Launched my first product as a solo dev: A survival kit for China travel

Hey Indie Hackers! 👋

I'm Gavin, a full-stack dev based in Asia.

I noticed a huge problem: Western travelers are flocking to China (thanks to the 144/240h visa-free policy), but they land in a "Digital Walled Garden".

• 🚫 Google Maps & WhatsApp are blocked.

• 🚫 Visa/Mastercards rarely work on the street.

• 🚫 They are digitally stranded.

So I built China Survival Kit to solve this. It's a directory, a toolset, and a guide wrapped in one.

🛠️ The "Bleeding Edge" Stack

I decided to use the latest tech to future-proof the project:

• Next.js 16 (App Router + Turbopack)

• React 19

• Tailwind CSS 4.x (Bento Grid + Glassmorphism)

• Framer Motion (smooth animations)

• TypeScript 5

• Polar.sh (for payments)

📦 What's inside the MVP?

• ✈️ Visa Checker: 10s check for 240h visa-free rules.

• 📍 Interactive Map: Custom Leaflet implementation (avoiding Google Maps API).

• 📱 App Directory: 300+ curated apps & attractions with Affiliate links.

• 🔥 15+ Free Tools: Currency converter, Allergy card generator, etc.

• 📝 MDX Blog: For programmatic SEO.

I'd love to hear your feedback on the Landing Page design & User Experience! Does the value proposition land instantly?

🔗 Live here: chinasurvivalkit.com

Cheers! 🍻