eSIM for Greater China

This plan covers mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau on one eSIM, which suits the common Hong Kong, Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Macau combination as well as longer trips to Shanghai or Beijing. All three have dense 4G and 5G. The real difference is the internet itself: Hong Kong and Macau are open, while the mainland sits behind the Great Firewall.

A southern China loop that starts and ends in Hong Kong: a ferry to Macau, a walk across the border to Zhuhai, the fast train to Guangzhou, then high-speed rail into the limestone peaks around Guilin and Yangshuo before returning via Shenzhen.

Length

10 days

Bases

4

When to go October to December is the most comfortable season, with dry, clear days; spring is humid and misty around Guilin, summer is hot with typhoon risk on the coast, and Chinese public holidays such as Golden Week in early October fill trains and sights.

1. 01

   Day 1 Hong Kong

   Hong Kong: Central and Victoria Peak

   Ride the Peak Tram up to Victoria Peak and walk the Lugard Road loop for the view over the harbour. Come down to Central, take the Mid-Levels escalator through SoHo, and visit Man Mo Temple on Hollywood Road. In the evening, cross the harbour on the Star Ferry to Tsim Sha Tsui.

   Signal Excellent 5G on csl, SmarTone or 3 across Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, including the MTR and the Star Ferry.

2. 02

   Day 2 Hong Kong

   Hong Kong: Kowloon markets and temples

   Visit Wong Tai Sin Temple and the Chi Lin Nunnery with the Nan Lian Garden next door. In the afternoon, explore Mong Kok's Ladies' Market, the flower and bird markets, then walk down Nathan Road to the Temple Street night market in the evening.

   Signal Strong throughout Kowloon, though the busiest market streets can slow data at peak times.

3. 03

   Day 3 Hong Kong

   Lantau: the Big Buddha and Tai O

   Take the MTR to Tung Chung and the Ngong Ping 360 cable car to the Tian Tan Buddha and Po Lin Monastery. Walk the Wisdom Path, then take the bus down to Tai O fishing village with its stilt houses. Return to the city in the evening.

   Signal Good on the cable car and at Ngong Ping; patchy on Lantau's hill trails if you walk rather than ride.

4. 04

   Day 4 Macau

   Macau: the historic centre

   → TurboJET or Cotai Water Jet ferry from Hong Kong, about 1 hour, or the bus over the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge, about 40 minutes.

   Take the ferry to Macau. Walk from Senado Square up to the Ruins of St Paul's and the Mount Fortress, then on to the A-Ma Temple at the southern tip. In the evening, visit the Taipa Village lanes and try a Portuguese egg tart.

   Signal Hong Kong signal fades mid-crossing; your phone switches to CTM in Macau. On the bridge bus, expect a short gap in the undersea tunnel.

5. 05

   Day 5 Guangzhou

   Macau to Guangzhou via Zhuhai

   → Gongbei border crossing on foot, then the intercity train from Zhuhai to Guangzhou South, about 1 hour.

   Walk across the Gongbei border into Zhuhai and take the intercity train to Guangzhou. In the afternoon, visit the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, then walk Shamian Island's colonial streets. After dark, walk the Pearl River waterfront to see Canton Tower lit up.

   Signal Your phone moves to China Mobile, China Unicom or China Telecom at the border. Check WhatsApp and Google straight away; keep a VPN installed as a backup. Good 5G in Guangzhou.

6. 06

   Day 6 Guangzhou

   Guangzhou: Yuexiu Park and dim sum

   Start with dim sum at a traditional teahouse, then walk Yuexiu Park to the Five Rams statue and the Zhenhai Tower museum. Visit the Mausoleum of the Nanyue King, then go to Beijing Road's pedestrian street with its glass panels over old road layers. Set up Alipay or WeChat Pay with a foreign card if you have not already.

   Signal Strong across the city and on the metro. Use Amap or Apple Maps, which are more accurate than Google Maps in the mainland.

7. 07

   Day 7 Yangshuo

   High-speed train to Guilin and on to Yangshuo

   → High-speed train from Guangzhou South, about 2.5 to 3 hours.

   Take a high-speed train west from Guangzhou South into Guangxi. Get off at Yangshuo station in Xingping for the Li River scenery, or continue to Guilin and take the express bus to Yangshuo. In the evening, walk West Street and up a riverside path to see the peaks at dusk.

   Signal Good on the high-speed line with brief drops in long tunnels through the hills; good 4G and 5G in Yangshuo town.

8. 08

   Day 8 Yangshuo

   Li River and Xingping

   Take a bamboo raft or boat on the Li River between Yangshuo and Xingping, passing the karst peaks shown on the 20-yuan note. In Xingping, walk the old street and climb Laozhai Hill for the view over the river bend. Book river trips in advance in busy seasons.

   Signal Generally covered on the river, but signal weakens in the narrow stretches between the peaks and on Laozhai Hill's upper steps.

9. 09

   Day 9 Yangshuo

   Cycling the Yulong River

   Hire a bike or e-bike and ride the lanes along the Yulong River past rice paddies and villages to the Dragon Bridge, an old stone arch. Take a bamboo raft back downstream if you like. In the late afternoon, climb Moon Hill for its natural arch and the view across the valley.

   Signal Coverage is good on the main roads but drops in the side valleys; download an offline map before cycling.

10. 10

    Day 10 Hong Kong

    Back to Hong Kong via Shenzhen

    → High-speed train from Guilin or Yangshuo, about 3 to 3.5 hours to Shenzhen or West Kowloon.

    Take the high-speed train back east. Some trains run direct to Hong Kong West Kowloon, with immigration for both sides in the station; otherwise change in Shenzhen and cross at Futian or Lo Wu. Spend the evening on the Tsim Sha Tsui promenade for the Symphony of Lights show.

    Signal Your phone switches back to a Hong Kong network after immigration. Apps blocked in the mainland work normally again on Hong Kong data and wifi.