Short answer
Bring ten things and buy the rest. Passport plus a photocopy, a plug adapter, a 250V power strip, a power bank, broken-in walking shoes, pocket tissues, hand sanitiser, your own medicines in original packaging, sunscreen, and whichever toiletries you are fussy about.
The thing that gets this wrong most often is not the packing — it is the medicine. ADHD stimulants such as Adderall and Ritalin are effectively prohibited, CBD is illegal in every form, and cold remedies containing ephedrine are restricted. Original packaging and a doctor's letter is the difference between a routine customs stop and a long one.
Leave the drone at home. China's drone rules are strict, registration applies, and from 15 November 2026 drones and their controllers cannot be brought into Beijing at all.
The ten that actually matter
- Passport, plus a paper copy and a phone photo. You need the passport for hotels, train tickets and attraction bookings. The copy is what saves a trip if it goes missing.
- A plug adapter. Mainland China runs 220V at 50Hz on type A, C and I sockets. Most hotel sockets are combination sockets that take flat or round two-pin plugs, so US and European two-pin plugs usually fit ungrounded. UK three-square-pin plugs fit nothing.
- A short 250V-rated power strip. Hotel rooms have two to four sockets, and between two phones, a laptop, a camera and a power bank you will run out. A strip rated only for 120V is not safe on Chinese mains.
- A power bank, charged, in hand luggage. Your phone is the map, the wallet, the translator and the train ticket. On a full sightseeing day it is the first thing to die. Power banks must carry 3C certification to fly in China.
- Broken-in walking shoes, plus a second pair. The Forbidden City is a two-to-three-hour walk, Huangshan and Zhangjiajie are full hiking days, and ordinary city days pass 15,000 steps. New shoes are the most common first-trip mistake.
- Pocket tissues. Public toilets in stations, parks and older attractions often have no paper and no soap. Hotels provide both, so a pocket supply covers the gap between them.
- Hand sanitiser. Same reason as the tissues, and small bottles are easy to buy locally if you run out.
- Your own medicines, in original packaging, with a doctor's letter for anything prescription. This is the one category where "I'll buy it there" is not a plan. See the rules below.
- Sunscreen, SPF 30 or higher. Stronger than you expect, including in winter, and much stronger at altitude in Yunnan, Sichuan and Tibet. Imported brands are expensive locally.
- The toiletries you are particular about. Deodorant, your shampoo, contact lens solution, your brand of anything. They exist in China; they may not be the version you want.
Everything else — clothes, umbrellas, snacks, a second suitcase — is cheap and everywhere. Chinese high-speed rail stations are effectively shopping centres.
What will actually be confiscated
Customs is not looking for your charging cable. It is looking for four specific categories, and they catch foreign travellers every week.
| Item | Status | What to do instead |
|---|---|---|
| Drones and controllers | Strict controls; real-name registration, activation and operation ID apply to civil UAVs. From 15 November 2026 drones and key parts are banned from entering Beijing. | Leave it at home unless aerial work is the purpose of the trip and you have dealt with registration and permits. |
| CBD, cannabis, hemp products | Illegal in every form, including oils, gummies and cosmetics that list cannabinoids. | Nothing to substitute. Check the ingredient list on anything you pack. |
| ADHD stimulants (Adderall, Ritalin, and equivalents) | Effectively prohibited. | Speak to your doctor about an alternative well before you travel. Do not simply pack it. |
| Cold medicines with ephedrine or pseudoephedrine | Controlled; special permits required. | Buy cold medicine in China instead, or carry a clearly labelled alternative without those ingredients. |
| Fresh fruit, meat and dairy | Prohibited on entry. | Eat it before you land. Hotel room fruit and airport snacks do not survive customs. |
Over-the-counter medicines have limits too, commonly reported as a maximum of 12 bottles or boxes per type and 36 units in total. A suitcase of pharmacy supplies reads as commercial importation, not personal use.
