As a local, I can't find anything to complain about with this! Suzhou is genuinely beautiful – the diverse food, scenic spots, and Suzhou Pingtan (storytelling with music) are all fantastic. Honestly, a two or three-day trip for tourists isn't nearly enough to see it all! Being a local, I love heading to Yangcheng Lake this season to just relax; it's super comfortable. And let's not forget, the famous Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs are from our Suzhou! Even local grandmas praise the steamed crabs – they're divine! If you have time, you absolutely have to visit, and check out Dongshan and Xishan (East and West Hills) too!!!

Aren't the endorsements issued by Taiwan? The entry permit for Taiwan is issued by the mainland.

Hold on, you guys don't clear your trays after eating at KFC or McDonald's????

Hahahahaha

This is what Shekou looks like today.

That's some next-level humblebragging, isn't it?

Come see the sunset!

We don't get weather this good anymore.

There's not much to be done. The number of motor vehicles and electric scooters has exploded in the past decade or so. The old road designs just can't handle this volume anymore; they're completely overloaded.

Same scam, same shop today. Luckily, I checked the reviews right after sitting down and got out of there.

Yeah, it's true that without a sea or a major river, it's tough to get a really stunning night view.

I'm a 'new' Shanghainese, own a house and car here. Applied as a family of three (we didn't bring our child). My job isn't great – private company, average income. Our combined annual income is 700k RMB before tax. And yet, a 'smooth' rejection.

Would an overcoat be okay, sis?

It's the same at Hanshan Temple; you can only get a physical ticket if you pay with cash.

I used to adore this temple. About ten years ago, I chanced upon it during a snowfall, and the Mudu Ancient Town at the foot of the mountain was lovely to explore too. However, on a later visit, the entire ascent was filled with blaring announcements about not burning incense and loud music. That tranquil Zen atmosphere was completely shattered.

The author should really look into the history of Lingyan Temple and the story behind its one-yuan entrance fee before commenting on whether it's commercialized. Honestly, for many Suzhou locals, including new residents, Lingyan Temple is much more than just a scenic spot for admiring ruins or views. We've never felt that 'imperial, high-and-mighty' attitude the article mentions. Quite the opposite, we see Lingyan Temple as incredibly down-to-earth and welcoming – a place where we can hike with family, enjoy a vegetarian meal, and burn incense during our free time. Many temples in Suzhou share this feeling; we've never found them to be commercialized.

Oh my goodness, overcrowding really affects the travel experience! Let me share with you my experiences in Hangzhou, hoping it'll be helpful to all of you, especially those who are not familiar with China.

1. We left Beijing and arrived in Hangzhou on Thursday evening. Just as we were heading for the accommodation near Prince Bay (a scenic spot near West Lake), we already felt the overwhelming crowds along the way. The traffic was extremely congested.
2. Early Friday morning, we headed to Prince Bay Park.
   • What a surprise! It was packed, full of people! Right on the day when elementary school students had their spring trip (organized by schools for students to have fun in spring), that scene was just as lively as a fair!
   • Everyone says the tulips at Prince Bay are just beautiful, but since we came from Beijing, where there are also popular places like the Botanical Garden or Zhongshan Park during spring to admire tulips, in all honesty, I didn't feel the "Woaahhh, absolutely stunning!" feeling when seeing them at Prince Bay.
   • Add to that, the sheer number of people, and I immediately had a feeling that this journey might go wrong.
3. We quickly departed from Prince Bay Park after spending less than one hour and continued on directly to West Lake.
   • As famous as it is, West Lake is Hangzhou's landmark lake. Although it was super crowded as well, thankfully, the lake is large enough so the scenery looks truly beautiful, better than Prince Bay Park.
   • Strongly recommended! We rented a small rowboat at Sudi (a famous long embankment of West Lake) and chose the route to reach Wuguitan (a serene part of West Lake waters).
     • For about two hours, the boat swayed, and as we went deeper, it got less and less crowded.
     • The newly grown leaves on each side formed an emerald-green reflection.
     • Occasionally, wild geese flew past, really interesting! Those two hours of boating were the highlight of our journey!
4. In the afternoon, looking for a place less crowded, we moved to Yanggongdi (another embankment on the shore of West Lake).
   • This decision was spot-on! Yanggongdi was much less crowded.
   • Compared with the grandeur seen at West Lake, the view might be less impressive in size, yet with many tall and lush green trees, plus some exceptionally serenely shaded trails, this feel attracted me more than cherry blossoms and peach blossoms. The sunset over West Lake in the late afternoon was also pretty cool.
5. Overall, the experience around West Lake was fairly enjoyable. But compared with Beijing, whose Fragrant Hill is an extremely renowned imperial garden with its Yanchun Lake inspired by West Lake, the novelty may be somewhat weakened when watching West Lake.
   • However! It's still very different between the climate of the North and South of China. To the Northern China (e.g., Beijing), the climate is drier, then southward to those areas like Hangzhou, the climate becomes much more humid. Like Wuguitan or Maogabu (Both belong to the greener, more unspoiled, less crowded areas of West Lake), that kind of landscape of water villages were rare to see in the North, and therefore, personally I'd prefer those less crowded, and relatively quieter activities around West Lake.
6. On the second morning, I visited Lingyinsi (a super famous temple in Hangzhou). My God, it was still overwhelmed with people!
   • Then we decided to avoid the crowds and head to the neighboring Yongfusi, where it was much less crowded and the scenery was nice too.
7. In the afternoon, I explored the Zhejiang Museum.
   • The museum is quite large, but the exhibits seemed insufficient, and even after viewing everything, the historical weight I imagined did not linger in my memory.

