Lonely Planet China
Page 48
oSūzhōu Mingtown Youth HostelHOSTEL$
(苏州明堂青年旅舍, Sūzhōu Míngtáng Qīngnián Lǚshè MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0512 6581 6869; 28 Pingjiang Lu, 平江路28号 6-bed dm ¥60-65, s/tw ¥200/220; ais; mXiangmen or Lindun Lu)
This well-run youth hostel has a fantastic location on Pingjiang Lu and a charming lobby with rooms and dorms decorated with dark wooden ‘antique’ furniture. Rooms are not very well soundproofed but there's free laundry and bike rental. Staff speak English and can help with travel tips around town. Rooms are around ¥20 pricier on Friday and Saturday.
Sūzhōu Watertown Youth HostelHOSTEL$
(苏州浮生四季国际青年旅舍, Sūzhōu Fúshēngsìjì Qīngnián Lǚshè MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0512 6521 8885; www.watertownhostel.com; 27 Dashitou Xiang, Renmin Lu, 人民路大石头巷27号 6-/4-bed dm ¥50/60, s ¥160, d ¥130-220; aiW; mLeqiao)
Tucked away down Dashitou Xiang (Big Stone Alley), a lane off Renmin Lu, this 200-year-old courtyard complex houses an OK hostel. Rooms on the 2nd floor are quieter while ground-floor rooms have better wi-fi reception. Dorms are compact but clean enough. The cosy Sūzhōu-styled patio invites you to chill, and big bottles of Qīngdǎo are cheap.
The cheapest twins and the triples are with shared shower. The airport bus station is just a stone’s throw away.
oGarden HotelHOTEL$$$
(苏州南园宾馆, Sūzhōu Nányuán Bīnguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0512 6778 6778; www.gardenhotelsuzhou.com; 99 Daichengqiao Lu, 带城桥路99号 r from ¥1558; nW)
Within huge, green grounds, the very popular five-star Garden Hotel has elegant, spacious and attractively decorated rooms. Washed over with Chinese instrumental pípá music, the lobby is a picture of Sūzhōu, with a clear pond, grey bricks and white walls. Serene stuff and an oasis of calm. It's often possible to get a room here for under ¥800.
Pan Pacific SūzhōuHOTEL$$$
(苏州吴宫泛太平洋酒店, Sūzhōu Wúgōng Fàntàipíngyáng Dàjiǔdiàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0512 6510 3388; www.panpacific.com/Suzhou; 259 Xinshi Lu, 新市路259号 d ¥1880-2680, ste ¥3680; aW)
There’s a kitschy feel to the exterior of this former Sheraton Hotel, which looks like a faux Forbidden City. But once you step into the lobby, you’ll know this is five-star luxury. The 500+ rooms are spacious and stylish, fitted with all the latest gadgets to make you happy. Service is polite and impeccable. Discounts of over 50% usually available.
A bonus is guests get to enjoy free access to the adjacent Gán Gate Garden.
Píngjiāng LodgeBOUTIQUE HOTEL$$$
(苏州平江客栈, Sūzhōu Píngjiāng Kèzhàn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0512 6523 2888; www.pingjianglodge.com; 33 Niujia Xiang, 钮家巷33号 d ¥988-1588, ste ¥1888-2588; ai; mXiangmen or Lindun Lu)
Capturing the canalside Sūzhōu aesthetic, this 17th-century traditional courtyard building has well-kept gardens and 51 rooms bedecked in traditional furniture. Rooms at the pointy end are very nice suites with split-level living spaces; standard rooms are bit bashed and could do with new carpets. Staff speak (faltering) English. Discounts of up to 50% are available.
5Eating
In reflection of its busy and year-round tourist traffic, Sūzhōu has some excellent restaurants, both Chinese and international. The area around Guanqian Jie, especially down the road from the Temple of Mystery, is stuffed with choices, but you'll find good options dotted all over the town.
Yǎba ShēngjiānDUMPLINGS$
(哑巴生煎 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 12 Lindun Lu, 临顿路12号 8 dumplings ¥13; h5.30am-6.30pm)
With great clouds of steam rising from the kitchen, this 60-year-old institution mainly flogs noodles but its handmade shēngjiān bāo (生煎包; pan-fried dumplings), stuffed with juicy pork, are outstanding and flavour-packed. During lunch hours expect to queue for 30 minutes just to order! Protocol: get a ticket, join the line, snag a table and enjoy.
ZhūhóngxīngNOODLES$
(朱鸿兴 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Taijian Long; mains from ¥15; h6.45am-8.45pm; mLindun Lu)
Popular with locals, this red-wood-furniture-bedecked eatery, with several branches across town, has a long history and wholesome, filling noodles – try the scrummy xiàrén miàn (虾仁面; noodles with baby shrimp) or the xuěcài ròusī miàn (雪菜肉丝面; meat and vegetable noodles).
