Suzhou Travel Tips: Things to Know Before Your Trip
Suzhou, renowned for its classical gardens and ancient water towns, is one of China's most famous tourist destinations. Are you planning a Suzhou trip? Here, Easy Tour China's travel experts have prepared this comprehensive Suzhou travel tips based on their expertise and feedback from previous clients, including highlight attractions, when to go, what to eat, what to buy, and top things to do in Suzhou.
Suzhou Weather and Best Travel Time
Locating in the lower reach of Yangtze River, Suzhou enjoys the subtropical monsoon climate; the weather of Suzhou is regarded as fairly warm and wet, with four distinct seasons. The best travel time to Suzhou should be April to October.
Suzhou Safety Tips
Suzhou is a rather safe place and just watch out a few things below:
Top Tourist Attractions in Suzhou
| Category | Attraction Name | Key Highlights & Must-Experience | Reference Ticket (RMB) | Suggested Duration |
| Classical Gardens | Humble Administrator's Garden | One of China's Four Great Gardens, the pinnacle of Suzhou gardens. Water-centric layout with poetic courtyards. | 80 (Peak) | 1.5 - 2 hours |
| Lingering Garden | Renowned for exquisite architecture and incredibly clever spatial design. Each step reveals a new scene. | 55 (Peak) | 1 - 1.5 hours | |
| Master-of-Nets Garden | A model of small-scale perfection. Enjoy Kunqu Opera and Pingtan performances in the night garden. | 40 (Day), 100 (Night) | 1 hour | |
| Landmarks & Historical sites | Tiger Hill | "The No.1 Scenic Spot in Wu Zhong". See the mysterious ancient leaning pagoda and hear legends. | 70 | 1.5 - 2 hours |
| Hanshan Temple | Famed by the poem "Mooring by Maple Bridge at Night". Experience the Zen atmosphere and bell rings. | 20 | 1 hour | |
| Suzhou Museum | I.M. Pei's architectural masterpiece. The building itself is a work of art, a poem of light and lines. | Free (Booking required) | 1.5 - 2 hours | |
| Suzhou Water Towns | Zhouzhuang | "China's No.1 Water Town". Intact water village layout. Twin Bridges, Shen House. Magical night views. | 100 | Half to Full Day |
| Tongli | Tentative World Heritage Site. Serene and elegant, featuring the exquisite Retreat & Reflection Garden. | 100 | Half Day | |
| Mudu | "The No.1 Town in Wu Zhong". Visited by Emperor Qianlong six times. Combines gardens with ancient streets. | 78 | 3-4 hours | |
| Modern Suzhou | Jinji Lake Scenic Area | A window to modern Suzhou. See the Gate to the East "Big Pants", music fountains, and fashionable malls. | Free | 2 - 3 hours |
Best Things to Do in Suzhou
The gardens of Suzhou are the soul of the city. Your trip to Suzhou is bound to include in-depth visits to 2 or 3 representative gardens, such as the UNESCO-listed Humble Administrator's Garden, the Lingering Garden, and the Master of the Nets Garden.
Tiger Hill, a historical site, is also a must-see. It houses the Yunyan Temple Pagoda, a Chinese version of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The great Song Dynasty poet Su Dongpo once said, "To visit Suzhou without seeing Tiger Hill is a great regret." In addition, don't miss the Suzhou Museum, a masterpiece by architect I.M. Pei dedicated to his hometown, which also houses many ancient art treasures.
Explore China’s water towns in Jiangnan, such as Zhouzhuang, Tongli, and Mudu, where ancient architecture, especially well-preserved bridges, is on display. Experience the slow pace of life by taking a traditional hand-rowed boat ride.
Walking along ancient streets such as Pingjiang Road and Shantang Street, tasting local Suzhou food, discovering various handicrafts, enjoying performances like Kunqu Opera, Pingju Opera and Guzheng, and deeply experiencing Suzhou culture and traditions.
>> Recommended Suzhou Tours
How to Get to Suzhou
By Air
Are you searching for flights to Suzhou? There won't be any results. Suzhou doesn't have an airport, but you can choose Shanghai Hongqiao or Pudong Airport, or Wuxi Sunan Shuofang International Airport, and then take a high-speed train to Suzhou.
>> Recommended 8 Days East China Highlights
By China High-speed Rail
High-speed rail is undoubtedly one of the fastest and most comfortable ways to travel to Suzhou, connecting Shanghai (approximately 30 minutes), Wuxi (approximately 20 minutes), Nanjing (approximately 1 hour), Ningbo (approximately 2.5 hours), Hangzhou (approximately 3 hours) and Huangshan (approximately 2.5 hours).
The seamless connections between Suzhou Railway Station, Suzhou North Railway Station, Suzhou Industrial Park Railway Station, and Suzhou New District Railway Station with the subway allow travelers to directly transfer to the subway to reach Suzhou's major tourist attractions and commercial areas.
