For most first-timers, a travel eSIM or a Malaysian roaming pass is the calmest start, because you arrange it before you fly. A local SIM suits people who are happy to queue at a carrier counter with a passport.
It is hard to choose when each option sounds fine and none of them is yours. This page puts the three side by side so you can pick in ten minutes.
How do the three options compare?
The table uses the same questions for each option.
| Question | Travel eSIM | Malaysian roaming | Local China SIM |
|---|---|---|---|
| When do you set it up? | At home, before you fly | At home, with your telco | In China, at a counter |
| What do you need? | A phone that supports eSIM | Your existing line | Passport and time |
| Do you keep your Malaysian number? | Yes, with a second SIM slot | Yes, it is your number | Only with a second slot |
| Are Google and WhatsApp blocked? | Vendors say data routes outside the mainland | Check your telco’s terms | Yes, they are blocked |
| What can go wrong? | Phone locked to one network, or not eSIM-ready | Pass terms differ by telco | Queue, ID check, activation delay |
Compare passes in our guide to Malaysian telco roaming passes.
Which one suits which traveller?
Pick by who is travelling.
- Parents who need it to simply work: a roaming pass, since the number does not change.
- Families who want a data plan: a travel eSIM, installed at home.
- Friends who will be in China for longer: a local SIM, if they accept the counter queue.
- Travellers who need bank codes by SMS: keep the Malaysian line active in a second slot.
What do you need to know about local SIMs?
Local Chinese SIM cards require real-name registration, and foreign visitors can register with a passport at carrier counters[1]. Our guide to buying a SIM at a China airport covers the queue and the steps.
Allow time at the counter and ask the staff to test the SIM before you leave.
Will your usual apps work?
On mainland networks, Google services, WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, X, Telegram and ChatGPT are blocked[2]. International travel eSIM vendors say their plans route data through servers outside mainland China, which avoids the firewall[3]. That is a vendor claim we have not tested.
VPN apps and sites are blocked inside China, so any VPN has to be installed before arrival[4]. Our guide to WhatsApp, Google and Instagram in China explains the backup plan.
What should you check before you fly?
Run this at home, one week before departure.
- Confirm your phone supports eSIM and is unlocked.
- Install the plan or buy the pass, then switch to flight mode and back to test it.
- Keep the Malaysian line on for SMS, and ask your bank how to log in abroad.
- Download offline maps, as our maps guide suggests.
Hotel Wi-Fi may ask for an SMS code that does not reach you. See hotel Wi-Fi and SMS verification problems. If you head into the mountains, read about signal in remote Yunnan and Sichuan and browse the preparation topic page.