April 2019
Suzhou might seem like a small town if looked at on a map, but do not be mistaken. The city is of extreme cultural importance, filled with so many UNESCO heritage sights that the entire city is essentially a UNESCO sight. It is most famous for its abundance of classical gardens. In fact, it is the home to two of the four most famous classical gardens in all of China. The streets follow river canals and are lined with shops filled with handcrafted goods from jewelry to clothing to paintings. The whole city is beautiful and should not be missed by any visitor to Jiangsu Provence or Shanghai.
Suzhou itself is situated about 1 to 2 hours West of Shanghai and is easily accessible by train. There are a couple subway lines in the city center; however, it does not reach all the corners of the city nor all places of interest. I would recommend taking a taxi around if you are on a tight schedule (Didi is not so common, don’t waste your time waiting for one). Or, if you are like me, just walk up and down the canals for as far as your legs will take you to see what will come next.
When to Visit Suzhou
The first point is do not visit during a national holiday. Any and all national holiday trips are very crowded and exhausting. I made the mistake of visiting Suzhou during Tomb Sweeping Festival thinking everyone would be busy sweeping family members’ tombs. I was very wrong. For a small city, like Suzhou, you will feel like a cow pushed through a shoot as you walk down the alleyways and shopping streets. The gardens will be jam-packed with people.
The best time of the year to visit Suzhou is when all the gardens are in bloom (April to October). I visited during April, and it was a scorching weekend. But the gardens were beautiful and in full bloom by that time. My guess is that May would be the best month to visit to see all the flowers in bloom. It is important to take note of the weather in this area. The Southeast of China doesn’t really have a Springtime. It’s more like two weeks of mild weather in March and then it’s summer until October. And it’s an extremely humid place, so pack and dress accordingly.
How long to visit
If you are coming from Shanghai, I would stay for at least two days to explore and see the sights. I would even add on another 2 days to go visit some of the beautiful water towns that are nearby Suzhou (within an hour drive). Tongli has been on my list ever since I went. It is really close to Suzhou (30 minutes) and is still an authentic water town that locals live in. It is not commercialized and claims to be very relaxing. However, there are countless other water towns to visit, so make an effort to choose one and have a unique experience.
What to do in Suzhou
Seeing as the city is famous for classical gardens, you should visit the classical gardens. I am only going to talk about the gardens I visited, but there are 8 classical gardens in Suzhou. Please keep in mind that all the gardens have entrance fees ranging from 40 to 100 RMB, not including transportation fees to arrive. Be sure to have plenty of cash on hand when visiting.
I tried to visit the top four, I accomplished the following three:
The Humble Administrator’s Garden (Zhou Zheng Yuan)
This is one of the most honored classical gardens in the whole country, and it should not be missed by any visitor. It is incredibly large (52,000 sq. meters or 12.85 acres). It was once a private garden to a government servant in the sixteenth century who was (as you can imagine) humble.
There are many different sections, and there is more to see other than gardens. There are pavilions and living quarters on the site filled with ornated furniture and decor. Also, there is a museum dedicated to the classical gardens just South that can also be visited.
While this was not my favorite, it was certainly impressive. It was very crowded, and I think that detracted from the overall experience. I would like to return during a non-holiday and have a quieter experience.
For more information about the Humble Administrator’s Garden visit here to find details, such as which buses to take or maps.
Lion Grove Garden (Shizilin)
This was a strikingly different garden than the previous. It was first built in the fourteenth century by some Buddhist Monks. The garden is filled with bizarre rocks that looked like lions at the time it was constructed. Now, you can imagine after 6 or so centuries, they no longer look the same, but the idea is still there.
I think this was the most unusual area I visited due to its influence from Zen Buddhism. But I really enjoyed the uniqueness. It was definitely worth going to.
Visit here for more info on this garden, such as how to get there.
Tiger Hill (aka Surging Sea Hill)
This was my absolute favorite sight to visit the whole time in Suzhou. Some parts of the area are over 2,500 years old, and it is just a privilege to be able to look at the beauty you will find everywhere.
The total area covers 3.5 acres (14,100 sq meters). There are several sights within, such as The Tomb of King He Lu, Sword Testing Stone, and a Mountain Villa. But the star of the show is the Tiger Hill Pagoda (Huqiu Tower). It will probably be the first thing you see when entering the grounds. All the paths are landscaped to perfection. It feels like a dream to walk around, look around, look up and always find new beauty greeting you. It was a magical place for me, and I would go back just to revisit this garden for the day.
Do not for any reason miss going to this place if you go to Suzhou. Be sure to take a bus since it is far away from the rest of the city and you probably won’t find a taxi to take you back once you are there. For more info visit here.
For a non-classical garden experience visit Shangtang street
This is the perfect nighttime activity. The street is ancient (just like everything else in the town). It is lined with food vendors, shops, archways extending over the canal so you can go back and forth or have a perfect photoshoot. It was a really nice evening activity, and once it gets dark everything is illuminated with lantern lights that reflect off the water. You can even take a boat down the river canal for an extra special experience. Be sure the main strip is very commercialized, but it is worth visiting.
I actually took the liberty of walking aimlessly along the river to get away from the hoards of people. It was a great choice because I finally found peace and some shade. It was also nice to admire the beautiful architecture along the river and find little vendors for snacking while watching the boats float. It was a perfect afternoon.
Take Away:
Just go to Suzhou. You can branch out and visit the other smaller floating towns and further enrich your experience in China as I mentioned before. I urge anyone who wants to go to Shanghai to make an effort and see the smaller city life of China. It’s well worth your time. In fact, if you are going to Shanghai, just directly spend all your time in Suzhou because it is superior on every level.
If you found this post interesting please leave a like! Also check out my other posts related to travel in China to get more ideas for your next vacation to the far East.
Adra Writes 
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