Looks like they had a great time back home.

If you're visiting Suzhou for the first time, I've got a lot of tips and insights as a local. You can pretty much cover all the best parts of Suzhou in just 1-3 days.

First, let's talk about Suzhou’s geography. It consists of six districts and four county-level cities (as shown in image 7). Most tourists focus on the six main districts, particularly Gusu, Xiangcheng, Hugu, and Industrial Park (these four are the most popular), along with Wuzhong and Wujiang.

Gusu District alone contains around 80% of Suzhou’s must-see attractions. If you only have 1-2 days, concentrating on Gusu will give you a great taste of Suzhou (check out image 2 for recommended spots).

Suzhou has three main types of attractions:

1. Classical Gardens: Located mainly in the old city (image 3). Must-visits include the Humble Administrator's Garden and Liu Garden.
2. Water Towns: Spread across different areas (image 4). The top picks are Tongli (closest by metro), Zhouzhuang (famous for its stunning night views), and Luzhi (less crowded with hand-rowed boats).
3. Historic Streets: Pingjiang Road (great for daytime strolls), Shantang Street (perfect for evening walks and photos), and Guanqian Street (lots of snacks and shopping options).

For the gardens, here’s a breakdown:

• Best overall: Humble Administrator's Garden and Liu Garden.
• Less crowded: Huqiu Mountain and its smaller gardens.
• Best for photography: Liu Garden and Tuisi Garden.
• Great for portraits: Canglang Pavilion and Liu Garden.
• Romantic couples spot: Ouyuan Garden.
• Unique rock formations: Lion Grove Garden.
• Night views: Humble Administrator's Garden and Wangshi Garden.
• Autumn scenery: Artistic Garden and Liu Garden.
• Flower viewing: Artistic Garden, Humble Administrator's Garden, and Liu Garden.

For water towns:

Tongli is the easiest to reach by public transport, while Zhouzhuang offers the best experience if you’re driving. Other towns like Mudu and Guangfu are less essential for short visits.

Historic streets:

• Pingjiang Road: Ideal for leisurely daytime walks.
• Shantang Street: Stunning at night, perfect for taking pictures.
• Guanqian Street: A bustling urban street filled with local snacks.

Suggested itineraries:

One day: Humble Administrator's Garden → Suzhou Museum → Pingjiang Road → Guanqian Street → Shantang Street.
Two days: Day one includes the above plus Suzhou University if time allows. Day two: Huqiu Mountain → Hanshan Temple → Xiyuan Temple → Liu Garden → Shantang Street.
Three days: Add one of the water towns, with Tongli being the top choice, followed by Zhouzhuang or Luzhi.

Remember, Suzhou is rich in culture and history, so take your time to enjoy it!

I heard the Japanese yen has depreciated a lot recently. If I buy a camera lens for around 6000 RMB, would it be worth it, considering the costs of shipping and taxes?

Come to Shaoxing for a bamboo shoot digging experience. It's great for photos and cooling off. Afterward, enjoy making zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), bamboo tube rice, and digging for small potatoes at a local farmhouse. Check my profile for real photos.

Saved this! I'll check it out myself in August. Hope it won't be too hot, haha!

Tiger Hill far from downtown? I'm speechless! Line 6️⃣ takes you directly there.

So, so beautiful!!! Definitely going tomorrow!

So it's outsiders ripping off other outsiders, and then they ask us locals what we think? How about we just watch – standing, sitting, or lying down, take your pick.

But most of the things you mentioned—the delicious food, architecture, Western-style villas, cultural and creative products, etc.—are predominantly found within the old city area.

How small are the populations of Japan and South Korea? They're already experiencing negative population growth. If they didn't provide these benefits, their countries might not even exist anymore! What on earth are you talking about? Go study some sociology and economics.

Hey sis, would you recommend the South China Botanical Garden right now?

It wasn't like it poured non-stop the first two days. Yesterday was actually really sunny! The rain really only started this afternoon.

Wow, this person's homepage is packed with so many fun and beautiful spots in Guangzhou! It's amazing.

