The first shock for many visitors: open Google Maps in China and it is grey. This is not your phone - Google services are blocked by the Great Firewall. Here is what to use instead.

1. Why Google Maps does not work

Google Search, Maps, Gmail, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook are all inaccessible in mainland China. Do not try to use a VPN while driving - it is slow and the law discourages it. The simplest solution is to use a Chinese navigation app.

One Australian guest insisted on VPN+Google Maps and spent two hours circling Chengdu before messaging us for directions. Save yourself the trouble.

2. Recommended: Amap (Gaode)

Amap is the most popular Chinese navigation app, with fast updates for gas stations, chargers and parking. It has an English version called "Amap" on the App Store. Searching Chinese pinyin works better than English names. Baidu Maps is the alternative but its English interface is less friendly.

3. Setting the English interface

Download "Amap" from the App Store. Open it, tap "Me" (bottom right), tap the gear icon (Settings), find "Language" and select English. Restart the app.

4. Searching places

If English search fails, try: pinyin ("lijiang" not "Lijiang"), the hotel's English name, or ask us to send you the destination coordinates on WeChat - you long-press the map to save it. The easiest way: we send each day's hotel coordinates before you leave, and you tap to navigate.

5. Useful Amap features

  • Real-time traffic (red/green)
  • Speed camera warnings with voice
  • Gas station search with live prices
  • Parking lot locations and prices
  • Lane guidance near exits
  • Hotel and restaurant search with ratings

6. Download offline maps

Essential for western roads like G318 and G214 where signal drops in valleys. In Amap search "offline maps", select Yunnan/Sichuan/Tibet, download 200-500 MB per province. Navigation and speed camera warnings still work offline; only live traffic and search are offline-limited.

7. Other useful apps

WeChat (contact us, pay parking, scan gas), Alipay (backup payment), Trip.com (hotels and tickets), Dianping (restaurant ratings), 12306 (trains).

8. Phone signal on western roads

County towns have 4G on all three carriers. Mountain valleys may drop to 2G or no signal. Tunnels have no signal. Above 4,000 m signal is unstable. Download offline maps and tell us your daily stops.

9. We help at pickup

We check you have Amap installed, switch it to English, send your route coordinates, show you how to download offline maps, and save our WeChat. Message qxzj7557 with any navigation question on the road.