While the deals are negotiated at the Canton Fair in Guangzhou, the actual products are almost certainly manufactured 60 kilometers away in Dongguan (东莞).
Historically known as the "Factory of the World," Dongguan is a sprawling industrial mega-city located squarely between Guangzhou and Shenzhen. If you are a serious international buyer, you cannot simply shake hands at the exhibition booth; you must travel to Dongguan to audit the factory floor.
Dongguan is not a centralized city with a distinct downtown; it is a massive collection of 28 specialized industrial "Towns" (镇). You must know exactly which town your supplier is in, as traveling between them can take hours.
Do not take a standard taxi from your Guangzhou hotel to Dongguan; it is extremely expensive and drivers may refuse to cross city lines.
The most efficient way to travel is the Guangzhou-Shenzhen Intercity Railway (Sui-Shen Intercity).
If you are placing a significant order, the factory boss will almost always send a private car (usually a black Buick GL8 minivan) to pick you up directly from your Guangzhou hotel or the Canton Fair complex. Take advantage of this. It guarantees you won't get lost in massive, unmarked industrial parks.
Visiting a Dongguan factory is exhausting. It is hot, loud, and physically demanding.
Q: Should I book a hotel in Dongguan? A: Only if you are spending multiple days auditing different factories in the same town. Dongguan has excellent five-star business hotels (like the Kande International or various Sheratons) that are surprisingly cheap compared to Guangzhou. However, if it is a single factory visit, it is much better to take the 45-minute train back to Guangzhou for better nightlife and dining.
Q: Can I walk between factories? A: Absolutely not. Dongguan's industrial parks are built on an inhuman, massive scale. The roads are filled with heavy transport trucks, and there are rarely sidewalks. You must rely on DiDi or your supplier's car to move between locations.