PingvonTEAHOUSE$
(品芳, Pǐnfāng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 94 Pingjiang Lu, 平江路94号 dishes from ¥6)
Although often busy, this seriously cute little teahouse finds itself perched beside one of Sūzhōu’s most popular canalside streets, serving up excellent dumplings and delicate little morsels on small plates. The tearooms upstairs are more atmospheric. There are all sorts of bites, from pine nuts and pumpkin soup (¥6) to crab xiǎolóngbāo (steamed dumplings; ¥10 a portion). Picture menu.
Order by ticking what you want on a paper menu and handing it over.
Wúmén RénjiāJIANGSU$$
(吴门人家 MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0512 6728 8041; 31 Panru Xiang, 潘儒巷31号 dishes from ¥30; h6.30-9.30am, 11am-1.30pm & 5-8.30pm)
Hidden in a quiet alley north of Lion’s Grove Garden, this lovely traditional courtyard restaurant attracts a mix of locals and visitors for its subtly flavoured Sūzhōu cooking. Service can sometimes be a bit slow, but the setting (with traditional Chinese music) is superlative. Reservations essential.
Try the ever-popular squirrel fish or the kung pao chicken (宮保雞丁; gōngbǎo jīdīng; spicy chicken with chilli and peanuts).
6Drinking & Nightlife
There are stacks of trendy cafe-bars scattered along Pingjiang Lu. A gem or two survives, but the nightlife scene on Shiquan Jie has fizzled out as most of the expats’ watering holes have moved to the soulless Sūzhōu Industrial Park, 9km east of the centre of town (get there on the metro).
oBookwormBAR
(老书虫, Lǎo Shūchóng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0512 6526 4720; www.suzhoubookworm.com; 77 Gunxiu Fang, 滚绣坊77号 h11am-1am Mon-Fri, 10am-1am Sat & Sun)
Běijīng’s excellent Bookworm wormed its way down to Sūzhōu, serving as a kind of comfy cultural hub, library, bookshop and cafe. The food is crowd-pleasing (lots of Western options) and the cold beers include Tsingtao and Erdinger. There are readings, live music, an open mic and you can borrow or buy books. Ask about its literary festival, held in March.
oLocke PubBAR
( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 240 Pingjiang Lu, 平江路240号 h10am-midnight)
Any place that plays Tom Waits is good in our book and we're also partial to friendly labradors. This charming spot has ample space, comfy sofas, homemade ice cream, a whole wall of English books, hot whisky, Leffe, Corona and Guinness, all set in a traditional building along Pingjiang Lu.
3Entertainment
Regular performances of kūnqǔ opera and píngtán, two of the exquisite performance arts sung in local dialects, are regularly scheduled at the Kūnqǔ Opera Museum and the Píngtán Museum. Music performances are also held nightly from 7.30pm to 9.30pm in the Garden of the Master of the Nets in the warmer months, from March through to November.
Garden of the Master of the NetsLIVE MUSIC
(网师园, Wǎngshī Yuán MAP GOOGLE MAP ; tickets ¥100)
From March to November, music performances are held nightly from 7.30pm to 9.30pm for tourist groups at this garden. Don’t expect anything too authentic.
Kūnqǔ Opera MuseumCHINESE OPERA
(昆曲博物馆, Kūnqǔ Bówùguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 14 Zhongzhangjia Xiang, 中张家巷14号 tickets ¥30)
This place puts on performances of kūnqǔ at 2pm on Sundays.
Píngtán MuseumPERFORMING ARTS
(评弹博物馆, Píngtán Bówùguǎn MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 3 Zhongzhangjia Xiang, 中张家巷3号 admission ¥4, performances ¥6; h9.30am-noon & 3.30-5pm)
The Píngtán Museum puts on wonderful performances of píngtán, a singing and storytelling art form sung in the Sūzhōu dialect. Two-hour shows are at 1.30pm daily.
8Information
Major tourist hotels ha
ve foreign-exchange counters.
Bank of ChinaBANK
(中国银行, Zhōngguó Yínháng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 1450 Renmin Lu, 人民路1450号 )
Changes travellers cheques and foreign cash. There are ATMs that take international cards at most larger branches of the Bank of China.
China PostPOST
(中国邮政, Zhōngguó Yóuzhèng GOOGLE MAP ; cnr Renmin Lu & Jingde Lu)
Centrally located.
