Will Google Maps and WhatsApp work in Guangdong?

Many China travel eSIMs route data internationally, so blocked apps like Google Maps and WhatsApp often work without a VPN. It's still wise to install a backup VPN before you fly, in case you need it.

Can I use it for the high-speed train to Hong Kong?

The eSIM works throughout Guangdong, including Guangzhou South station, but coverage may stop at the Hong Kong border. Check whether your plan lists Hong Kong separately before relying on data across the boundary.

Guangdong eSIM.

Name: Guangdong travel eSIM
Brand: My Holiday SIM

Stay online across the Pearl River Delta, from Canton Tower to Shenzhen's tech skyline.

from $2.59/day · unlimited dataAll of China →

Unlimited data5G where availableInstant QR by emailKeep your number

1 · How many days?

10 daysOther:days

2 · How much data?

3GBBest pricevalid 15 days$7.60$0.76/day

Cheapest plan covering your trip: 3GB, valid 15 days.

Travellers (one eSIM each)

1 × 3GB (valid 15 days) · 10-day trip$7.60

Good to know in Guangdong

Guangdong borders Hong Kong and Macau, but a mainland China eSIM usually won't cover them - if you're crossing to either, check whether your plan includes them or buy separate data.

Best time to visit Guangdong

October to December brings warm, dry days and clear skies - far more comfortable than the humid, typhoon-prone summer months.

Two simple ways to buy

Guangdong eSIM plans: unlimited, or by the GB.

Every Guangdong eSIM from My Holiday SIM is one of two straightforward types. Pick whichever fits how you travel in Guangdong — you can always top up or switch on your next trip.

Traveller streaming and browsing freely on an unlimited-data travel eSIM

Unlimited plans

High-speed data, nothing to count

Priced per day — the longer you stay, the better the daily rate. Ideal for streaming, hotspot and longer trips where you'd rather not watch a data meter. A fair-use policy keeps speeds fast for everyone; see each plan for the detail.

Best for streaming, video calls & hotspot
Great for longer or open-ended trips
One price per day — no GB anxiety

By-the-GB plans

3GB10GB20GB

A set bundle, brilliant value

A fixed data allowance (say 3 GB or 10 GB) valid for your travel days. The best-value pick for lighter trips built around maps, messaging and a bit of browsing. Running low? Top up in a couple of taps — nothing to reinstall.

Best value for lighter, shorter trips
Clear allowance — pay only for what you need
Top up any time from your phone

Compare plans →Not every destination has both types — the picker shows what's available where you're headed.

Plan your data

How much data do you need in Guangdong?

A rough, honest guide to sizing your Guangdong eSIM so you're not guessing. Most travellers in Guangdong are comfortable on 3–5 GB a week — heavy streamers just go Unlimited.

Traveller checking maps and messages on her phone using a My Holiday SIM eSIM

Not sure? Start with a 5 GB plan — you can top up in seconds if you run low.

Light

~1 GB / week

Maps, messaging & email

Google Maps, WhatsApp, email and the odd search. Plenty for a city break where you mostly need directions.

Suits 1–3 GB plans

Balanced

3–5 GB / week

Everyday holiday use

Everything above plus social scrolling, music, cloud photo backups and a little video. Where most travellers land.

Suits 5–10 GB plans

Guangdong eSIM: your local data guide.

Guangdong packs China's most frenetic megacities into one province, and you'll want data at every turn - hailing a DiDi through Guangzhou's Tianhe district, scanning a metro QR in Shenzhen, or navigating the Cantonese food stalls of Shamian Island. A Guangdong eSIM keeps maps, translation and mobile payments live from the moment you land at Baiyun.

One eSIM for Guangdong and all of China. It's the national China eSIM — from $2.59/day with unlimited data, working the same in Guangdong as it does the moment you leave it.

Landing at Guangzhou - Baiyun International (CAN)?

Install the QR at home, then switch the eSIM on as you taxi in — you're online before you reach the arrivals hall.

Guangdong eSIM pricingbest-value plan · per day

Days

Per day

Total

Saving

3 days1GB

$0.67

$2.00

—

5 days1GB

$0.40

$2.00

−40%

7 days1GB

$0.29

$2.00

−57%

10 days3GBPopular

$0.76

$7.60

—

15 days3GB

$0.51

$7.60

−24%

30 days3GB

$0.35

$10.42

−48%

Each trip length shows the best-value plan that covers it. Total always shown before you pay.

eSIM vs the old ways in Guangdong

eSIM

ROAMING

AIRPORT SIM

Data allowance

Unlimited

Usually capped

Rarely unlimited

Price known upfront

Prepaid

Billed after

Varies at the desk

Ready when you land

Instantly

After the queue

Keep WhatsApp number

SIM swapped

Guangdong eSIM from $2.59/day — the whole bill, agreed before you fly.

Across the region

Where you'll lean on data in Guangdong.

Shamian Island

Colonial-era streets and riverside cafes where 4G is quick for uploading photos and translating dim sum menus.

Shenzhen (Nanshan & OCT)

Dense 5G across the tech district keeps ride-hailing, hotspotting and mobile payments instant.

Kaiping Diaolou

Out among the UNESCO watchtowers and paddy fields, 4G holds up well enough for maps between the villages.

Chaozhou Old Town

The teahouses and Guangji Bridge get steady data for navigation and posting as you wander.

The practical bit

Getting around Guangdong on your eSIM.