I've been in Beijing for six years too. My advice: when you get to Beijing, go to the Forbidden City to 'announce' your arrival – let the ancestors know you're here (pay your respects). Then, when you have some free time, visit Tanzhe Temple. I'm serious about this.

Wow, after giving birth to my baby for the first time, I went on a trip with some friends for "Mom's Liberation Day" travel! Just want to relax and have fun.

️ Flight Information:

• Departure from Xiamen to Hangzhou: Friday night 22:25-00:20
• Return Flight from Hangzhou to Xiamen: Monday evening 19:35-21:25

Accommodations:

• We stayed at the Light Home Hotel located near West Lake in Hangzhou, which is a fine location.

My Trip Itinerary, Feel Free to Refer to It!

Day 1 ️ Enjoying the Scenery Along the Canal

• Our route: Wulin Pier → Da Dou Lu Historic Cultural Street → Xiaohe Zhi Jie → Umbrella Museum → Ancheng Bridge & Hangzhou Grand Canal Museum
  • 🧡 We first took a boat tour of the Grand Canal from Wulin Pier. The Grand Canal in Hangzhou is the longest artificial canal in the world and is very historically significant!
    • Note: Be sure to check the ferry schedule before your trip! On Saturday morning, it was quite crowded. We found ourselves waiting at Wulin Pier, with the fares starting at $0.45 (CNY 3) per boat for a direct ferry; a one-day pass is $3 (CNY 20) for unlimited rides. Unfortunately, we missed out on taking the cheaper direct ferry, so we ended up taking the more expensive one-day pass instead.
  • 🧡 Our original plan was to disembark at Ancheng Bridge, but we were attracted by Da Dou Lu's historical atmosphere as it had fewer crowds and less commercial flavor. We liked Da Dou Lu more and ended up skipping the planned attractions for a leisurely exploration.

Day 2 ️ Classic West Lake Tour, Walk Until My Legs Were Shaky!

• Our route: Park Dock → Three Pools Mirroring the Moon → Flower Harbor Dock → Leifeng Tower → Broken Bridge and Snow → Hulinin77 Shopping Mall
  • 🧡 Searching for "West Lake Boat Ride-Park Dock" is a good start. A combo of tickets for boat ride and admission will cost about $10 (CNY 70). We took a boat to “Three Pools Mirroring the Moon,” which is an artificial island.
    • Tip: Don't forget to bring a $0.15 bill (CNY 1) with you! “Three Pools Mirroring the Moon” is printed on CNY 1 note's backside. Taking photos while referencing a paper currency creates quite a picture-perfect moment!
  • Rant: Although Xiaoh River Street is surrounded by commercial goods, it’s crowded with people. It wasn’t much fun walking around there.

Day 3 ️ Temple Blessings and Unexpected Surprises

• Our route: Lingyin Temple → Fahxi Temple → Kerry Center
  • 🧡 Very famous for its temple incense and visitors.
    • Key Reminder: Regardless whether you visit during the weekend or after 8 AM on weekdays, when you take a taxi to Lingyin Temple, please set the destination as "[Ground Parking lot of Linlin Road 32]." It’s usually forbidden for private cars to enter the area of the temple. Get off at the parking lot and then transfer to a shuttle bus which costs $0.3 (CNY 2) per person.
  • 🧡 After leaving Lingyin Temple, there is an option to take an观光电瓶车 for $1.5 (CNY 10), taking you to Fahxi Temple.
  • 🧡 After some exploration in Fahxi Temple, we decided to head for Kerry Center (shopping mall).
  • Disappointment: Despite being recommended as the ‘Deity Escape from Suffering’ coffee, it was too diluted and not worth mentioning; I wouldn't recommend it.

Hangzhou Travel Tips # Two-and-a-half Day Hangzhou Trip # Fahxi Temple # Lingyin Temple # Hangzhou Travel # West Lake Route

To see the plum blossoms.

Hangzhou isn't for ordinary people. You're not its target demographic.

I'm planning to move out.

You should ask them to let you rest in the executive lounge, or leave your luggage with them and go out and enjoy yourselves.

Just shamelessly ripping off tourists.