W A N D E R L U S T: SUZHOU 2019 (Part 2)

PLACES TO SEE IN SUZHOU

After 3 days in Shanghai, we took a railway train to Suzhou which was just an hour's ride. There were some hiccups in Suzhou but that were completely my fault. I had booked the wrong dates for our accommodation and even train to Beijing but thankfully those issues were easily resolved using money.

Always, always bring extra cash.

We were in Suzhou for 2D1N and we stayed in Hotel Soul. 100% recommend the hotel. It's located in the heart of the shopping district and is super near the railway station as well (2 stops away!) making our transit from Shanghai to Beijing hassle-free. The staff were really friendly as well :D

We visited The Humble Administrator's Garden on the first day. Extremely picturesque but extremely crowded. It doesn't show in the photos only because we mainly took photos at the more obscure areas. And that's how big the entire garden is!

The Humble Administrator's Garden is very well-maintained with various types of floral and fauna for you to appreciate.

However, if you're looking for somewhere quieter, a good alternative would be 角直 (Lu Zhi). This place was completely unknown to us before coming to Suzhou. We initially hired a cab to go Zhouzhuang, a famous water town, but en route the taxi driver dissuaded us so persistently that we decided to go where he suggested instead. He told us Zhouzhuang was way overpopulated and overpriced and recommended us another water town which wasn't as famous but didn't require any entrance fee.

We definitely had a relaxing stroll around the town without the hustle and bustle of tourists that day. Instead, there were local school excursions going on.

We bought that winter jacket in Suzhou lol.

The bridge was built during Qian Long's era.

I mean, seriously! We were so fortunate to have met such a nicer taxi driver who would recommend this hidden local gem.

We also visited 山塘街 (Shan Tang Jie), a shopping street designed using traditional architecture. It was jam-packed with tourists and we bought some local food products before calling it a day.

Umz, that's literally it. We didn't get to see much of Suzhou because of technically we only spent 1.5 days here. But it is extremely beautiful. After all, there's a Chinese saying that goes like this 上有天堂，下有苏杭。

To know about my days in Shanghai + survival tips you should know click here. Otherwise, it's onwards to Beijing!