Apps you'll want online in Guangdong

DiDi— China's dominant ride-hailing app - book taxis and private cars across Guangzhou and Shenzhen.
Amap (Gaode Maps)— The most accurate mapping and transit app for navigating the Pearl River Delta.
Alipay— Super-app for QR payments, metro tickets and even in-app translation almost everywhere.
Guangzhou Metro— Official app for the city's huge subway network, with QR-code entry and route planning.

How long to stay in Guangdong

Most travellers spend three to five days in Guangdong, enough to pair Guangzhou's food scene with a day or two of Shenzhen's modern attractions.

How much data for Guangdong

Reach for a balanced 3-5 GB plan for a few days of maps, DiDi rides and mobile payments; go Unlimited if you'll stream or hotspot a laptop across the delta's cities.

Coverage in Guangdong

5G blankets Guangzhou, Shenzhen and the delta's urban core, while service naturally thins in the rural hills around Kaiping and Chaozhou's outlying villages, though 4G still reaches most towns.

Where you're headed

Discover Guangdong.

Illuminated skyscrapers of Guangzhou reflecting on the water under a night sky.

Dazzling city skyline illuminated at night showcasing modern skyscrapers and a Ferris wheel.

A vibrant view of Guangzhou's illuminated skyline reflecting over the Pearl River at night.

Stunning night view of Guangzhou skyline featuring illuminated buildings and bridge reflections on the river.

Cities in Guangdong

Zoom in on Guangdong.

Guangzhou eSIM Shenzhen eSIM

How to activate your Guangdong eSIM.

Full installation guide →

A traveller happily planning her next trip with a map and phone

Buy your plan

Choose your days — the QR code arrives by email in seconds.

A traveller installing her eSIM from the sofa in two minutes

Install at home

Scan the QR on Wi-Fi before you fly. About two minutes, no app needed.

Friends laughing together while packing for a holiday

Fly relaxed

Nothing counts down yet — your days start only at first connection.

A joyful family reunion at the airport arrivals hall

Switch on in Guangdong

Turn the line on when you land. Connected before baggage claim.

New to eSIM in Guangdong?

What is a Guangdong eSIM?

A Guangdong eSIM is a digital SIM that's already built into your phone. Scan one QR code and a local Guangdong data plan installs alongside your home SIM — no plastic, no tray tool, no swap. Your number and WhatsApp stay exactly where they are.

✓ 2-minute install✓ Keep your number✓ Works on phones from 2018+

How eSIM works →Check my phone

A traveller with a backpack smiling at her phone — online abroad with My Holiday SIM

Connected · 5G

Home SIM · calls & WhatsAppHoliday eSIM · unlimited data

30-day refund promiseUnused, uninstalled eSIM? Full refund, no questions.

The price is the billPrepaid and final — roaming charges can't happen.

Days start when you landInstall early with zero pressure; counting begins at first connection.

Humans, 24/7Real people answer, before, during and after the trip.

Why travellers choose My Holiday SIM for Guangdong.

Instant eSIM deliveryQR code in your inbox seconds after checkout — even at the departure gate.

No physical SIMNothing to collect, lose or poke out with a paperclip. Your home SIM stays put.

Keep your WhatsApp numberData flows through us; WhatsApp stays on your home number. Family always reaches you.

A traveller at the departure gate, eSIM ready on her phone

eSIM ready in ~2 minutes

No bill shock, everOne clear price before you fly. Roaming charges simply can't happen.

Secure paymentsCards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal and Klarna — encrypted end to end.

Real human supportReal people — before, during and after your trip. Live chat and email, no bots. Easy top-ups too.

Coverage in China.

5G where available, fast 4G everywhere else

Connected · 5G

Your eSIM joins China's partner networks automatically — no settings to choose, no manual network hunting. If signal drops in a remote spot, toggling Airplane Mode for a few seconds forces a fresh connection.

China Mobile
China Unicom
China Telecom

Popular places covered

BeijingShanghaiXi'anChengduGuilinHangzhouGuangzhouShenzhen

Keep data roaming ON for the eSIM line only — that's the switch travel eSIMs use, and it never adds charges on our plans.

Trusted networks, honest numbers.

No invented star ratings behind your Guangdong eSIM — just the numbers we actually stand behind.

Friendly globe with location pins — coverage on every continent

My Holiday SIMSTAY CONNECTED. ANYWHERE.

200+

destinations — every continent covered

regions covered by a single regional eSIM

~2 min

typical install — QR to connected

Live

chat & email support

Before you fly

Guangdong eSIM questions, answered.

Yes. It's a single national China eSIM, so it roams on the same networks right across Guangdong - Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Foshan and the wider Pearl River Delta - on one plan with no need to switch.

Your Guangdong eSIM glossary.

eSIMA SIM built into your phone's hardware. Plans install onto it digitally — no plastic card involved.

QR profileThe code we email you. Scanning it downloads your holiday plan onto the eSIM. One scan per device.

Data roaming (the switch)The toggle travel eSIMs use to join partner networks abroad. On our plans it never adds charges — keep it ON for the eSIM, OFF for your home SIM.

Hotspot / tetheringSharing your phone's data with laptops and tablets. Included on our plans wherever networks allow.

Top-upExtra days added to a live plan from your account. They append to the end — nothing overlaps.

First connectionThe moment your eSIM first joins a network at the destination — that's when your days start counting, not before.

Travelling wider in China?