Two more declarations worth knowing: bringing in more than ¥20,000 or the equivalent of $5,000 in cash requires a customs declaration, and personal-use quantities of religious or printed material are limited — Bibles are permitted for personal use at a reasonable number of copies and extras are confiscated.
Electronics and power
The single most useful distinction: adapter changes the shape, converter changes the voltage.
| What the label says | Examples | What you need in China |
|---|---|---|
| 100–240V, 50/60Hz | Phone, laptop, tablet, camera, power bank chargers | Plug adapter only |
| 100–240V, 50/60Hz | CPAP machine, shavers with switching supplies | Plug adapter only |
| 120V, 60Hz only | North American hair dryer, travel kettle, travel iron | A converter above the device's wattage, or leave it at home |
| 230V, 50Hz only | UK or European single-voltage appliances | Nothing for voltage; the plug still needs an adapter |
Two things to skip: a voltage converter for a hair dryer (Chinese hotels almost always provide one at the front desk), and an unbranded power bank without 3C certification, which is a problem at the airport rather than at customs. For the full socket and voltage picture, see power plugs and voltage in China.
Season and region: what to add
China spans tropical Hainan and Siberian Harbin. Packing the same bag for both is the second most common mistake.
| Where and when | What changes |
|---|---|
| North China in winter Beijing, Harbin, Shanxi, December to February | Real winter: Harbin dips below −25°C. Down jacket, thermal base layers, hat, gloves, wool socks, and shoes with grip. Indoor heating is strong, so layers you can remove matter more than one heavy coat. |
| South China in summer Guangzhou, Shanghai, Hong Kong, June to September | Hot and humid, with typhoon season into autumn. Light quick-dry clothing, a compact umbrella, sandals, extra shirts, insect repellent. |
| Yunnan and the southwest all year | Big day-to-night temperature swings in a single day. Layers, a light jacket, rain shell. Kunming is mild year round; Shangri-La at 3,200m is not. |
| Tibet, Sichuan highlands, high-altitude Yunnan | Ultraviolet, not cold, is the story. SPF 50+, sunglasses, hat, lip balm, scarf for dusty wind. Some trips also want altitude medicine discussed with a doctor beforehand. |
| Hainan and the southern coast year round | Beach kit: swimwear, reef-safe sunscreen, sandals, a light cover-up. Winter is peak season and cooler than you expect in the evenings. |
| Silk Road and Xinjiang May to October | Dust, dry heat, enormous temperature spread between day and night. Scarf, lip balm, moisturiser, layers, a wide-brimmed hat. |
| Religious sites, any season | Something covering shoulders and knees. A scarf or sarong covers both and weighs nothing. |
Worth bringing from home
China is not short of shops. These are the specific things travellers report being unable to find in the version they wanted.
- Tampons in your preferred brand. Sanitary pads are everywhere; tampons are not, and the ones you find are rarely the type you use.
- Deodorant. Available but limited in range and strength compared with what you are used to.
- High-factor sunscreen. Sold locally, expensive when imported.
- Large clothing and shoe sizes. Local sizing runs smaller.
- Contact lens solution in your brand, and spare lenses.
- Any medication you take regularly, in its original packaging. Everything in the section above.
- Familiar snacks for children. Useful on long train legs when the dining car does not appeal.
Everything else, including toiletries, chargers, adapters, umbrellas and cheap clothing, is available in any Chinese city at prices below what you would pay at home.
Printable checklist
Print this page or press Ctrl/Cmd+P: the navigation and footers drop out and the list below fits on one sheet.