Industrial & Commercial Bank of ChinaBANK
(工商银行, Gōngshāng Yínháng MAP GOOGLE MAP ; 222 Guanqian Jie, 观前街222号 )
Twenty-four-hour ATM facilities.
No 1 HospitalHOSPITAL
(苏大附一院, Sūdà Fùyīyuàn GOOGLE MAP ; 96 Shizi Jie, 十梓街96号 )
At the heart of Sūzhōu.
Public Security BureauPOLICE
(PSB, 公安局, Gōng’ānjú GOOGLE MAP ; %0512 6522 5661, ext 20593; 1109 Renmin Lu, 人民路1109号 )
Can help with emergencies and visa problems. The visa office is about 200m down a lane called Dashitou Xiang (大石头巷).
Sūzhōu Tourism Information Center (苏州旅游咨询中心; Sūzhōu Lǚyóu Zīxún Zhōngxīn GOOGLE MAP ; %0512 6530 5887; 101 Daichengqiao Lu; 带城桥路101号 ) This branch is just north of the Garden Hotel; there are several other branches in town including at bus stations. Can help with booking accommodation and tours; English skills vary.
8Getting There & Away
Air
Sūzhōu does not have an airport, but you can book flights out of Shànghǎi through www.english.ctrip.com. Buses leave Sūzhōu North Long-distance Bus Station frequently between 6am and 5.30pm for Hóngqiáo Airport (¥53) and Pǔdōng International Airport (¥84) in Shànghǎi.
Bus
Sūzhōu has three long-distance bus stations and the two listed here are the most useful. Tickets for all buses can also be bought at the Liánhé ticket centre.
The principal station is the North Long-distance Bus Station (汽车北站; Qìchē Běizhàn GOOGLE MAP ; %0512 6577 6577; 29 Xihui Lu; 西汇路29号 ) at the northern end of Renmin Lu, next to the train station:
AHángzhōu ¥74, two hours, regular (6.35am to 7pm)
ANánjīng ¥72, 2½ hours, regular (7.20am to 5.50pm)
AWūzhèn ¥36, 90 minutes, regular (8.15am to 5.20pm)
AZhōuzhuāng ¥16, one hour, every 40 minutes (7am to 6.20pm)
ATónglǐ ¥8, 30 minutes, every 30 minutes (6am to 7pm)
The South Long-distance Bus Station (汽车南站; Qìchē Nánzhàn cnr Yingchun Lu & Nanhuan Donglu; 迎春路南环东路的路口 ) has buses to the following destinations:
AHángzhōu ¥74, two hours, every 20 minutes (7.35am to 7.05pm)
ANánjīng ¥72, two hours, every 40 minutes (7.20am to 5.30pm)
AShànghǎi ¥34, 1½ hours, every 30 minutes (6.50am to 7.40pm)
AYángzhōu ¥76, two hours, hourly (8am to 6pm)
Buses for Lùzhí leave from the Local Bus Stop ( GOOGLE MAP ), just east of the train station.
Train
Sūzhōu is on the Nánjīng–Shànghǎi express G line. Trains stop at either the more centrally located Sūzhōu Train Station (苏州站; Sūzhōu Zhàn) or the Sūzhōu North Train Station (苏州北站; Sūzhōu Běizhàn), 12km north of the city centre. Book train tickets on the 2nd floor of the Liánhé ticket centre (联合售票处; Liánhé Shòupiàochù MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0512 6520 6681; 1606 Renmin Lu; 人民路1606号 hbus tickets 8.30-11.30am & 1-5pm, train tickets 7.30-11am & noon-5pm) or at the ticket office ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Guanqian Jie; 观前街 ) along Guanqian Jie across from the Temple of Mystery; there's another office (8am-8pm) by the Confucian Temple. Yet another ticket office can be found on the other side of the road from the South Long-distance Bus Station. Tickets can be also be booked online at http://english.ctrip.com.
Trains departing from the Sūzhōu North Train Station:
ABěijīng South 1st/2nd class ¥884/524, five hours, 17 daily
Trains departing from both stations:
ANánjīng 1st/2nd class ¥160/100, one hour, frequent
AShànghǎi 1st/2nd class ¥60/40, 26 to 46 minutes, frequent
AWúxī 1st/2nd class ¥30/20, 15 minutes, frequent
8Getting Around
Bicycle
You can rent bikes from most hostels.
Public Transport
Convenient tourist buses visit all sights and cost ¥2, passing by the train station.
ABus Y5 Goes around the western and eastern sides of the city and has a stop at Sūzhōu Museum.
ABus Y2 Travels from Tiger Hill, Pán Gate and along Shiquan Jie.
ABuses Y1 & Y4 Run the length of Renmin Lu.
