Local area

The Jinji Lake Scenic Area is a fence-less open tourist area rated at the national AAAAA level. With a total area of 11.5 square kilometers, it is located in the Jinji Lake CBD of Suzhou Industrial Park (SlP), and about two-thirds of the scenic area, precisely 7.4 square kilometers, are covered by water.

Listed as World Heritage and considered by some to be the finest garden among China's four most famous gardens, Zhuozheng Garden, or The Humble Administrator's Garden, is renowned for its meandering rivulets gurgling around and under countless pavilions and bridges. The poetic nature of the names born by each scenic spot will not escape you.

The Lion Grove Garden got its name from the shape of the rocks inside. The garden is famous for its labyrinthine grotto of rocks. The winding paths and corridors form a wonder-ful maze. It is also the ancestral home of the architect leoh Ming Pei.

Praised as the best garden in the Wu region, the region around Taihu Lake, the Lingering Garden is one the 4 major gardens of China. Known for its tall and beautiful-shaped rocks best represented by the imposing “Cloud Capped Peak", the Lingering Garden also features distinct architectural designs with spacious halls and tortuous passageways. The Celestial Hall of Five Peaks, built with well-selected premium materials, is hailed as the finest of its kind in the South of China.

Yunyan Temple Pagoda on Tiger Hill(Huqiu), the Pisa Tower of China, is actually more than 200 years older than its Italian sister. Due to its robust octagonal supports made of brick and timber,the leaning pagoda has stood tall for centuries. Fun fact: the first 6 stories are slightly slanted, but the 7th is perfectly straight.

Pingjiang Road is Suzhou's most well-preserved ancient street. Over this 1-km stretch of bridges and canals, you'll find the residences of many historical figures, museums.bookshops and cafes. Over 8000 people still live there, enjoying its rich history and soothing environment. It's best to visit in the morning, as Pingjiang road, like the whole world, belongs to those who rise early.

Abutting the Tiger Hill, you can take a walk and enjoy the view on Shantang Street, a 1100-year-old paved segment stretching alongside the canal and flanked by shops, tea houses, theater stages, pubs and cafes. If you enjoyed it by day, come here at night too, hop in a boat to find a completely different scene.

Flanked by the Taihu Lake and the Grand Canal, Tongli is the quintessential town on water. Here, the waterways are the main means of communication. Tingli is home to one World Heritage site, the Retreat & Reflection Garden, The Gengle Hall, the Huancui Mountain Villa (a residential area renowned from ancient buildings) and many other ancient structures are preserved here.

Expanding over 117 square kilometers and with a shoreline of about 9 km long.the Yangcheng lake horizon appears to merge with the sky. This is a coveted spot for bike-riders and for couples looking for a romantic background to their wedding pictures. You'll also find all the necessary amenities, such as shops and cafes, hotels, and word-renowned restaurants that offer fresh Chinese HairyCrab from the lake, as well as resorts for the fun of the whole family.