Notes from my trip to Guangzhou and the Canton Fair

I recently spent a few days in Guangzhou along with two full days at the Canton Fair (Phase 3). It turned out to be a fascinating, challenging and at times surprising experience. These are my notes for anyone thinking about visiting Guangzhou—whether for business, sourcing or simply curiosity about the world’s largest trade ecosystem.

Digital Access: The First Big Hurdle

The most unexpected challenge was accessing even basic online tools. Google, Google Maps, TripAdvisor, Amaps and WeChat (for Indian numbers) simply don’t work. The VPNs I tried were unreliable on hotel and public WiFi, working one minute and failing the next. The only thing that consistently worked was my Indian roaming plan, which let me use email, WhatsApp and most websites without needing a VPN at all.

This also made pre-trip research surprisingly difficult. With the usual platforms blocked, I ended up piecing together information from Reddit threads and a handful of scattered blogs. It was enough to get by, but nowhere near the level of detail you’d get when planning most other international trips.

Payments and Getting Around

Payments were easier than expected. I managed to link my Indian American Express card to Alipay without any issue, and from that moment onward, life became much simpler. Alipay is accepted everywhere—street vendors, small shops, restaurants, taxis, you name it. I barely used cash.

For transport, Didi was excellent. It was efficient, clean and significantly cheaper than Uber or Ola in India. Most 15–20 minute rides cost around 12–15 RMB. Drivers didn’t speak English at all, but the in-app auto-translate feature made messaging straightforward. What stood out to me was how advanced the local automotive ecosystem is. In central Guangzhou, nearly every car on the road was a Chinese-made EV. German luxury cars still have a presence, but more as status symbols. Japanese, Korean and American cars were almost invisible. Once we travelled outside the main city, EV density dropped, which hints that range anxiety exists even in China despite its strong charging network.

The Canton Fair: Scale Beyond Imagination

The Canton Fair is unlike anything I’ve ever attended. I walked close to 20,000 steps each day and still only managed to cover around 20% of Phase 3. The scale is overwhelming, and it hits you the moment you enter.

Phase 3 is largely dominated by commodity products—stationery, toys, luggage, household goods—and for each product category, there aren’t just 4–5 suppliers but sometimes 40–50 of them. It is a deep dive into China’s manufacturing engine. Only a very small fraction of exhibitors showcased something genuinely unique. The most interesting area for me was healthcare and medical devices, particularly the innovations in geriatric care.

One of the more unusual exhibits was robotic legs that visitors could try on, rent or buy. They were incredibly cool to test, but the technology still feels early-stage. I would estimate they provide about 10% assistance in their current form—promising, but a couple of product cycles away from real mass-market utility.

Food: A Pleasant Surprise (After Some Effort)

Finding vegetarian food required patience and some trial and error. Most restaurants simply don’t cater to vegetarian preferences, and communicating dietary restrictions isn’t easy. But once we figured out where to look, the food turned out to be excellent. Interestingly, the best vegetarian meals were in non-Chinese restaurants—Thai and Mexican were particularly reliable, and Italian places had enough options to make a proper meal. Three out of the four meals we had were genuinely outstanding. You just need to know where to go.

Two Cities in One

Guangzhou feels like two entirely different worlds depending on where you are.In the new town—especially the financial district—the city is modern, clean and almost futuristic. Tall glass buildings, wide manicured sidewalks, malls, restaurants and a general sense of order. It reminded me a lot of Dubai.

Outside that pocket, the city transforms completely. The streets feel more like Bangkok: dense, messy, full of small shops selling everything under the sun, hawkers everywhere, and electric scooters dominating the footpaths. It’s chaotic, crowded and full of character.

The overall infrastructure is impressive. Roads are smooth, signage is clear, public areas are constantly cleaned and maintained. Despite this, traffic can be a real issue during peak hours. Even with excellent roads and a huge metro network, congestion is part of daily life.

The Language Barrier

The lack of English everywhere—including in five-star hotels—was one of the biggest surprises. Most locals cannot communicate even basic phrases in English. A translation app is mandatory for even the simplest conversation, whether it's ordering food or giving instructions to a driver. It’s manageable, but definitely takes getting used to.

Final Thoughts

China left me with a mixed but memorable impression. Some areas are astonishingly advanced—especially technology, payments, infrastructure and the push towards EVs. Other aspects clearly show that it’s still a developing country.

The Canton Fair itself is worth experiencing at least once for anyone involved in sourcing, retail or manufacturing. It gives an unfiltered view of the scale, speed and ambition of China’s production ecosystem.

Overall, it was an eye-opening trip that challenged a lot of assumptions and gave me a far clearer understanding of how the market truly operates.