I was standing in a Starbucks in Shanghai, watching my travel buddies frantically switch between VPN apps that kept cutting out, while I was casually scrolling Instagram and checking Google Maps without a single hiccup.
No VPN. No local SIM. No airport queue at 6am.
Just my phone, a Holafly eSIM I’d activated the night before, and full access to every Western app China normally blocks.
Why China Is Different From Every Other Country
Most people know about the Great Firewall — China blocks Google, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, and most Western apps. Travellers usually handle this one of two ways:
- Buy a local Chinese SIM (subject to the same blocks)
- Use a VPN (unreliable, often throttled, sometimes illegal for tourists)
What most people don’t know: international roaming data bypasses the firewall entirely. Because you’re technically still on your home network routed through an international carrier, China’s blocks don’t apply.
Is Using a VPN in China Actually Illegal?
Worth being precise about this instead of hand-waving it. Officially, yes — the U.S. State Department’s China travel advisory states that using an unauthorized VPN is illegal and could theoretically result in a fine or device confiscation. Only government-approved VPNs (mostly used internally by corporations) are technically legal.
In practice, enforcement against individual tourists using a VPN for casual browsing is essentially unheard of — there’s no public record of a tourist being fined or detained just for checking Gmail or Instagram on their own phone. The law is aimed at VPN providers and people using VPNs for illegal activity, not someone scrolling Instagram in a hotel room. That said, “rarely enforced” isn’t the same as “legal,” which is exactly why the roaming approach is worth knowing about: it’s not a legal gray area at all, since you’re not circumventing anything — you’re using your normal international data plan, which was never subject to China’s domestic internet filtering in the first place.
What Actually Works — and What Doesn’t
On roaming data, everything you’d normally use abroad works exactly as it does at home: Google, Gmail, Google Maps, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, X. Chinese apps that aren’t blocked in the first place — WeChat, Alipay, Meituan, Didi — work identically whether you’re on roaming or a local SIM, since the firewall was never the thing stopping you from using those.
What an eSIM doesn’t give you: a local Chinese phone number for calls or SMS, and most data-only eSIMs won’t let you receive an SMS verification code from a Chinese service that requires a +86 number (some apps, like a bank or a local delivery service, may ask for this during signup). If you need a real local number, that still means a physical Chinese SIM alongside your eSIM, not instead of it.
That’s exactly what a Holafly eSIM gives you — international roaming data, not a local Chinese connection. It’s the legal, zero-hassle way to use Google and Instagram in China as a tourist.
What Is an eSIM and Why Does It Matter?
An eSIM is a digital SIM card built into your phone. Instead of buying a physical card at the airport (or waiting in a 45-minute queue), you scan a QR code and you’re connected — usually in under 2 minutes.
I’ve used physical SIM cards across Asia for years. The eSIM switch was one of those “why didn’t I do this sooner” moments. Here’s why:
- No airport queue
- Activate the night before your flight
- Keep your home SIM active for calls and banking
- Works in 200+ countries with one provider
I Tested Holafly Across 4 Asian Countries
I’ve now used Holafly eSIM in South Korea, Japan, China, and Hong Kong. Here’s the honest breakdown:
🇰🇷 South Korea
Fast, reliable, unlimited data. Korea has some of the best mobile infrastructure in the world — the eSIM just plugs into it. Used it daily for subway navigation, Kakao Maps, and streaming on long bus rides.
🇯🇵 Japan
Worked perfectly in Tokyo and Osaka. Speeds were strong enough to video call without issues. Japan’s network coverage is excellent — no dead zones I could find.
🇨🇳 China
This is where it gets interesting. Google Maps worked. Instagram worked. WhatsApp worked. No VPN, no settings to change — it just worked from the moment I landed in Shanghai. This alone is worth the price of the eSIM.
🇭🇰 Hong Kong
I lived in Hong Kong for a year studying at City University of Hong Kong. The local data is fast and the eSIM handled everything from dim sum restaurant research to typhoon weather alerts.
How to Get 5% Off Holafly
Use code KIMCHIBOY at checkout for 5% off any Holafly plan.
I don’t recommend things I haven’t used personally — I’ve run this eSIM across four countries and it’s the one thing I always pack now, along with my power bank.
Which Plan Should You Get?
Holafly sells unlimited data plans by destination and duration. For most trips I recommend:
- Korea only: the Korea plan (unlimited, great speeds)
- Multi-country Asia trip: the Asia regional plan — covers Korea, Japan, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Vietnam and more
- China specifically: any plan that includes China — the firewall bypass is the key feature
For China specifically, Holafly’s plans run roughly: $19 for 5 days, $27 for 7 days, $34 for 10 days, and $47 for 15 days of unlimited data — cheaper per day the longer you stay. Compare that to a day of frantically hunting for working VPN apps in a hotel lobby and it’s not a close call.
See all current plans and prices on the KimchiBoy eSIM guide.
Is Your Phone Compatible?
Most phones made after 2018 support eSIM. This includes all iPhone XS and later, Samsung Galaxy S20 and later, Google Pixel 3 and later, and most modern flagship Android phones.
One exception: some phones bought in China have eSIM disabled by the manufacturer. Check your settings under Mobile Data → Add Data Plan — if you see that option, you’re good.
The Bottom Line
If you’re travelling to Asia — especially China — an eSIM is no longer optional. The days of hunting for a SIM card shop after a 12-hour flight, hoping the staff speaks enough English to help you, are over.
Scan a QR code. Connect instantly. Use Google in Shanghai.
Common Questions
Can I still use WeChat Pay and Alipay?
Yes — these are Chinese apps, not blocked by the firewall, so they work identically on roaming data or a local SIM. The firewall only blocks Western services; it was never the thing stopping access to Chinese apps.
Does the eSIM work outside major cities?
Coverage follows the same international roaming partner networks used for calls and data abroad generally — strong in cities and most tourist areas, with the usual rural dead zones you’d expect anywhere. It’s not meaningfully worse than a local SIM outside major hubs.
Do I need a backup physical SIM?
Not for data and app access — that’s what the eSIM covers. The only reason to also get a physical Chinese SIM is if you specifically need a local phone number for calls, texts, or an SMS verification code from a Chinese service.
Related Reading
Heading to China specifically? See the full China trip checklist (apps, payments, what to do before you land) and the universal adapter that covers Chinese sockets too. If you’re comparing eSIM providers first, here’s Holafly vs Airalo head-to-head.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission if you buy through them, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I use personally.