Didi offers taxi hailing, private car hiring and bike sharing too (Photo: Didi)
Didi Chuxing
Like most ride-hailing apps, Didi Chuxing (or just “Didi” to locals), shows you the estimated fare before you start your journey. Available in both Chinese and English, with a user interface similar to Malaysia’s Grab, it offers several ride options such as “Express” and “Luxe”. You will not even need to speak to your driver, since the pick-up location and drop-off destination are set. Should you have to make any changes, the system offers an instant translation function that allows you to type in English, but the response will be displayed in Chinese. Didi also appears as a mini programme under the Alipay app.
Although it serves mainly as an instant messaging service, WeChat — known as “the Swiss army knife of all Chinese mobile apps” — enables you to pay for your meals (it has a “Go Dutch” feature, so it is easy to split the bill among your friends) and pre-book museum visits, as most cultural centres and major tourism spots require prior registration. This cashless payment method is multilingual, too — just tap and “hold” the message for it to be translated into your preferred language.
Shanghai Pass
China’s Pearl of the Orient has released a multi-purpose prepaid travel card to facilitate easy payment for inbound travellers and visitors not in favour of mobile apps. With a maximum limit of RMB1,000 (RM650), it can be used in buses, subways, taxis as well as tourist attractions such as Shanghai Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai Museum and the Wild Animal Park. You can purchase and reload it at Hongqiao and Pudong airports, or major subway stops such as the People’s Square Station. The remaining balance in your card can be refunded when you leave the city.
Baidu Maps
Since Google Maps does not work in the country, your best bet would be downloading Baidu’s web mapping application, equipped with satellite imagery and street views (called “Panorama”). This travel essential, which also has a route planner that lists all your public transportation options, has rolled out its service in more than 150 countries worldwide, including a huge part of Europe. When you drop a pin at your intended destination, this personal navigator can pull up a cool/heat map to show congested areas you should avoid, especially during rush hour.
Da Zhong Dian Ping
If you are a frequent user of Google Reviews or Yelp, you will find the user-generated food recommendations on Da Zhong Dian Ping just as seamless. Covering more than 300 cities and over a million shops, this reliable dining app shortlists some of the best eats in town with the help of filters such as location proximity, budget and popularity (you can also make online reservations in select restaurants). The only downside is that the search result is available only in Chinese at the moment.
Lost Plate
Joining an organised tour has its perks, especially when you need to overcome language barriers in a foreign land. Established by husband-and-wife team Brian, a Portlander, and Ruixi, a Sichuanese, the website recommends off-the-radar and hole-in-the-wall restaurants for a curated local dining experience. Although Lost Plate started off in Xi’an, it has expanded to include other parts of China such as Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai, Suzhou and Yunnan, as well as different cities throughout Asia. Expect food expeditions such as a hutong breakfast tour or a multi-day wine and dine trip via Shangri-La and Yunnan’s Tibetan regions.
Fliggy
The online travel agency by Alibaba is a one-stop resource for booking exclusive destination experiences, discounted accommodation and on-the-ground transfers from your hotel to the airport. Armed with first-hand knowledge of the local scene, Fliggy has integrated with Alibaba’s ecosystem, allowing its one billion active users to access travel services across other popular platforms such as Taobao, Alipay, Amap, Lazada and DingTalk.
Ele.me
The leading on-demand delivery service Ele.me actually means “Are you hungry?” in Mandarin. Perfect on days when the weather refuses to cooperate or if you just want to stay in and order waimai (takeout), the app delivers not only your favourite meals but also drinks from a convenience store right to your doorstep. With just a simple scroll, purchasing medicine — albeit common ones to alleviate fever, flu or a cough — from a pharmacy is also possible.
This article first appeared on June 24, 2024 in The Edge Malaysia's 'Loong Report', which commemorates 50 years of Malaysia-China relations.
