Suzhou Travel Guide
When talking about Suzhou, Chinese people might mention the old saying: "Paradise in Heaven, Suzhou and Hangzhou on earth." If you find yourself walking in the downtown area, your pace will be slow as you are appreciating the scenes of ancient narrow lanes, verdant trees and small rivers. Everything here will be startled by the light air flow that to be caused by passing visitors. In the scene, you will virtually be in the dream of the good old days : the tranquil lanes with ancient architectures, stone carved lions on both sides of the doors, and the air is filled a slight smell of old wood. As well as picturesque Suzhou gardens are an excellent example of simple elegance, with intriguing scenes found in every season and in all weathers.
Apart from the leisurely and tranquil gardens, the city of Suzhou has another side depicted by the modern advertisement boards and signs with some high rise buildings. The ancient and the modern scenes are very different looking but they coexist in a harmonious way.
People
According to a recent survey, the total population of Suzhou is estimated around 6 million, which the vast majority of the people are Han Chinese, with about 20,000 foreign nationals working and living here. The locals' customs are much the same to those in Hangzhou, where drinking tea is a popular aspect of a leisurely lifestyle.
Transportation
The main airport in Suzhou is now solely for military use, so the nearest airports are in Shanghai, i.e. Pudong International Airport and Hongqiao Airport. The bus that starts from Pudong Airport and goes to Suzhou takes about 2 hours, while from Hongqiao Airport takes around 100 minutes. Travelers can also get to Suzhou by train : first take Shanghai Metro from Pudong Airport to reach Xinke Station, and then transfer to a train.
Geography
Geography
Bordering Shanghai to the east, Zhejiang Province to the south, Lake Taihu to the west and the Yangtze to the north, the natural scenery of hills and waters in Suzhou is as charming and beautiful as the history that surrounds it. Suzhou itself has an area of 8848 sq. km, of which 10 per cent is cultivated fields, low hills occupy 30 per cent, and the rest is the Venice-like water town. Streets and alleys in Suzhou extend side by side with rivers.
Climate
Climate
The four seasons in Suzhou are distinctive with relatively high annual precipitation. The yearly average temperature is about 16 degrees Celsius, and the daily temperature in January is about 1 to 8 degrees Celsius while in the hottest month, July, the daily high is around 34 degrees Celsius, occasionally hitting 40. Generally speaking, travelers should avoid the coldest and hottest months to visit Suzhou.