ABus 80 Runs between the two train stations.
Sūzhōu metro Line 1 runs along Ganjiang Lu, connecting Mùdú in the southwest with Zhongnan Jie in the east and running through the Culture & Expo Centre and Times Sq, in the Sūzhōu Industrial Park. Line 2 runs north–south from Sūzhōu North Train Station to Baodaiqiaonan in the south, via Sūzhōu Train Station. Lines 3 and 4 were under construction at the time of writing.
Taxi
Fares start at ¥12 and drivers generally use their meters. A trip from Guanqian Jie to Sūzhōu Train Station should cost around ¥15 to ¥20. From Sūzhōu North Train Station to downtown, the fare is around ¥50 to ¥60. Pedicabs hover around the tourist areas and can be persistent (¥5 to ¥10 for short rides is standard).
Mùdú 木渎
%0512 / Pop 80,000
Dating to the Ming dynasty, the canal town of Mùdú (木渎) was once the haunt of wealthy officials, intellectuals and artists, and even the Qing Emperor Qianlong visited six times. Today, the village has become part of Sūzhōu as the city develops outwards. While it's not as picturesque as Jiāngsū’s canal towns, it's easy peasy to reach from Sūzhōu (the metro runs here) and Mùdú offers a glimpse of traditional Jiāngsū canal-town heritage architecture in its bridges, ancient residences and gardens.
1Sights
The village is free if you merely want to soak up the atmosphere. Entrance fees are for the top sights alone; however, they contain most of Mùdú's character and history. A through ticket to all the sights is ¥78.
Yan Family GardenHISTORIC BUILDING
(严家花园, Yánjiā Huāyuán cnr Shantang Jie & Mingqing Jie, 山塘街明清街的路口 ¥40; h8.30am-4.30pm; mMudu)
This beautiful complex in the northwest corner of the village is the highlight of the town, dating to the Ming dynasty. It was once the home of a former magistrate. The garden, with its rockeries and a meandering lake, is divided into five sections by walls, each section designed to invoke a season. If you visit just one sight in Mùdú, come here.
Ancient Pine GardenHISTORIC BUILDING
(古松园, Gǔsōngyuán Shantang Jie, 山塘街 ¥20; h8.30am-4.30pm; mMudu)
In the middle of Shantang Jie, this attractive courtyard complex is known for its intricately carved beams. Look out for wooden impressions of officials, hats, phoenixes, flowers and other designs.
Hóngyǐn Mountain VillaHISTORIC BUILDING
(虹饮山房, Hóngyǐn Shānfáng Shantang Jie, 山塘街 ¥40; h8.30am-4.30pm; mMudu)
By far the most interesting place in Mùdú is this villa, with its elaborate opera stage, exhibits and even an imperial pier where Emperor Qianlong docked his boat. The stage in the centre hall is impressive; honoured guests were seated in front and the galleries along the sides of the hall were for women. The emperor was a frequent visitor and you can see his uncomfortable-looking imperial chair. Opera is still performed here on festival days.
Bǎngyǎn MansionHISTORIC BUILDING
(榜眼府第, Bǎngyǎn Fǔdì Xiatang Jie, 下塘街 ¥10; h8.30am-4.30pm; mMudu)
With a rich collection of antique furniture and intricate carvings of stone, wood and brick (it often serves as a movie set) this dignified complex was the home of the 19th-century writer and politician Feng Guifen. The surrounding garden is very attractive
, with lotus ponds, arched bridges, bamboo and other plants.
Mùdú Old TownVILLAGE
(老城区, Lǎochéngqū %0512 6636 8225; h8.30am-4.30pm; mMudu)
The old town of Mùdú is principally hemmed in by the canal and Xiangxi Xilu. It's a small area to explore, and you only need half a day to do it justice.
Míngyuè TempleBUDDHIST TEMPLE
(明月古寺; Míngyuè Gǔsì Shantang Jie; 山塘街 h8.30am-4.30pm; mMudu)F
This large and attractive temple originally dates to the 10th century, but has been largely reconstructed (since last being mostly destroyed during the Cultural Revolution). The 1000-arm, four-faced Guanyin statue is worth hunting down – notice the ruler she holds in one of her lower hands, among other Buddhist ritual objects.
TTours
The most pleasurable way to experience Mùdú is along the canal by boat. You’ll find a collection of traditional skiffs with boatsmen docked outside the Bǎngyǎn Mansion. A short 10- to 15-minute boat ride is ¥15 per person (¥35 per boat minimum charge).
4Sleeping & Eating
Mùdú doesn't cater well to those who want to spend the night, as Sūzhōu is so near by, so most people return to spend the night there.