Plan: Head to spa area, drop luggage at reception (ask for storage — don't check in yet), then eat breakfast + explore city until noon.

💡 Tips: Buy a 深圳通 (Shēnzhèn Tōng) transit card at airport metro station — works on all metro/bus, saves buying tickets each time. Or use Alipay/WeChat mini-program for QR code entry. Early morning metro is quiet — no rush.

Why noon check-in: 12pm in = 12pm out next day. Get lunch, dinner, sleep AND breakfast — max value from 24h package.

💡 Tips: 向西村 area has tons of small street food stalls — just follow locals. Breakfast spots open from ~6am. Don't eat too much — save appetite for spa food later. Keep luggage light, you'll be walking.

Free: PS5 · Switch · Xbox · Arcade · Pool table · Movie area · 20+ fruits · 30+ drinks · Sauna · Hot springs · Steam rooms
Monday = quiet! Weekday pricing cheaper, gaming areas mostly to yourselves.

💡 Tips: Book on Klook for ~HK$259-572 vs ¥445-560 walk-in — significant savings. Check Klook promo codes before buying. Bring your own slippers if picky. Lockers provided — keep valuables locked. In-house restaurants cost extra (¥100-200/person) but the free fruit/snack bar is generous. Charge your phone fully — outlets at rest pods.

Has: PS5, arcade, KTV, pool table, mahjong, e-sports. Häagen-Dazs unlimited.

Has: Hot springs, sauna, free fruits + ice cream, 40 massage chairs with TVs. No gaming. More rest-focused.

💡 Tips: Check in early if possible — you have WePack in the afternoon. Leave heavy luggage at hotel, carry only business essentials to expo. Hotel is near 桥头站 Line 11 — direct line to expo area.

💡 Tips: Pre-register FREE at wepack-expo.com for your badge — skip the on-site queue. Download the WePack app for hall maps and exhibitor search. Venue is massive (50万㎡) — wear comfortable shoes, bring water and a portable charger. Food courts on 3F of each pavilion are decent but overpriced — eat before or after. Bring extra business cards and a small backpack for brochures/samples.

💡 Tips: Book Ferris wheel tickets on Klook or KKday for discount — cheaper than walk-up. Best time: arrive ~5:30pm for golden hour photos, ride at sunset ~6:30pm. Tuesday = weekday, much fewer crowds than weekends. The promenade is free to walk — no ticket needed for the waterfront area. Restaurants here are pricier than average — eating at the 大排档 nearby is better value.

💡 Tips: Arrive right at 8am opening — popular chain, fills fast. No reservation needed on weekday mornings. Order the 烧鹅腿肠粉 first — it sells out. Use Dianping (大众点评) app to check wait times before going.

💡 Tips: Day 2 strategy: visit halls you missed yesterday, follow up with contacts from Day 1. Take photos of booth numbers and scan QR codes — easier than collecting business cards. Last day is usually less crowded as some exhibitors start packing up early afternoon. Late-night dinner options (德宝辉 till 2am, 潮荣 till 3am) are perfect after a long expo day.

💡 Tips: Buy tickets on 12306 app or Trip.com 1-2 days in advance — weekday trains usually available but preferred times sell out. You'll need your passport to buy and board. Shenzhen North → Guangzhou South is cheapest (~¥75 2nd class). Arrive at station 30 min before departure — security + ID check takes time.

💡 Tips: Haizhu district is old Guangzhou — lots of street food and local life. 沙园市场 is one metro stop away (沙园站 Line 8) — massive cheap market worth visiting for morning groceries, snacks, and herb shopping. See Food Guide → Local Markets section.

💡 Tips: Airport to hotel: Metro Line 3 from 机场南站 → transfer to Line 8 at 昌岗站 → 凤凰新村站 (~1.5 hours, ~¥9). Or take taxi/DiDi (~¥150-200, ~45 min). Late arrival = taxi is better. Have hotel address in Chinese on phone to show driver.

💡 Tips: Register FREE at cantonfair.org.cn before arrival — first-timers must collect Buyer Badge at registration hall (arrives early, 30-60 min queue on busy days). Venue is 1.55 million㎡ — plan your target halls using the Canton Fair app (exhibitor search by product category). Phase 1 (Apr 15-19) covers electronics, vehicles, lighting, building materials. Bring business cards, portable charger, comfortable shoes. Avoid the main entrance rush at 9am — enter from side gates. Food courts inside are overpriced — eat nearby at Pazhou restaurants (see options above).

💡 Tips: Buy train tickets in advance on 12306/Trip.com. 广州南站 is huge — allow 20 min to navigate from metro to departure hall. Saturday morning trains are busier — book early. Keep luggage manageable for metro transfers.

