The Best Map App For Travelling In China
Using maps in China has always been a bit tricky. It is hard to find good, up- to-date maps which show you English and Chinese.
Google Maps is used pretty much everywhere in the world, but for China, it isn’t reliable. For starters, you will need to use a VPN every time you use it (like all Google services in China) - see this post for more info. As Google is technically banned, the information on Google maps just isn’t all that accurate.
My advice would be, don’t waste your time with Google Maps.
If you have an I-Phone then Apple Maps is pretty accurate at getting you where you need to be, but the most comprehensive maps are Chinese map apps. Up until recently they were only available in Chinese. Don’t worry though, Amap (also called Gaode Maps/高德地图) has released an English language version and it is a game changer. This will be the best and most up-to-date map app for travelling in China.
It might seem a bit intimidating at first but don’t worry I am here to help!
Downloading and setting up
First things first to use Amap you need to download it to your phone. Search for Amap in your normal app store and install it. Once it is downloaded you will need to allow location access for it to work
Changing the language
When you enter the app you will notice it is all in Chinese. Don’t panic, you can change it to English. I have found two ways to do this.
If you have an Iphone:
1. Go to your phone settings app (the silver cog)
2. Scroll down to apps
3. Search for Amap
4. Language settings – Change to English and restart the app.
If you don’t have an iPhone you will need to do this on the app. You can take screenshots and use a translation app to help you or use the guide below.
1. At the bottom right click on the person.
2. Then find the bolt at the top right.
3. Click on the 6th option down ‘general’ (通用)
4. Scroll down to the bottom, 3rd option from the bottom is language (语言设置)
5. Change from Chinese to English
6. Restart the app and it should be in English.
How to use
The English interface has a lot less options than the Chinese one so it is pretty simple. You can search for locations in English or in Chinese characters by pasting the address or Chinese name.
You can save locations by using the star/favourites function so they are easier to find when using the map.
You can search for directions to places and Amap will suggest different routes of how to get there by using a car, public transport or walking.
It shows real-time traffic updates so you can see which route will be the best.
You can change the map view to be 3D so you can get a better understanding of the city. This will be particularly helpful in a city like Chongqing which has a very mountainous terrain.
You can click on sites, restaurants and cafés and it will show you more about them. This information is translated by AI so it may not be 100% accurate but it will give you real views and opinions from people with photos – kind of like Tripadvisor.
Top tips:
Change the language and have a play with the app before your trip so you know how to use it.
When planning your trip, use Amap to find places you want to visit in the cities you are heading to. Star/favourite these sites for you to come back to when you are in the city.
Use it to pre plan how long it will take you to get from location to location so you can plan your itinerary in that city.
Find restaurants near places you want to visit so you have some ideas of where to eat when you arrive in that city.
When walking around a city use the favourites button to come back to places that you want to try in case you forget where they are.
It has been so hard for me to recommend good map apps in the past, especially if people don’t have an I-phone but Amap will really elevate your trip to China. This really is the best map app for anyone heading there.
If you need help planning your trip then get in touch I can help you.