Pingjiang Road? Hard Pass. THIS is Where You *Actually* Wanna Be.

[Leon O'Keefe]

Hello, friends visiting Suzhou, here are some of my real experiences and little tips that I hope can help you!

• First Day: Pan Gate District Lantern Festival

  • To be honest, I personally don't think this lantern festival is impressive enough to make a special trip for it.
  • If you're still a bit curious, you might consider taking the boat from the Bai Juyi Pier (a pier named after the famous poet Bai Juyi in Tang Dynasty). By doing so, the boat will pass through Pan Gate district, an important water-land gate of Suzhou's ancient city, enabling you to see the lantern festival incidentally. Speaking frankly, besides the center lanterns, which are okay, there really isn't much particular about this tour.

• Second evening: Pingjiang Road

  • This area has left me with an unsatisfactory experience. Pingjiang Road is a very popular old street along the river.
  • The road is particularly narrow, crowded with people, making the overall experiential feeling quite poor. The items sold by shops on both sides of the streets are overwhelmingly repetitive, moreover, these commodities do not represent any genuine Suzhou-themed souvenirs; they could be purchased at other tourist attractions.
  • Special reminder: If you walk around this street with elders and children, expecting to catch a taxi, you may be in for a shock! You might need to travel up and down the entire street to hail one. Should you ask the guards nearby, they would probably lead you through smaller side alleys that promise a better chance; however, they seem not only dark and narrow but also appear to be longer than they actually are, which makes them less safe.

• River cruise around Pingjiang Road

  • Pingjiang Road also goes along a small river. If you wish to try boating here, there is no apparent necessity.
  • The river and boats are quite dim, and it would be difficult to spot anything special during the night.

• Third day: Hanshan Temple

  • A strong recommendation! Hanshan Temple is a highly famous temple with a long history known globally by an ancient poem.
  • When we arrived, there were many visitors, but we could still accept it.
  • Tip: Feeding the Chinese carp (a kind of pretty fish) in Hanshan Temple pond may leave you disappointed. They usually swim around a coffee shop near the entrance pond, but you will have to go to a high pagoda nearby to buy some fish food. When we came here, most carp were lying in the bottom of the pond almost motionless, which may result in some disappointment when buying the fish food without an outcome.
  • Recommendation: Certainly try the vegetarian cuisine (Buddhist vegetarian meals) available in the temple’s monastery during the vegetarian meal hours. The servings are generous, and the prices are reasonable!
    • Particularly recommend "Spicy Chicken" (although it's called chicken, but that's only imitation, made with soy products), which is slightly spicy and enjoyed by kids; Buddhist vegetarian pork and taro cake are also quite delicious!
    • If the first floor is crowded, you might consider heading to the second floor, where people are much less likely to compete for seats. The tables are large round tables; if there are fewer people, you can try splitting the table with other visitors. Our waiters were rather friendly.
  • Sutra Writing Hall: Recommended!
    • There is a particularly tranquil atmosphere inside; visitors first need to wash their hands and then obtain a sutra (Buddhist scriptures), before sitting down at a spot they like and quietly copying them.
    • You can take away your self-written sutras to keep them as souvenir, alternatively, they can be deposited there, all for free.
  • Money-Saving Tip: There are refrigerator magnets being sold at a street nearby Hanshan Temple for only ten Chinese Yuan; very cheap! Similar ones could cost thirty-five to forty-eight RMB at other locations like Pingjiang Street; however, there may be fewer types available here.

• Suzhou Museum West Branch

  • Recommended! The entrance fee is free and no reservation needed in advance with ample room even during peak hours.

• Boat tour at Bai Juyi Pier

  • There are two boat tours being sold: Fifty Yuan and Eighty Yuan respectively. If you wish for a night view, the price increases for that time slot.
    • Tip: Should you opt for the final boat of the day at eighteen o'clock (six o'clock P.M.), the evening view starts then.
  • I chose an expensive boat ticket at eighty Yuan; it claims that they have special storytelling known as "Tai Ping" (a traditional musical drama performed), but it turned out not very exciting; not really recommended to choose the more expensive one purely due to the artistic value.

• Shantang Street

  • It is highly recommended here. If you need to come between Pingjiang Road and Seven-mile Shantang Street (full-length ancient road located near river with reported length of seven miles), I strongly recommend Seven-mile Shantang Street.
  • There is a hotel called “Scholar’s Mansion” within the area, which is characterized by high-end environment and quality accommodation service and delicious cuisine! Highly recommended!
  • We ordered plenty of dishes and thoroughly fill our stomachs by the time we left. It cost less than five hundred RMB, but we received an excellent meal with perfect hospitality. The server would actively offer their concern with the food and service, reaching even five-star standards like those described on Ctrip Travel Website!

I wish this tour tips can really contribute to your experience here and help you enjoy Suzhou most!

[Faye O'Conner]

Shantang Street has a nice night view, but it's just too short. You're out of the scenic area in no time. Pingjiang Road is about four times longer.

[Mr. Otis Schaefer]

Yeah, true. But I feel like many shops on Pingjiang Road sell pretty much the same things. If the weather's good, it's still nice for a stroll. I was with two kids and two elderly folks, so I was looking for something a bit less tiring.

[Ethel Morissette]

As a Suzhou local, I think your clickbait title is quite misleading. Pingjiang Road is much better for exploring than Shantang Street! When you explore Pingjiang Road, you're not just walking down one main street, but the entire block (from Dongbei Street in the north, Cang Street in the east, Pingjiang Road itself in the west, to Shiquan Street in the south). It's full of countless small streets and alleys perfect for a city walk. The scenery is definitely no less impressive than Shantang Street's, and it's much chicer and more relaxed.

[Byron Larkin]

Seriously, I'm from Guangdong, and Pingjiang Road is more than twice as good as Shantang Street.

[Misty Dare]

Got similar shots. Personally, I find Shantang Street way too crowded; the paths are narrow and difficult to navigate. While Pingjiang Road is also a commercial street, its paths are a bit wider, and there are some interesting shops. Between the two, I'd recommend Pingjiang Road.

[Guadalupe Barton]

Is it very crowded this season too?

[Kathryn Hermiston]

I'd recommend Pingjiang Road more; it's great for a city walk. I feel like people mostly go to Shantang Street for the night views. As for the shops, both places sell similar things, but I personally think the shops on Pingjiang Road are generally better.

[Misty Anderson DDS]

I'm a tourist, and I feel the same way.

[Kelley Balistreri]

Already joined a tour group for 80 RMB per person.

[Justin Zieme]

Do you really need a tour group to visit this place?

[Byron Larkin]

Excuse me, where is this?

[Colin Cronin]

Is it cold?

[Danielle Purdy-Weimann]

It should be alright today. The few days I was there, there was a cold snap, with temperatures from -4 to 3 degrees Celsius.

[Rafael Rau]

Hey, where were pictures 1, 2, and 3 taken?

[Beatrice Thiel]

Shantang Street

[Hugo Witting]

Where is that white wall in picture 17?

[Melody Jacobi]

Pingjiang Road

[Edith Friesen]

I think Pingjiang Road is definitely worth a stroll ! I used to live in Suzhou for a few months, and after dinner, I would often go for a walk around Pingjiang Road!