Field Guides

Field guides for the planning decisions that shape the whole trip.

Start with transport, connectivity, and entry. These are the topics that determine whether the rest of the itinerary feels smooth, improvised, or unnecessarily stressful.

Currently Live

Start with the topics that reduce the most trip friction.

Browse destinations
A white high-speed train standing at a platform in China
Transport9 min read

High-Speed Rail: Navigating the Middle Kingdom

A first-principles guide to when rail wins, how to choose class, and what matters on station day.

TransportBookingFirst Trip
A traveler setting up connectivity on a smartphone before departure
Essentials8 min read

Connectivity: Staying Online in China

What to set up before departure, what actually matters on arrival day, and how to avoid getting stranded without maps, payments, or messages.

ConnectivityeSIM
Travel documents arranged neatly on a desk before an international trip
Essentials11 min read

The Gateway Guide: Visas & Entry

A composable entry guide for understanding your lane, carrying the right packet, and arriving without paperwork chaos.

EntryVisas
A causeway crossing West Lake with the Hangzhou hills behind it
Itinerary3 min read

One Day in Hangzhou

A single-day shape for Hangzhou that covers the lake properly and adds one hill branch, without pretending the city fits into one afternoon.

HangzhouOne day