Water. H2O. Aqua. If there is one element that has shaped this part of China, it is water. People have lived and flourished between these lakes, waterways and canals for thousands of years. Modern cities like Shanghai and Suzhou continue to prosper, while atmospheric ancient water towns remain.
These water towns offer beautiful glimpses of the idyllic Venice of the East. One of the best things to do in Suzhou is to go and explore the picturesque water towns on its doorstep. We think that Tongli Water Town is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a day trip from Suzhou.
While Suzhou itself does have its fair share of canals and bridges, it is not a water town. To see a real water town you will need to leave Suzhou. There are eight famous water towns in this area of the Yangtze Delta, but if you’re looking for a stunning yet quiet water town, you don’t have to look further than Tongli.
We recently visited Tongli water town on a day trip from Suzhou, and want to share our photos of Tongli and some practical details for those wishing to do the same.
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Reasons to Visit Tongli Water Town
There are many water towns in this region of China. After asking my Chinese colleagues at work and reading up on water towns near Suzhou, we decided on Tongli (同里). Tongli is the smallest and quietest of the famous water towns.
Tongli was built during the Song dynasty and has a history of more than a thousand years. The small but incredibly photogenic water town not only has its fair share of canals, islands and bridges but also boasts a UNESCO classic Chinese garden, ancient temples and narrow alleys.
It feels like the whole town is green, even in the middle of winter. From the water in the canals to the trees to the moss growing on the ancient buildings, Tongli is fifty shades of green.
It is also possible to spend the night in Tongli, which might be a wonderful experience to see the water town after dark when the day-trippers have gone back to the city. Tongli 1917 is where we would stay if staying overnight.
After visiting Tongli, we are glad to report back that it is indeed pretty, quiet and not a Disneyland. We visited on a Saturday in December, so it might be a different story in summer.
How to Get to Tongli from Suzhou
We took a Didi (Chinese Uber) from our guesthouse on Pingjiang Road in the old town of Suzhou and arrived at the entrance to Tongli water town in under an hour. The price for this ride came to RMB 80. If you plug this into Didi, it will take you to the entrance: 江苏省-苏州市-吴江区-同里古镇中川南路1号.
From here, you’ll see a stone gate and lion statues marking the entrance of a pedestrian street. It’s a five-minute walk from this gate to the ticket office at the real entrance.
Tongli can also be reached by Suzhou Metro Line 4. Tongli station is the terminal station of Line 4, and the trip from Suzhou station should take about an hour. From Tongli Station, tourist buses leave to the water town from outside exit 10.
If you prefer someone to take care of everything for you, perhaps consider this popular private tour from Suzhou. If coming from Shanghai, this private transfer will save you a lot of time.
Tongli Water Town Entrance Fees & Hours
Entrance to Tongli is RMB 100 (USD 14). This fee includes entrance to ten sights in Tongli, so you don’t need to pay for entrance once inside the water town.
With Tongli being a real town with real people living there, the town cannot really close. However, the hours for the sites inside Tongli Water Town are 7:30 to 17:30 every day. It is possible to walk around Tongli before and after these hours, but you won’t be able to enter any of the gardens.
Things to Do in Tongli Water Town
Explore Tongli on Foot
The whole town is a pedestrian zone and walking beside the canals and along the quiet lanes and streets is just wonderful. A walk through town will show you what life is like for the people who choose to still live here.
Away from the central canals and bridges, you’ll see people going about their daily lives: doing laundry, sitting on their porches drinking tea, playing mahjong or even washing up in the canals.
In the centre of Tongli is the most scenic part of town. Here three small stone bridges cross the canals. Each of these bridges has a different meaning when you walk across them. Crossing one will give you good health for one year. The other will ensure wealth and good business ventures while crossing the other bridge will ensure good luck.
Traditionally, people would walk across these bridges on special days, such as New Year’s, weddings, or birthdays, to ensure good fortune and happiness. We crossed them all several times, because who passes up a chance of free, good fortune and happiness?
From these bridges, you’ll also get to see the famous view of Tongli’s canal wrapped in a green tunnel of trees.
See the UNESCO Tuisi Garden
Even if you think that you can’t possibly see another classic Chinese garden after visiting Suzhou, do not miss the Tuisi Garden. Known as the Retreat and Reflection Garden in English, the Tuisi Garden was built in the late Qing dynasty and has been a UNESCO site since 2001.
As to be expected of a classic Chinese garden, Tuisi is a masterful blend of plants, stone, rock, water and architecture.
Walking through the garden is indeed a retreat, and there are ample quiet spots to reflect. Like the other gardens we visited in Suzhou, we really liked the different designs and patterns of the paths, as well as the various shapes of the moon gates.
Visit the Pearl Tower
First of all, there is no tower here. The name Pearl Tower refers to a Chinese opera with the same name.
The Pearl Tower is a love story of Fang Qing and Chen Cui’e. Poor Fang wished to marry Chen, but, having no money or the required status, it was impossible. Coming from a wealthy family, Chen gave him a small pagoda made of pearls to help him pay for his journey to take an exam and hopefully achieve the required status.
This beautiful garden is the spot where Chen gave the pearl tower to Fang. The Pearl Tower was our favourite garden in Tongli, and strolling through the maze of ponds, canals, willows, bamboos, bridges and pagodas was something straight out of a Chinese fairy tale.
Visiting the Pearl Tower is definitely one of the best things to do in Tongli.
Take a Boat Ride Along Tongli’s Canals
The best thing to do in Tongli is to go on a boat ride on the canals. Who in their right mind visits a water town and does not go on a boat ride?
After taking a sampan ride in the Xixi wetlands in Hangzhou a few days before, we were now proper boat people and looked forward to every boat we boarded 😀
Seeing Tongli from the water is very different, almost unreal, from seeing it on foot. Sitting back while you are rowed under the happiness bridges and along the canals is very relaxing and atmospheric.
Boats follow a set route through town, first going along the quieter outside canals, before returning down the main canal under the tunnel of trees. Prices are set at RMB120 per boat (up to six people per boat), and the ride takes 30 minutes.
How Long to Spend in Tongli?
Plan to spend the better part of a day in Tongli. We left Suzhou after breakfast and were back just before sunset.
Getting to and from Tongli will take at least two hours. Then give yourself enough time to walk (not run!) around in Tongli. We suggest at least 3-4 hours in Tongli. This allows for enough time to see and do the things that we’ve done. Of course, all people are different, so if you like running, by all means. Or stay overnight if you need more time.
Is Tongli Water Town Worth a Visit?
ABSOLUTELY!
Tongli is a very enjoyable day trip from Suzhou. It is incredibly beautiful, yet we didn’t think that it was overly commercialized, which is often the case with places like this in China. We liked to see the locals going about their daily lives, but there are also enough touristy things to see and do in Tongli. Most of all, it’s very easy to visit independently.
If you have a day to spare while you’re in Suzhou, you should definitely come and see this beautiful water town for yourself.
Also read:
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And that’s How You Visit a Water Town from Suzhou
Enjoy your time in Tongli water town. After visiting Tongli, we decided that we should probably see more water towns in the region, and visit them on weekends from Shanghai!
Watch this space…
Let us know in the comments below if you have any recommendations for the best water towns to visit from Shanghai.
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This is an amazing town, worth every minute. We enjoyed the museum dedicated to the stone slabs and the stories they contain. Phenomenal!
Yes, Deanie, Tongli sure packs a punch. I think we missed that museum though 🙁