobile payments rule in China!
Cash is rarely used. Almost everything — from street food to taxis to shops — is paid via WeChat Pay or Alipay. See our WeChat & Alipay installation guide to set up both apps before you arrive.
Should you bring cash?
- 💰 Bring €100–200 worth of RMB as backup
- You can exchange money at the airport or withdraw from ATMs (Bank of China ATMs usually work with Visa/Mastercard)
- Some rural markets and very small shops may still only accept cash
- Your international bank card may work at some larger shops and hotels, but don’t rely on it
⚠️ Important: Notify your bank before traveling that you’ll be making payments in China!
📋 VISA REQUIREMENTS
China recently expanded visa-free entry for many European countries. Check if your passport qualifies — you may not need a visa at all!
👕 CLOTHING & WEATHER
The retreat takes place in the Wuyi Mountains in Fujian Province. Weather in September is typically warm and sunny with occasional rain.
🌡️ Expected weather (September):
- Daytime: 25–32°C (warm)
- Evening: 18–22°C (pleasantly cool)
- Rain showers are possible — bring a light rain jacket
What to wear:
- 🔥 Fire-spinning: All-natural fiber clothing only (cotton, hemp, linen) — synthetic fabrics melt and are extremely dangerous near fire
- 👟 Comfortable footwear — you’ll be moving and walking a lot. Bring good walking shoes/sneakers and sandals
- 🩴 Flip-flops for the accommodation
- 🧥 Light jacket or hoodie for cooler evenings
- 🏊 Swimwear — there may be opportunities to swim in natural pools and rivers
- 👒 Sun hat and sunglasses, an sunscreen
🧳 PACKING CHECKLIST
📱 Electronics & Tech:
- ✅ Universal travel adapter (Type A/I for China)
- ✅ Power bank (CCC-certified, under 100Wh, in carry-on!)
- ✅ Phone with WeChat & Alipay installed
- ✅ VPN app installed and tested
- ✅ Offline maps downloaded
- ✅ Headphones / earbuds
📋 Documents:
- ✅ Passport (6+ months validity)
- ✅ Visa (if required — check this article)
- ✅ Travel insurance documents
- ✅ Flight confirmations (printed & digital)
- ✅ Retreat booking confirmation
- ✅ Address in Chinese: 福雀来 FUTURES, 武夷山市, 福建省 (screenshot this!)
💊 Health & Comfort:
- ✅ Sunscreen (SPF 30+)
- ✅ Mosquito repellent / spray
- ✅ Personal medication (bring enough for the entire trip + extras)
- ✅ Magnesium or electrolytes to stay hydrated
- ✅ Earplugs & sleep mask
- ✅ Reusable water bottle
🔥 Flow Props:
- ✅ Bring all props for the workshops you want to attend. Or rent them from us, fill it on the form!
- ✅ Poi — non-stretchy practice poi with knobs recommended. Also consider lightweight (soft) poi like sock poi to reduce arm strain
- ✅ Any other flow props you practice or jam with
- Here is an article on how to fly with Fire and LED props
💊 HEALTH & SAFETY
🚰 Water:
- Do NOT drink tap water in China — always drink bottled or boiled water
- Bottled water is cheap and available everywhere (¥10–30 / bottle)
- Hot water (热水, rè shuǐ) is available everywhere — Chinese people drink it daily
- Tea and Coffee are included during the retreat! Also, all rooms have a water boiler.
🏥 Medical:
- Bring enough personal medication for the entire trip (plus extras in case of delays)
- Keep medication in its original packaging with your prescription
- Travel insurance is recommended — make sure it covers China and includes medical evacuation
🦟 Mosquitoes:
- The Wuyi Mountains area can have mosquitoes, especially in the evening
- Bring mosquito repellent
- Long sleeves and pants in the evening help
📲 USEFUL APPS TO DOWNLOAD BEFORE YOU GO
Download all of these before you leave home — the Google Play Store and some app websites are blocked in China!
- 📱 WeChat — messaging, payments, everything (setup guide)
- 💰 Alipay — mobile payments (setup guide)
- 🚕 DiDi — ride-hailing / taxis (taxi guide)
- 🚄 Trip.com — train ticket booking (booking guide)
- 🗺️ Maps.me or Baidu Maps — offline navigation (Google Maps is blocked)
- 🌐 VPN app — ExpressVPN, Astrill, or NordVPN
- 🈲 Pleco — best Chinese-English dictionary with camera translation > But you can also use Google Chrome’s camera translate feauture
- 📷 Google Translate — download the Chinese offline pack before you go (works offline for camera translation)
✅ YOU'RE READY FOR CHINA!
With this checklist complete, you’re fully prepared for an unforgettable experience at the China Flow Retreat. The Wuyi Mountains are magical — and a little preparation ensures you can focus entirely on flow, connection, and adventure. 🌿🔥
📚 Complete China Flow Retreat Guide Series:
- How to Get to the Retreat — overview of all routes
- Wuyishan Airport → Retreat — the easiest route
- Fuzhou Airport → Retreat
- Shanghai → Retreat
- Install WeChat & Alipay
- Taxi & Train Tickets Guide
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out! We can’t wait to welcome you. 🙏