I looked around the Web but still can’t figure all out.
When I go to China, Nordvpn does not work?
Can I access messenger, instagram apps etc or are they not accessible at all?
Or can I access them but I’m breaking the law and somehow being monitored?
Basically if it’s owned by Facebook or Google it won’t work, and most VPNs won’t work either.
I found Microsoft to be the best option for communicating with the outside world, Hotmail, teams, bing etc… all work.
The easiest way to access blocked sites is with a sim card from say Hong Kong, where they don’t have the great firewall (some of these will be advertised as being a VPN when in reality its just the location). Otherwise LetsVPN for me was the most reliable in China.
Using either of these solutions you will have basically no issue accessing any site/app (although the speed might not be great with the VPN)
I can’t believe you can’t find the answers to this on Reddit and online. Search VPN here or on r/Chinalife and it gets posted about almost daily. Recommendations and experiences found easily in other posts. Tons of blog, website, Instagram posts about what’s blocked by the great firewall as well.
As other comment says, Microsoft stuff less likely to be blocked. Google/Facebook etc all blocked so you need a vpn to access. VPNs technically illegal but they don’t care about you going on whatsapp or insta.
I’m in Guang Zhou right now and with Astrill VPN I can access everything - Google, Facebook, Reddit, etc
E-sim from airola works to access internet. Check their rates.
LetsVPN works most of the time. Sometimes goes down for a few minutes and then works again.
Ive been in china for two weeks.
Nordvpn doesnt work.
Ive been using a chinese sim card with a phone nunber and data plan + letsvpn most of the time.
E sim with small data plan as a backup.
If you try to access Facebook in China without a vpn your only punishment will be slow internet loading icons before being told those webpages cannot load.
Highly recommend that you purchase a Chinese SIM card (with a Chinese number + Data Plan) & LetsVPN. A lot of the services there require a Chinese number &/or Chinese ID so having a number would save you from a lot of inconvenience.
Here’s the simple answer: don’t count on any foreign website or app to work over the internet, especially if it in any way relies on Google services for advertising or that pesky ReCapcha hoop that many websites make you jump through. Even Microsoft’s Hotmail struggles to load off a Chinese IP address nowadays. (The connection fails more often than not.)
A VPN like Nord might work well one day and be blocked over the course of the next several days. Expect to have a very difficult time connecting whenever there’s a high profile event - especially when the CCP celebrates it’s takeover of the country during the first week of October.
you can use eSIMs from Roamify or Airalo.
Thank you all for the comments. Getting around in china really is hard without speaking, reading and writing mandarin.
Living in China as I do…astrill works fine 90% of the time.
Will you be able to access Microsoft /outlook in China?
On wifi? Is that a paid vpn?
In the same boat for 15 years in China. Ok I have the benefit that my wife is local 
yes I could access it fine.
ya I’m using local wifi. and yes Astrill is a paid VPN.
I have a USA sim card with a roaming international plan with AT&T, so when I use 4G everything is accessible as well.
>paid
of course. if you cannot afford $5 a month for letsvpn or even $30 for astrill you should reconsider travelling
with all due respect how the fuck did you go fifteen years without picking up on enough Chinese to get around
I have been in china for maybe 3 years all time and do not study mandarin outside of immersion when I go there and I’m probably a high b1/low b2 level
How do you find the AT&T roaming in China? I’ve used it in various countries and the speed does fluctuate.