In summary:
Hangzhou was indeed a beautiful place with charming mountains and clear waters, suitable for living here for a while, wandering leisurely and appreciating the beauty and charm gradually. If merely visiting on weekend, this would be quite nice. However, like us, coming far away precisely to play, and coincidentally encountering peak tourist season, the experience would have been significantly compromised.

Specific reminder for foreign friends! (Travel Experience & Warning)

• Avoid peaks in crowds, the key!
  • Issue: During holidays such as Spring Festival for flower viewing, the summer holiday, National Day Golden Week, etc., the popular spots are swarming with people, greatly affecting your happiness and efficiency in sightseeing. Like my experience, the inconvenience due to traffic jams, queuing, and viewing crowds, can severely lessen the pleasure of sightseeing.
  • How to resolve:
    • Try avoiding peak periods: If possible, choose non-holiday or off-season dates.
    • Rising early: Mornings usually are less crowded in most attractions.
    • Finding alternatives: Instead of going to crowded but famous attractions, like shifting from crowded Lingyinsi, to the calmer Yongfusi, or choosing areas around West Lake other than the highly visited Duoluo Bridge, like the Yanggongdi or Wuguitan mentioned before. Get yourself prepared and search for local favorites or some rarely visited but good-looking spots beforehand.
• Regarding Chinese characteristic comparison:
  • Background: China is vast, with differences in natural landscapes and man-made landscapes between the South and North. Some northern tourists (like myself) might think southern scenes seem similar to Beijing's royal gardens, like the Fragrant Valley.
  • Suggestion: If you've visited similar tourism sites in other regions of China before, lower your expectations and immerse yourself in the unique atmosphere produced by the local climate, vegetation, and lifestyle. These details, like the foggy and mist-like waters, dense and flourishing trees in Hangzhou, which cannot be experienced in the dry climate of the North, would be a lot more interesting.
• Museum Visit Notice:
  • Reminder: Most cities have provincial museums, but their collection quality and features vary. Focus their collections on local history and culture. If there's a specific period of history or type of artifacts you're curious about, make sure to check what's highlighted in the museum's collections and special exhibition before your visit to avoid disappointment.

I hope these tips will help you! Next time, whether you avoid peak periods or opt for lesser-known, serene spots with beautiful sceneries, either should be a good choice!

Last night at 9:30 PM, I wanted to go to a salon to get my hair washed, but they were all closed—some by 8:00 PM, others by 9:00 PM! Meanwhile, in Xi'an at 9:00 PM, you can't even get a front-row spot for the musical fountain.

I just think it would be safer if there was a rope or barrier to guide the queue.

I feel like you'd be a great fit for Shanghai.