For many overseas visitors, beyond the usual sightseeing checklist, "China Travel" is also a chance to see the future up close. From watching cars roll off automated production lines to interacting with humanoid robots and getting food delivered by drones, technology in Guangdong is something you can see, touch and experience. Here are some high-tech experiences worth adding to your itinerary.
XPENG AI Manufacturing Tour, Guangzhou & Zhaoqing (小鹏AI科技智造之旅)
XPENG opens three venues to the public for visits: its global headquarters in Guangzhou, along with its smart manufacturing bases in Guangzhou and Zhaoqing. At the global headquarters, visitors can explore the AI Mobility Experience Center, get up close with the IRON humanoid robot and step into the world's first flying car showroom, which showcases flying car prototypes from concept to production.
(Photo: XPENG)
For a closer look at smart manufacturing, head to the Guangzhou manufacturing base. Visitors can see AI-powered visual inspection and explore a dedicated flying-car production area. The Zhaoqing base focuses on mass production, and its automated lines produce models such as the MONA M03, with a new vehicle rolling off the line roughly every 120 seconds.
Admission: 100–120 yuan per person, depending on the site
Addresses:
XPENG Global Headquarters (小鹏全球总部): T2, No. 10 Fengzhuang Street, Cencun, Tianhe District, Guangzhou (广州市天河区岑村丰庄大街10号小鹏科技园北门T2)
XPENG Guangzhou Smart Manufacturing Base (小鹏汽车广州智造基地): No. 1 Pengxinghuan Street, Huangpu District, Guangzhou (广州市黄埔区鹏行环街1号)
XPENG Zhaoqing Smart Manufacturing Base (小鹏汽车肇庆智造基地): No. 33 Longhu Avenue, Zhaoqing National High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, Zhaoqing (肇庆市肇庆高新区龙湖大道33号)
Visiting hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00–17:30. For weekends and public holidays, please contact XPENG at 400-783-6688 in advance.
Reservation: Advance booking is required via the QR code.
Robot Block, Shenzhen (机器人街区)
Imagine walking down a street where robots make coffee, clean the pavement and perform on stage. That's Robot Block in Longgang, Shenzhen.
At the robot 6S store and AI 6S store, visitors can try a robotic gripper, a coffee-making robot and even a brain-controlled racing game. Along Robot Avenue, robots work alongside people in everyday settings, from coffee-making and cleaning to other smart devices. Visitors can also explore themed venues covering robot components, smart education, healthcare and smart homes, or watch a robot dance performance at the Robot Theatre. Grab a coffee made by a robot and see how AI and robotics are becoming part of everyday life.
(Photo: Shenzhen Longgang Fabu)
Opening hours: The block is open all day; individual venues follow on-site schedules
Address: Intersection of Wuhe Avenue and Yanan Road, Bantian Sub-district, Longgang District, Shenzhen (深圳市龙岗区坂田街道五和大道与雅南路交汇处)
INNO100, Shenzhen (INNO100全球创新旗舰店)
INNO100 features AI-powered guitars, laser engraving and cutting machines, smart aroma diffusers, flying cameras and other innovative hardware from around the world. The venue describes itself as Kickstarter's first authorized offline retail space in China.
(Photo: ShenzhenLOOK)
At a customization workstation equipped with popular DIY tools such as laser engravers and 3D printers, visitors can instantly personalize their purchases. The smart-home area also recreates future scenarios for AI-powered work, education, daily life and entertainment.
Opening hours: 10:00–22:00
Address: Level 1, North Pavilion, Shenzhen Bay Culture Square, Nanshan District, Shenzhen (深圳市南山区深圳湾文化广场北馆L1层)
Shenzhen parks: Drone delivery & AI-powered facilities
In Shenzhen, even ordering lunch can become part of the sightseeing experience. Drone-delivery routes are now available in many parks across the city. Some routes also operate at night, with food deliveries arriving in as few as 10 minutes.
(Photo: Urban Management and Law Enforcement Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality)
The parks also feature smart gyms, smart running tracks, phone-charging benches, smart shower rooms and other AI-powered facilities, offering visitors a glimpse of how technology is being woven into everyday urban life.
(Photo: Urban Management and Law Enforcement Bureau of Shenzhen Municipality)
Experience locations: Shenzhen Talent Park (深圳人才公园), Shenzhen Central Park (深圳中心公园), Lianhua Hill Park (莲花山公园), Bijia Mountain Sports Park (笔架山体育公园), etc.
XbotPark, Dongguan (XbotPark机器人基地)
XbotPark is a global startup incubator focusing on robotics and smart hardware. Visitors can see cleaning and logistics robots, prototypes under development and other robotics applications up close. The interactive area also allows visitors to operate a robotic arm and get hands-on experiences with intelligent manufacturing.
(Photo: Southcn.com)
Address: No. 11 Daxue Road, Songshan Lake Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone, Dongguan (东莞市松山湖园区大学路11号)
Hotline: 0769-2289 3329
Reservation: Group visits are currently available. Advance booking is required via the official QR code.
FAW-Volkswagen South China Base, Foshan (一汽大众华南基地)
For car fans and curious travelers alike, FAW-Volkswagen's base in Foshan offers a behind-the-scenes look at how cars are made. A two-hour visitor route covers stamping, body welding and final assembly. Inside the plant, automation rates approach 100 percent in the stamping and painting workshops, while around 1,000 robots operate in the welding section. A finished vehicle rolls off the assembly line roughly every minute, giving visitors a close-up look at how steel sheets become cars.
(Photo: Nanhai Fabu)
Opening hours: Monday–Friday, 8:30–17:00
Address: No. 1 Hongling 1st Road, Shishan Town, Nanhai District, Foshan (佛山市南海区狮山镇虹岭一路1号)
Reservation: Advance booking is required via the QR code. Individual visits must be booked 3–7 working days in advance; group visits must be booked 7 working days in advance.
Author | Huang Xinying
Poster | Lai Meiya
