Plot Twist: Not Dali! It's SUZHOU – The Underrated Holiday Gem You're Totally Missing Out On!

[Ethel Morissette]

Wow! During the May Day holiday, I was in Dongshan, Suzhou. The weather was perfect — not too cold and not too hot, really comfortable!

I often say that Suzhou is always bustling with people, regardless of the season — there really isn’t a less busy period! But guess what? The scenery before me was hardly crowded and incredibly soothing! Dongshan is, in fact, a treasure peninsula on Lake Taihu, China's third-largest freshwater lake. It boasts the charm of a Southern Jiangnan water town with its small bridges over flowing waters and quaint villages, as well as picturesque lake views that rival those near Dali in Yunnan. Absolutely perfect for daydreaming and relaxing. I sincerely recommend everyone to come explore!

How to Get There:

• Drive yourself from downtown Suzhou. It will take about an hour.
• Use navigation to search for Dai Xin Wan Bus Station.
• ️ Parking:
  • There are numerous free parking spots along the lakeside road, which is quite convenient.

️ Important Notice:

• The sunlight reflecting off the lake has particularly strong UV rays, so do remember to apply sunscreen to avoid sunburn easily!

Here are some beautiful spots to take pictures:

• ️ Dai Xin Wan Bridge
  • This is called "Suzhou Little Kamakura". Why? Because the winding lakeside road, with the blue sky and white clouds in the background, the green mountains and a rainbow of houses spread across the hillside makes it feel like a Japanese anime scene. (Kamakura is a Japanese coastal city famous in anime.)
• ️ Feng Qi Bridge
  • Adjacent to Dai Xin Wan Bridge, this road has an S-shaped bend, and you can often see birds flying close by, making it ultra gorgeous!
• ️ Lu Hang Ancient Village
  • This is the ancestral home of an important official (prime minister) during the Ming dynasty (roughly between Anno Domini 1368-1644). The lanes twist and wind through this village, creating a unique atmosphere. Many ancient buildings dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties have been preserved and restored beautifully.
• ️ Qi Yuan Garden
  • This is the only Suzhou garden nestled against a mountain and looking out onto a lake! Three must-see places here include: the pier where Emperor Kangxi (a famous Chinese emperor) once used to land, a very old loquat tree, and an ancient well called "Liu Yi Well."

Local Delicious Food Recommendations:

• Try Diao Hua Lou Old Soup Noodles, sweet and sticky White Jade Square Cake
• And don't miss the three signature white-colored local delicacies from Lake Taihu—white fish, white shrimp, and silver fish. Local family-run restaurants beside the lake serve fresh-caught cuisine directly.

[Dr. Lance Glover]

Definitely avoid this bridge! On May 1st, while I was parked on the bridge taking photos, a local resident shot a hole in my car with an air gun. I was right next to it at the time, and I'm not even sure if they were aiming at me. I reported it to the police and gave a statement, but I haven't heard anything back since. I've consulted numerous paintless dent repair shops, and they all say the damage is too deep to be fully fixed that way; sheet metal repair would be incredibly expensive. Who's going to compensate for my car? Who's responsible for my safety being threatened like that? With this kind of tourist environment in Dongshan, who would even dare to go back?

[Barry Kuphal]

Amazing shots! Photo 10 is Area 3 of our workplace.

[Roosevelt Reynolds]

Wow, you guys get to work amidst such beautiful scenery!

[Lucia Feest]

So beautiful!

[Katrina Ziemann]

I heard you mistook Dongshan for Shandong.

[Mr. Ryan Hermann]

Where is this?

[Rafael Rau]

So pretty!

[Leslie Kunde]

Are people still having their car doors (or cars) damaged there? I want to go, but I'm a bit hesitant now.

[Ms. Thelma DuBuque-Rolfson]

Born in '83, 173cm, engineer at a foreign company, looking for a partner.

[Barry Kuphal]

Please remove the filter.

[Kelvin Shanahan DVM]

Taihu Lake is truly beautiful; take a look at what a friend shared below.

[Elsa Wyman]

Was this taken from an altitude of 500m? I'll have to go check it out myself someday.

[Reginald Ziemann]

No need for 500m! It's probably around 120m. Just use a telephoto lens for that S-curve.

[Jermaine Satterfield]

Besides the traffic jams, there aren't really any other downsides.

[Dr. Ruben Larkin MD]

When I went, it felt like there were very few people! It's a completely different level of crowdedness compared to downtown Suzhou.