At Suzhou Railway Station, you can transfer to Lines 2 and 4; at Suzhou North Railway Station, you can transfer to Line 2; at Suzhou Industrial Park Railway Station, you can transfer to Lines 3 and 8; and at Suzhou New District Railway Station, you can transfer to Lines 3 and 6.
Good news: Since 2025, you can take Suzhou Metro Line 11 from Shanghai to Suzhou. Let's say you start from People's Square Metro Station in Shanghai, take Shanghai Metro Line 2 directly to Jiangsu Road Station, then transfer to Shanghai Metro Line 11, which leads all the way to Huaqiao Station.
>> Recommended 5 days Shanghai / Suzhou / Tongli Tour Package
How to Travel Around in Suzhou
By subway
Currently, Suzhou Metro operates nine lines: Line 1, Line 2, Line 3, Line 4, Line 5, Line 6, Line 7, Line 8, and Line 11. You can easily and quickly ride the metro by downloading the "Su e Xing" APP and scanning a QR code.
Metro Line 1 provides access to Mudu, Shizishan, and Pingjiang Road. Metro Line 4 provides access to Beisi Pagoda and Tongli. Metro Line 6 provides access to Suzhou Museum and the Humble Administrator's Garden.
By bus
Tourist bus lines connecting Tiger Hill Scenic Area and Hanshan Temple Scenic Area, and Hanshan Temple Scenic Area and Humble Administrator's Garden Scenic Area, facilitate green public transportation in Suzhou for tourists.
>> Recommended 3 Days Suzhou Tongli Water Town Tour
Eating in Suzhou
Suzhou cuisine is slightly sweet with light and delicate flavors; fish and shellfish are popular within local people. Suzhou dishes are sweet and beautifully presented; the representative dishes are Stewed and Fried Mandarin Fish (Songshu Guiyu), Braised Shark’s Fin in Clear Soup (Qingtang Yuchi), Stewed Shredded Eel (Xiangyou Shanhu) and watermelon Chicken.
Find where to eat in Suzhou? See our Suzhou restaurants page
Where to Stay in Suzhou: Hotels
Suzhou Shopping Tips
The recommended souvenirs are Su style embroidery, silk products, Biluochun tea, sandalwood fans, freshwater pearls, snuff bottles and so on.It would be advantageous to get the help of a Chinese-speaking person, preferable a Suzhou local who knows the products and markets. Some hotels would offer such kinds of service. And the popular areas for such local products are Guanqian Street, Shiquan Street and Shilu Commercial Area.
Entertainment / Nightlife in Suzhou
Suzhou has plenty of entertainment options both traditional and modern. Kun opera performance in Suzhou has great influences to other kinds of opera in China. Go to the classic Suzhou gardens and enjoy Kunqu Opera or Pintang, or listen to the storytelling in a tea house; go to the bar for drinks or see the night garden show in the Master of Nets Garden…
Suzhou Festivals
China Suzhou "Oriental Water City" International Tourism Festival is held on the last 10 day period of April, with performances like the opening ceremony, large on-water performances titled "Charm of Water," Love for Water" and "Soul of Water," on-water shows of international and domestic decorated boats, Suzhou on-water carnival week, the mayor consulting meeting, the delicacy festival "Spring of South China," temple fairs, flower fairs, cultural festivals and other special tourism festivals available.
Listening to the Sound of Bells Activity at the Cold Hill Temple
The activity of listening to the bell-tolling sounds is divided into three parts: The lunar New Year's Eve dinner, the temple fair in the Maple Bridge Scenic Zone, and listening to the bell-tolling sounds.
At about midnight, people stream into the Cold Hill Temple to burn joss sticks and pray for fortune; all monks gather at the Grand Hall for a Buddhist service; and the abbot delivers a message of congratulation to all the guests, wishing a happy and safe year for all the people. At the 10th second of 23:42, people begin to listen to the 108 rings of the bell, which symbolize an auspicious year and a good luck.
More Practical Suzhou Travel Tips for First-timers
- Popular attractions in Suzhou, such as gardens and museums, require advance ticket reservations (via WeChat official account).
- For your Suzhou garden tour, try to enter as early as possible, even as soon as the gardens open, to avoid tour groups and enjoy the unique tranquility of classical gardens. Unlike the bad experiennce of some other famous tourist attractions in China, visiting Suzhou gardens on a rainy day has a special charm.
- Which water town will you choose for your Suzhou trip? Zhouzhuang is the most developed (but also quite commercialized), Tongli offers a better experience of the original local residents' lives, while Mudu is closest to Suzhou city center.
- What unique cultural experiences does Suzhou offer? A night tour of the Master of the Nets Garden features Kunqu Opera and Pingtan performances. Head to the storytelling venue on Pingjiang Road to listen to a piece of Suzhou Pingtan.
>> Recommended 2 Days Suzhou Culture Tour
Plan a Suzhou Tour with Easy Tour China
An island of classic charm, Suzhou lure cultural lovers and photography enthusiasts alike. Our best China tours allow you to explore Suzhou with your chosen travel companions and your private, knowledgeable local guide and driver.