Suzhou (pronounced Sujo) is famous for its ancient gardens, canals, white Chinese style homes, and silk.
You can get here by train or bus from various other cities like Shanghai, Huangzhou, Nanjing the list goes on as the train and bus connections in China is pretty large and extensive. What was not available in last years Lonely Planet might be there now.
This city is hustling and bustling like many a city in China, but the canals, boats, little bridges and garden really make this really charming and something out of a pretty movie.
You can easily walk around the main garden area and take picture after picture. I guess that is why Marco Polo came here and thought this was the heaven of Asia. Indeed could be the Asian version of Amsterdam or Venice.
There are many gardens to choose from. The entry fee depends on the garden, but the main ones are Lion Grove which is 30RMB (yuan) a person. Humble Administrators Garden for 70RMB. Tiger Hill 60RMB.
It can be an idea to stay close by so that you can walk around to the gardens, but there are the usual tourist buying traps hehe
We are staying at Mingtown Youth Hostel for 40RMB each a night. You can get a private room for 160RMB. The hostel is charming and warm with very much the Chinese atmosphere with the structure. There is some great quiet hotels for about 600RMB which when you see the room is really great if you compare to EUR prices.
Great place to walk around and relax. So very pretty.
Ciao for now.
