My Qingming Suzhou Post-Mortem

[Benjamin Dooley]

Hello everyone! I came back from Suzhou after some fun exploration and must share my true insights with you all!

Transportation:

• Taxi vs subway? That's a question!
  • In these two days, I alternated between taking the subway and using ride-hailing services.
  • Ride-Hailing (like Uber/Lyft): I think the cost of hailing a ride in Suzhou is pretty cheap, roughly ten RMB for about two kilometers. Also, the drivers are very well behaved and helpful, offering to help me carry my luggage; thumbs up!
  • Subway: Oh my goodness, it gets real crowded! Especially during the peak tourist season, the escalators could be swarming with people. The trains were noisy and I saw passengers arguing because of the crush. Tip: If you're like me, prefering not being squished or noisy surrounding or toting big pieces of luggage, hailing a ride might deliver a better experience at a higher price.

Accommodation:

• Location, location, location! Repeating this point three times is just how important it is!
  • The twin-bed room I booked costs a little over USD$17 per day, and the room itself was decent.
  • BUT: There's quite some noise outside the hotel which disturbs sleep. Another problem was that I mistakenly booked in Wuzhong District by mistake. This district is super far from both the Central Suzhou District and those famous gardens!
  • ️ Tip: People planning a trip to Suzhou, please take my advice - make sure to stay in Gusu District! Gusu District is the historic center of Suzhou; traveling anywhere from there will be easier and save much time!

Food:

• First try of Suzhou-style cuisine
  • It was rather unfortunate that I missed the must-try crablet noodle dish (Suzhou specialty).
  • However, on Pingjiang Road, a famous alley by a river, I tasted the slightly light Suzhou-style noodle and osmanthus cake, a sweet snack made of osmanthus flowers.
  • Personally, I felt that the flavor of the noodles could be too mild for some, and the cake was a bit dry.

Visit to the Suzhou Museum (abbr. "苏博"):

• Despite its fame, entering SuBo (Suzhou Museum) seems random and relies on a good connection.
  • It is famously designed by the master architect I.M. Pei and quite well-known.
  • Entering its main branch is really tough, at least for me, as I didn't manage to reserve seats ahead of time.
  • So I visited the West Branch, which is alright, but nothing outstanding. Missing it won't be a major loss if your time is tight.

Visit of the Humble Administrator's Garden:

• Crowds don't diminish its beauty
  • The Humble Administrator's Garden is one of China’s four classic gardens and, with such a great reputation, the place sees lots of visitors. See photos P5 to P6 for proof of the crowd. Luckily, entrance speed is reasonable without having to wait long.
  • ️ Tips and Advice:
    • Once inside, you should keep your phone map handy and avoid getting lost or missing landmark sights following the crowd.
    • If possible, book tickets beforehand during peak travel seasons! Otherwise, you may not get to enter or have to wait longer.
    • The ticket purchase time recommendations are more indicative, early arrival or late entry make no difference.
    • Beware of the tricycles by the gate: they would ask for absurdly high prices, like 10 RMBs for one kilometer and push things like noodle shop recommendations onto you.

Visit of the Pingjiang Road:

• A gap between expectation and reality?
  • It's an old street by a water town.
  • I recommend against choosing it. First, the street is so narrow and also teeming with crowds (see photos P7 to P8), just moving forward by being pushed by people. Second, the stores seem unremarkable, and many items could be found in other towns. It might not be worthwhile to go just to be crushed by the crowd.

Visit of Hanshan Temple:

• A tough trip to a holy site
  • Hanshan Temple is known worldwide because of the Tang Dynasty poet Zhang Ji's poem Night Anchored at Maples Bridge. However, getting here is challenging!
  • Traffic Warning: Taxis can't reach close to the temple due to traffic restrictions. I chose taking the subway to Xihuan Lu station and then transferred to a bus going to the scenic Maples Bridge Area (where Hanshan temple is). But at times, the subway was extremely crowded, waiting for the bus was terrible, and the ride itself got stuck in traffic for another half hour.
  • Once arriving Hanshan Temple, it was crowded too (see photos P13 to P14).

Visit of the Gate to the East:

• "Big tights" of the internet celebrity spot
  • It's a modern landmark where all are taking pictures for memento. But you will have to take the bus again after Hanshan Temple.
  • A Tip: There are no instructions directing which bus goes where at its station; find the right one and board it as early as possible (see photos P11 to P12).

I hope my long but honest reviews will help you avoid some pitfalls by giving you some insights into what to expect before embarking on a journey to Suzhou yourself. Despite the lengthiness of this article, these are my authentic experiences and hopefully they can be useful to you so you can enjoy the exploration in Suzhou!

[Dr. Wade Boyer]

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