The Real Scoop: What I *Actually* Spent in Suzhou

[Kevin Harris]

Hello! I share my genuine two-day weekend travel experience in Suzhou for anyone who is thinking about visiting there (by the way, I am from Wuhan).

• High-speed Train:
  • The high-speed train (railway) from Wuhan to Suzhou takes around four and a half hours, costing approximately 304 RMB per person. Our round trip cost for two people was 1216 RMB.
• Local Transportation in Suzhou:
  • In the city of Suzhou, we mainly relied on taxi rides, costing us about 300 RMB.
• Accommodation:
  • Honestly, you can't help but notice that hotels in Suzhou on weekends are not cheap at all! We stayed in a homestay which cost us 529 RMB for two nights.
• Food and Beverages:
  • Main Meals:
    • We visited a restaurant named "Xiao Huan Xi" (roughly translated to Little Joy), sampling local Suzhou cuisine, which cost us 279 RMB for the two of us. (A little bit of knowledge: Suzhou cuisine, also called the "Su-style", is one of the famous cuisines in China; it typically has a sweet flavor and is very delicate in preparation.)
    • We also tried Suxin hotpot with a set menu for four, costing 400 RMB.
    • Tasted the famous hairy crab yellow noodle (a noodle dish made with crab meat and crab roe) with a set menu for four costing 243 RMB.
    • Aged with a local snack, Yama Shengjue (a type of crispy bottom small meat bun), which cost us 150 RMB for four people.
  • Relaxation:
    • We also experienced a massage, each costing 107 RMB.
  • Snacks:
    • Various sticky rice snacks (tender point heart pastries), Suzhou style mung bean soup (refreshes you in summertime), Xiyuan temple vegetable noodles (famous among vegetarians), Suzhou style noodles (noodles that usually have a hint of sweetness). Besides all that, we also had “Wutongbobo”, a popular tea blend from the city. These little snacks costed us approximately 300 RMB.
• ️ Sights to Visit:
  • Hutong Hill: One ticket costs 70 RMB. The site isn't very large and one visit including going up and down could be completed within half an hour. (Tip: There's a tilted tower in HuTong which is somewhat similar to the Piazza del Duomo in Italy.)
  • Zhuozheng Garden: Tickets costs 80 RMB. Zhuozheng Garden is impressively enormous! But on our day, the place was really crowded and we were unable to enjoy our visit well due to congestion.( Tip: Suzhou is recognized around the world for its beautiful classical gardens, and Zhuozheng Garden ranks among the most famous ones.)
  • Suzhou Museum: No need to buy tickets for this museum, but you must book online ahead of time(very crucial)! The museum and the garden are located right next to each other and you can plan your days around both of them.
  • Suzhou Cruise Ship: You can find these ships near the Museums or Gardens. I think it is worth it with a price tag of just 40RMB for an interesting 40-minute tour. With additional 5 yuan, you could even hear the singing from the ladies onboard who sing the local folk songs. Quite a water town essence!
• Shopping Streets:
  • We wandered the streets of Guanqian Street, Pingjiang Road, and Shantang Street.
  • Pingjiang Road: Perfect for taking pictures! Here you will find many shops that provide cheongsam changing services along with picture taking. (Tip: Pingiang Street is one of the well-preserved ancient streets which resembles the beauty of the water town.)
  • Guanqian Street: It feels like any typical commercial pedestrian street here selling clothing, memorabilia and local specialties.
  • Shantang Street: The commercial atmosphere is obvious here with lots of snacks. On our visit, the area was extremely crowded with even traffic police directing foot traffic live.
• ️Local Products for Sale:
  • We bought some Suzhou specialty food when we went home. Their pastries were made quite nicely; we had spent about 600 RMB on it along with souvenirs.
  • Suzhou silk is widely known, we bought silken scarves for both of my parents here; and casually bought some “Su Yan” (local brand cigarette).

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Important Takeaway and Suggestions for Foreign Guests:

• ️ Weather and Clothing: We visited in late May, it was already rather hot. If heading during summer, definitely take your sunscreen with you! Sleeping will surely require turning on the air conditioner at night.
• Spending: Honestly speaking, Suzhou is more expensive. Be prepared as the prices of hotels, food, and specialty items may exceed what you usually encounter in China.
• Flavors of the Dishes: The dishes here are mainly sweet. I am from Hubei, where my hometown’s cuisine tends to be salty and spicy, thus I wasn’t that comfortable with the sweetness here. Kindly ask the staff for help in finding dishes that suit you better if this too isn’t your kind of flavor.
• ‍️ Crowd Warning: It can be extremely populated specially at popular attractions especially weekends or Chinese Holidays. Places like Suzhou museum must be reserved earlier than needed, or else, there’s a possibility they might not be able to get in at all!
• ️ Cultural Background: Suzhou is widely known as “the paradise” (along with Hangzhou), famous for its breathtaking classical gardens and silks. A leisurely walk allows you to experience the essence that only Suzhou can offer!

[Courtney Hickle Jr.]

As a Hubei native working my tail off in Suzhou, I'm seriously struggling to get used to the local food.

[Dallas Durgan]

Everything's just so sweet, which really doesn't suit our Hubei palate.