Suzhou: Better Think Thrice.
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Well, my three-day trip to Suzhou was nothing more than just okay – super mediocre indeed! The sheer number of people ruined my mood!
Thumbs Up For:
- Píngtán (评弹)! This is a special form of storytelling performance accompanied by pipa music that is intrinsic to Suzhou. The way the performer narrates in the soft Wu dialect (which sounds particularly gentle), is truly amazing! However, I do feel that people have this tendency of following the trend, and that famous artist’s performance might not be the only one worth seeing. As a spectator who can barely make out what is going on, it doesn’t necessarily have to be that particular performance.
- Suzhou Museum (West)! I was simply stunned by the Suzhou embroidery (a style of embroidery widely known in Suzhou). I couldn’t believe it was绣出来的！It was so beautiful with extremely vivid colors!
- Xiyuan Temple (西园寺)! The scenery there was really beautiful! For just five yuan, it’s well worth it! Inside the temple, there are lots of cats and pigeons as well!
Heads Up! Things to Watch Out For:
- Humble Administrator's Garden (拙政园)!
- Warning: Overcrowded! I paid 80 yuan for this ticket and ended up seeing nothing but a sea of people. It was almost unbearable to move around with so many people around – simply unbelievable! This pain can only be understood when you go through it once!
- I totally regretted going there! Like me, probably not everyone is able to appreciate such a famous garden (one of the most classic gardens in Suzhou), especially after being surrounded by so many people that you didn’t get to see what the garden looked like at all. Right from the moment I entered the garden with the eighty-yuan ticket, I felt a deep regret for spending that money!
- Shopping experience!
- Warning: Beware of scams! You might get swindled out of your money when you aren’t careful!
- For instance, at one store, they said the items cost 100 yuan per jin (which is a common weight unit used in China, and 1 jin = 0.5 kg). Then without even being asked, they started packaging stuff for me! I was really dumbfounded since I didn’t say anything – no purchase here! It was obviously a strong-arm sales tactic, wasn’t it? Did it written on my face that I’m a fool??
- Warning: Beware of scams! You might get swindled out of your money when you aren’t careful!
- Tips: When buying something, make sure you are assertive and clear about how much you want. If anything feels wrong, just walk out! Don’t give in to the scams, and regret it later!
The biggest takeaway from my trip is seeing this unbelievable number of people! Every bank of every river seemed to have streams of human beings along with them!
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As a Suzhou local, I have to give your guide a big thumbs up!
For food, Guanqian Street is the place to be. If you're craving crab roe noodles, head to Li Bai Xie. For authentic Suzhou cuisine, Tanhua or Zhenzhu Restaurant are great choices. You'll also find Yaba Shengjian (pan-fried pork buns) and Lu Gao Jian (braised meat) there. Fengmen Hengjie is actually a wet market, but it has a wonderfully lively, local atmosphere. The sunset at Jinji Lake is beautiful – try watching it from Renzi Bridge. 
I personally avoid Pingjiang Road and Shantang Street; they're just overrun with people these days. The Suzhou Museum is incredibly popular and tough to book right now. If you really can't get a reservation, the Imperial Kiln Gold Brick Museum is a decent alternative. This is just my personal opinion, for your reference. -
I feel like I've seen you in several comment sections.
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I went to Tongli Ancient Town. The Tuisi Garden there is gorgeous, and it wasn't crowded at all.
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It's so much more comfortable with fewer people! I went in the evening.
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Haha, I was at the Lingering Garden, and it was fine for me.
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You made a smart choice!!! I was originally planning to go to the Lingering Garden too; guides say the less crowded gardens are just as beautiful. But my younger brother insisted, 'How can you come to Suzhou and NOT visit the Humble Administrator's Garden?' Sigh, I really should have stuck to my guns.
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DON'T! BUY! ANYTHING! AT! TOURIST! SPOTS! It's the same all over China – definitely avoid buying things at scenic attractions.
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Heads up!!! Etch this in your mind!!!
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I knew the Humble Administrator's Garden was expensive and crowded, so I chose Yi Garden instead. It's smaller, the ticket is 15 yuan, and there are fewer people. They're all gardens anyway, and I don't really like wandering around huge places.
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Exactly! That's the spirit! My heart aches for my 80 yuan all over again.
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Are two days enough for Suzhou? I'm planning to spend two days in Nanjing first.
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Two days in Nanjing is good; the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall and Niushou Mountain are worth visiting. As for Suzhou, one day is enough. If it were me, I'd do a garden in the morning, a museum in the afternoon, and enjoy Pipa Pingtan (storytelling with Pipa music) in the evening.
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A pastry shop on Pingjiang Road was selling six small pieces of osmanthus cake for 40 yuan...
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That's totally outrageous, treating tourists like easy money! Maybe these are a rare treat for people from northern China, but for us southerners, they're just ordinary pastries.
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Any good food recommendations, sis?
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That one's pretty good; every guide seems to recommend it. I forgot the name, something like '... Yuan,' I think. Yaba Shengjian (pan-fried pork buns) is also worth trying. Other crab roe noodle places are decent too.
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We're planning to visit around the 23rd of this month. Will it still be very crowded?
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Haha, incredibly crowded.
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May I ask how you got around to the sights? I'm wondering if I should rent an electric scooter.