6 Things To Do in Suzhou, China
It’s been several months since this trip, but I’m missing my number one Canadian travel companion so here it is! (Please come to Malaysia!) I was headed to Beijing to teach kindergarten for the summer and he was in Hong Kong visiting family, so we decided to meet in the middle and do as much as possible in the Shanghai area in the week of time we had—and we couldn’t have been happier to have added Suzhou.
Suzhou, pronounced su-jo, could be done as a day trip from Shanghai as it is easily accessible by a 45 minute train from the Hangqiao Railway Station, but we enjoyed having two nights and a full day in this “living postcard.” (Travel tip: “standing” seats on the train are about $5 and you can sit on your bag). We came in pretty late at night (beautiful!) and were still able to find our way to our centrally located hotel from the Suzhou North station on foot: the city is extremely walkable. Here’s six things we loved during our short stay in Suzhou!
1. Get Lost in the Alleys and Canals
Suzhou is the "Venice of the East," so get ready for gorgeous canals and alleyways at every turn! It is an ancient city, founded in 514 BC, so walking the cobblestone streets alone is worth the trip out of bustling Shanghai. Shantang Street is the most famous, and has all kinds of shops and street food to try along the way.
2. Visit the Humble Administrator’s Garden
One of Suzhou's biggest attractions! Built in 1513, this Classical Chinese garden attracts hosts of tourists everyday. While we ended up enjoying the less crowded gardens more (also: garden fatigue is real) this one was worth the short walk, yuan and 3 hours of time! Take as many pictures as you can, peoplewatch and avoid the ducks.
3. Stop by Smaller Gardens and Attractions
Our favorite part of the trip! After seeing the main attractions, we skipped the famous Master of the Nets and Lingering Gardens to wander and see where our tourist map from the hotel would take us. We found active Buddhist temples, pagodas and small, beautiful gardens as we took our time around the city!
Our favorite stop was the twin pagodas, pictured above. These smaller tourist attractions also have much cheaper entrance fees (2-3 yuan) if budget is your priority!
4. Guanqian Street
Our hotel was located right off this fast paced shopping district, and it was great! If you're needing a break from serenity and gardens, head to this pedestrian street for booming K-Pop, bright lights and clothing stores for miles. There are also lots of cheaper food options in this area.
5. Tiger Hill
Tiger Hill is our number one recommendation: it has everything! Starring the seven story tall, leaning Cloud Rock Pagoda, this park also has miles of gardens, rivers, small pagodas, history and rock gardens to explore.
It was our first stop after we arrived late the night before, and after an easy 20 minute bus ride we spent over half the day here. Take a Leaning Tower of Pisa-esque picture and enjoy your stroll around the less-touristy, open air garden walks.
6. Try Chinese Cuisine
Thinking back to this first taste of China, I have to admit the enormous culture shock I experienced. It might have been because I had graduated college only the day before, but I found myself feeling extremely overwhelmed by the sights, smells and unfamiliar tastes of China! I joke with my friends now about how when I first received my Fulbright call about Malaysia (while I was in Suzhou), I was so overwhelmed that I could only think "not more time in Asia." Of course, since then I have fallen in love--squat toilets and all--but if you have only been to Western areas, be prepared to experience at least a little culture shock.
That being said, Suzhou is the place to experience actual Chinese culture! Shanghai is such an international city that walking along Jangling Street feels more like NYC: so if you want to experience "China" I would recommend heading out to Suzhou or Hangzhou (also close to Shanghai). And that includes food! Try your hand at chopsticks, noodles, dumplings and street food.
China can be jarring at first, but it is honestly one of the most beautiful, welcoming, ridiculous places I have ever been able to visit and live! I'll post more about Beijing and Shanghai soon.