💡 Tips: Futian is central Shenzhen — well connected to everything. 水围村 right next door is an old urban village with cheap street food and local markets. 福田农批市场 (梅景站 Line 9) is 15 min by metro — big wholesale market for fruits, herbs, snacks. See Food Guide → Local Markets section.

💡 Tips — 华强北: ⚠️ Check quality carefully — not all products genuine, especially "branded" items. No international warranty on most items. Bargaining expected at smaller stalls but fixed prices at larger shops. Compare prices between floors/shops before buying. Best for: cables, phone accessories, drones, gadgets, LED lights. Avoid: branded phones/laptops (likely counterfeit). Use cash or WeChat Pay.

💡 Tips — 万象城/CoCo Park: These are legit malls — no bargaining, fixed prices. CoCo Park has better dining options. Saturday = busy but manageable. Both are near 购物公园站 (Shopping Park Station) Line 1.

💡 Tips: Book tickets on Klook for discount vs walk-up price. Go early morning for clearest views — haze builds up by afternoon. Takes about 1 hour total. 116F observation deck has 360° views of Shenzhen + Hong Kong on clear days. Bring ID/passport — required for entry. Gift shop at the top is overpriced.

💡 Tips: Free entry, open 6:00-22:30. Walk up from south gate (少年宫站) — ~15-20 min gentle climb to summit for Deng Xiaoping statue. Late afternoon = best lighting for photos. Popular kite-flying spot — buy a cheap kite from vendors at the base if Joshua wants one. Bring water — no shops at the top. Sunday = busy but it's a big park.

💡 Tips: Free entry. 13km coastal promenade — you don't need to walk it all. Sunset ~6:30pm in April — arrive by 6pm for best photos. Sunset Platform is busiest 5-7pm. Bikes available for rent via app (Meituan/Hello Bike) but not allowed in mangrove section. Bring sunscreen — paths are mostly unshaded. Hong Kong skyline visible across the bay. Sunday evenings are crowded — go earlier.

💡 Tips: Free entry. Converted old factory warehouses — very photogenic with street art and murals. Weekends have creative flea markets, but Monday (your visit day) is quieter — better for photos. Specialty coffee shops here are excellent. Split into North + South zones — South zone has more cafes and galleries. Allow 1.5-2 hours to explore.

💡 Tips: Free entry. 1,600 years of history mixed with trendy food streets — very Instagram-friendly. Monday = much quieter than weekends (which get packed). Best explored on foot — the narrow alleys are the charm. Creative restaurants and milk tea shops inside. Early morning or late afternoon for best light. Allow 1.5-2 hours.

💡 Tips: Free entry. Musical fountain show at 7pm nightly — worth timing your visit around this. Minghua ship recently reopened (end of 2025) as a shopping mall — free to enter. Waterfront restaurants are pricier — walk a block inland for better value. Close to Shekou Ferry Terminal if you ever want to do a day trip to HK/Macau. Monday evening = chill vibes, not crowded.

💡 Tips: Last morning in Shenzhen — visit 福田农批市场 (梅景站 Line 9, Exit C) for cheap fruits, herbs, and snacks to bring to Guangzhou. Or sleep in and pack. Check out by noon usually.

⚠️ Arrive by 6pm! Very popular, expect queues. Go early to avoid long waits.

💡 Tips: On Dianping "必吃榜" (must-eat list). No reservation — walk-in only. ~¥31/person average. Seats fill by 5:30pm on weekdays, earlier on weekends. Tuesday = slightly less insane. While waiting, explore 北京路步行街 — ancient road with glass floor showing 2,000-year-old ruins underneath. Also check out 永盈茶餐厅 on the same street (惠福东路) for HK-style milk tea after dinner.

💡 Tips: Second visit — focus on remaining halls and finalize contacts. Grab product samples and catalogs. This is Phase 2 (Apr 23-27): consumer goods, gifts, home decor — different from Phase 1. Use WeChat to add suppliers on the spot — easier than exchanging cards. Take photos of everything with price tags visible. Last-day exhibitors may offer better deals to clear samples.

💡 Tips: Book DiDi/taxi the night before — 4:45am pickups can be hard to find. Pack bags the night before. Keep passports, boarding passes, and phone charger in hand luggage. Check-in luggage weight limit for China Southern: 23kg/person for economy.

⚠️ Tight schedule! Must eat fast (30 min max) and leave by 5:50 AM to reach T2 by ~6:10 AM. Only attempt if everyone is up and ready early. Skip if running late.

💡 Tips: Arrive at CAN airport T2 by 6:30 AM latest for international check-in. China Southern uses T2. Duty-free shop has good prices on Chinese tea, snacks, and liquor — worth a quick browse if time allows. Refund any remaining transit card balance at the airport metro station service counter.