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international services you will need.
FIVE APPS FOR TRAVELLING IN CHINA
They could be described as a genuine digital survival kit: different but complementary tools that cover most of the everyday needs of travelling. Alipay for payments, WeChat for communication, Amap for navigation, Google Translate for understanding and Trip. com for organising the journey. Five apps that, based on our experience, are practically indispensable when travelling through China, particularly for those travelling independently by motorcycle.
Alipay
It is the digital wallet that every traveller is likely to rely on during a stay in China. It allows payments to be made in shops, restaurants, vending machines, hotels and service facilities by linking an international credit or debit card.
Through Alipay, it is also possible to access a range of local services via so-called mini-programs, from taxis to public transport. For motorcyclists, it is particularly useful for everyday payments along the route, where cash has virtually disappeared— although it is still advisable to carry a small amount of cash just in case.
WeChat
In China, WeChat is much more than a messaging app: it is a digital platform through which communication, payments, bookings and numerous other services are handled.
In addition to WeChat Pay, which can be used as an alternative to Alipay, WeChat provides access to miniprograms for local services, ticket purchases and many other everyday tasks. Another particularly useful feature is the translation function built into messaging, which makes communication possible even when two people do not speak the same language. For us, it was often the simplest way to communicate with people we met during our travels.
Amap
Amap is the essential navigation tool for getting around China. Like the most widely used navigation systems in the West, it provides maps, route planning, traffic information, fuel stations, parking areas, tourist attractions, restaurants, hotels and many other useful services along the way.
For motorcyclists, it is particularly valuable because it allows routes to be planned and makes it easy to locate whatever is needed along the road. Amap also provides information on traffic lights, traffic conditions and speed limits. In its motorcycle mode, it can take the
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