Content Creator Joy Shi’s Cool Girl Guide To Suzhou
This underrated city is full of lush gardens, ancient canals and rich culture.
By Nicole Ng - published
China is all the rage among tourists at the moment, with each city offering culture and plenty of unique shopping options. Sydney-based content creator Joy Shi’s favourite one to visit? Suzhou, located half an hour away from the busy city of Shanghai. It’s renowned for its historic canals and lush gardens, and spending time here, where her mother’s family is from, brings back fond memories of sitting around large dinner tables with loved ones and receiving red packets.
Below, Shi lets us in on what not to miss out on in Suzhou.
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Describe yourself as a traveller.
I’m definitely an aesthetically-driven traveller! I live for exploring the beauty of each city I visit, whether it’s uncovering hidden gems or scrolling on social media to find cultural spots with a wow factor. I’m a big lover of nature, learning about culture through landmarks, and capturing these with my camera to always be able to look back on them.
Your must-visit spot in this city.
You can’t say you have visited Suzhou without exploring one of its iconic historical canal streets. My favourite is Pingjiang Road, where you can see the reflection of the trees on the glimmering water in the daytime and the lanterns at night. Besides the fun trinkets and traditional Chinese costume rental stores, there’s endless Suzhou-style street food—the city’s signature desserts and afternoon tea are must-tries.
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The best place for food.
Personally, I love trying out as many local restaurants as I can because they’re so inconspicuous but will always be the best meals of your life! I’d suggest a restaurant in one of the Pingjiang Lu alleyways, and trying Suzhou’s signature thin noodles, which are bouncy in texture and complemented by a light and slightly sweet soup base. I’d always have this with my mother when we come back to visit.
A souvenir to bring back from Suzhou.
There are lots of local artisans on the street producing intricate traditional artwork such as calligraphy painting, bespoke paper fans and even ready-to-wear qipaos. I highly recommend bringing one of these souvenirs home, it’s like taking a piece of Suzhou culture with you!
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A song that reminds you of this city.
“小雨天气” (Xiao Yu Tian Qi). A song that I listened to on repeat while staring out of the window on the bullet train from Shanghai to Suzhou. Chill and mellow, fitting for the city of Suzhou—a calm city that has a slower pace of life compared to major ones.
An app you recommend when travelling to this city.
Downloading ‘Dianping’ is a MUST when travelling to Suzhou, or anywhere in China in general! Think a mix of Google reviews and Instagram for Chinese locals/netizens—it’s the all-in-one app for your recommendations whether it be for food, shopping, attractions or travel itineraries.
An unforgettable memory you’ve had there.
I visited Suzhou last September, during the Mid-autumn Festival. At the heart of the festival is the Panmen Scenic Area, where you see jaw-dropping light installations, traditional Chinese boat singing and people place their wish-lanterns on the river.