- Passport (six months validity)
- Paper copy plus phone photo
- Visa or visa-free eligibility checked
- Travel insurance policy number saved
- Hotel and train booking confirmations
- 200–500 yuan cash as backup
- Backup bank card, separate from the main one
- Plug adapter (type A / C to your plug)
- 250V-rated power strip
- Chargers and cables you actually use
- Charged power bank, 3C certified
- Phone with eSIM installed before departure
- Offline maps and translation app downloaded
- Regular medication, original packaging
- Doctor's letter for prescription items
- Basic first aid and painkillers
- Anti-diarrhoeal tablets
- Rehydration sachets
- Altitude medicine if discussed with a doctor
- Broken-in walking shoes
- Second pair of shoes
- Weather-appropriate layers
- Shoulder and knee cover for religious sites
- Hat and sunglasses
- Compact umbrella or rain shell
- Pocket tissues
- Hand sanitiser
- SPF 30+ sunscreen and lip balm
- Reusable water bottle
- Toiletries you are particular about
- Any preferred feminine hygiene products
- Snacks for children on long train legs
Documents and money
Power and electronics
Medicine
Clothing
Everyday
Frequently asked questions
What should I pack for China?
The ten that matter: passport with a copy, a plug adapter, a 250V power strip, a power bank, comfortable broken-in shoes, pocket tissues, hand sanitiser, your own medicines in original packaging with a doctor's note for prescriptions, sunscreen, and any toiletries you are particular about. Everything else is cheap and available in China.
What medication is banned in China?
ADHD stimulants such as Adderall and Ritalin are effectively prohibited. Cannabis and CBD in any form are illegal, including oils and gummies. Cold medicines containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine are restricted. Opioids and benzodiazepines need documentation and are limited. Insulin, inhalers, blood-pressure and thyroid medication are fine in personal quantities.
Can I bring a drone to China?
Only with serious preparation, and not to Beijing. Registration, activation and operation identification requirements apply to civil UAVs, and from 15 November 2026 drones, controllers and key parts cannot be brought into Beijing at all. For an ordinary sightseeing trip, leave it at home.
Do I need a power adapter for China?
Probably, and definitely from the UK, Ireland, Hong Kong or Singapore. Mainland China uses type A, C and I sockets at 220V and 50Hz. Most hotel sockets are combination sockets that take US, European and Chinese plugs. UK three-square-pin plugs fit nothing. Chargers rated 100-240V need the adapter only, not a converter.
What should I not bring to China?
Drones without registration, CBD or cannabis products, ADHD stimulant medication, large quantities of over-the-counter medicines, fresh fruit, meat and dairy, and anything containing ephedrine. Also skip a voltage converter for a 110V hair dryer — most Chinese hotels provide a hair dryer.
How much cash should I carry in China?
Very little. Alipay and WeChat Pay linked to a foreign card cover almost everything including street vendors. Carry 200-500 yuan for the rare cash-only stall. Bringing in more than 20,000 yuan or the equivalent of 5,000 US dollars requires a customs declaration.
Is it hard to buy basics in China?
No. Pharmacies, supermarkets and convenience stores are everywhere and cheap, and rail stations sell almost anything you forgot. The exceptions worth bringing from home are tampons in your brand, specific deodorant, high-factor sunscreen, and large clothing sizes.
What shoes should I bring?
Broken-in walking shoes and a second pair. The Forbidden City is a two-to-three-hour walk, Huangshan and Zhangjiajie are full hiking days, and city days routinely pass 15,000 steps. New shoes are the most common first-trip mistake.
Do I need to pack toilet paper?
Pack a few packets of tissues. Public toilets in stations, parks and older attractions frequently have no paper and no soap. Hotels provide both, so you need a pocket supply for the hours between them, not for the whole trip.
What is different about packing for Tibet or Yunnan?
Altitude and sun, not cold. Ultraviolet radiation is much stronger at 3,000 metres and above, with or without cloud cover, so bring SPF 50+, sunglasses, a hat and lip balm, and layer for large day-to-night temperature swings. For Tibet you also need a permit arranged in advance and, for foreign visitors, an organised tour.
Related reading
Compiled October 2026 from Chinese customs guidance, transport security rules and traveller reports, cross-checked against multiple sources. Customs rules and airline security screening change without much notice, and enforcement varies by port of entry: treat this as planning guidance, not as legal or medical advice. Check current requirements with your airline and with Chinese customs before you travel, and speak to a doctor about any prescription medicine you carry.