Personally used this (trip.com link) in Hangzhou and Shanghai and worked flawlessly. This is much cheaper compared with Hotlink roaming. I believe is cheaper than other Malaysian telcos too.

I was in an identical situation as you: on Hotlink, roaming package was shit compared to wife's Digi/Celcom.

So I took the plunge with [Link:Trip.com's eSim] after reading about it on the message boards with an Alien logo.

The prices seems too good to be true. The similar package as you described above is only less than RM15 !

But it worked perfectly for me. I bought the 10 days - Total 20gb package and still cost less than Hotlink's roaming.

I used it in Hangzhou, Wuzhen and Shanghai. Can access all our usual apps, and also Alipay, Dianping, Gaode maps, etc etc.

Highly recommended.

True that. As I said, Gaode 搞得 Map, a.k.a. Amap.

Bro/gurl, I am agree-ing with you. Google Map is not useable in China.

Am recommended others to look for 高德 or Amap on the phone.
It was Gaode in English before they renamed it to Amap.

Doesn't hurt to call up the bank and tell them you are travelling.
It actually depends on the bank I believe. My parent's CIMB couldn't work but UOB can. My Maybank's does work as well.

But better safe than sorry. Just let them know / activate in the app.

Should be fine after verification in Alipay. Just make sure the Credit Card is usable.

Try refer to this link on trip.com. Maybe it helps ?

Personally, just last December I did use Gaode with just logging in via WeChat without binding to a phone number, but.... I just tried to log out and log back in, and it asked for a Chinese phone number

EDIT: FWIW, I could use Gaode/Amap without logging in. The navigation and searching seems to be still working. Only lacking would probably be the ehailing.

This post has been edited by chang3rd: Apr 21 2025, 11:33 AM

Bank of China account in Malaysia's debit card ? That would work ?
You have tried ?

Interesting... does it work like how a China debit card would ? As in, can we top up the Alipay/WeChat Pay ewallet with the BOC (Malaysia) debit card ?

never tried from shopee before but tried this trip.com's eSim before and it has access too google, whatsapp and our usual app.
Its much cheaper than our local telco's roaming too, but that is more convenient la..