There are some worthwhile activities for children in Suzhou, many of which are equally attractive to adults. Suzhou Amusement Land and the water villages outside the city are fun for people of all ages, while the Suzhou Zoo is a great alternative for families with children who need a break from the traditional garden tours on the local tourist track.

Amusement Land
Locals refer to Suzhou Amusement Land at ‘China’s Disney World.’ It is a relatively new addition to the city, built to emulate successful Western-style amusement parks. Indeed, buildings within the park are whimsical and reminiscent of the attractions at Disney’s parks. Onsite are a variety of rides including traditional and inverted roller coasters, thrill rides and a water park featuring slides and a wave pool. The park is divided into several themed districts that include Future World, Children’s World and several sectors that are modelled after prominent European cities.

Suzhou Zoo
There is a small zoo at the east end of the old quarter, situated directly inside the moat in the East Garden. This is a relatively small facility although animals here seem better cared for than in many other Chinese zoos. Animals onsite include squirrel monkeys, deer, bears lions and an extremely rare species of soft-shelled turtle. There is a small play area in the park with a merry-go-round and bumper cars. On the whole, the Suzhou Zoo is an excellent diversion for children who aren’t entirely engaged by the gardens.

Visiting the Water Villages
Suzhou is an excellent launching ground for excursions into the region’s historic water villages, a must-see for families. Many of these villages seem virtually unchanged since the Qing and Ming dynasties, giving children an opportunity to have a truly authentic and interactive experience with the China of 500 years ago. Centuries-old houses line the canals that cut through cities like Zhouzhuang or Luzhi (both of which are within short distance of Suzhou) and locals paddle from one part of the town to the next in traditional rowboats.

Suzhou is more than a mere garden city. This is the birthplace of China’s most ancient form of opera, the world-renown home of silk embroidery and the site of many ancient temples spanning Buddhist, Taoist and Confucian belief systems. Local museums offer a wealth of information on Suzhou culture, many of them tracing local customs back thousands of years. Look for museums in 19^th century heritage buildings, while others (like the Suzhou Museum) are kept in intensely modern buildings that hint at China’s mounting international prowess and burgeoning economy.

Hanshan Temple
Translated as ‘Cold Mountain Temple’, this historic Buddhist site dates to the early 6^th century. This temple is perhaps best known for its appearance in a piece by 8^th-century poet Zhang Ji called A Night Mooring by Maple Bridge. The poem tells the story of a lonely traveller meditating on the mournful toll of the midnight bell sounding from Cold Mountain Temple. This poem is still part of student curriculum today, and while the original bell has long-since disappeared into the annals of time, the temple continues to draw tourists with its two current century-old bells.

Museum of Opera and Theatre
Suzhou is considered the birthplace of Chinese opera and the local operatic form known as kunju formed more than 5,000 years ago. This museum is housed in a nostalgic Ming Dynasty theatre and hosts semi-regular performances throughout the year. Inside, exhibits include hand-written lyrics and scores along with photographs of more recent stars of the stage. Lavish costumes, masks and musical instruments are also on display. If there is no opera scheduled during your visit, you can catch a less formal performance at the adjoining tea house. Phone: +86 512 6727 3334.

Silk Embroidery
Suzhou has a longstanding reputation for its fine silk and while factory textiles are widespread throughout the region, it is still possible to view traditional silk weaving here in the city. The Suzhou Number 1 Silk Mill on Nán Mén Lù (Phone: +86 512 525 1047) has been in operation for several decades. Old-style looms are still employed here, and English-speaking guides explain the history and techniques of silk production. English-language tours are also available on Jĭngdé Lù at the Museum of Suzhou Embroidery, where some internationally renowned silk embroiders are employed. Both of these facilities sell beautiful tapestries and other silk goods.

Silk Museum
Rather than an operable textile mill, this is strictly a museum dedicated to Suzhou’s rich heritage in the silk industry. Exhibits chronicle the history of silk production, with ties that extend back more than 6,000 years. Visitors can view antique looms that are accompanied with detailed explanations of their inner workings. Be sure to visit the silk worm exhibit, in which live worms devour mulberry leaves and spin cocoons of raw silk. Phone: +86 512 6753 6538.

Suzhou Museum
Housed in an impressive glass and steel structure that is vaguely reminiscent of the glass pyramid at the Louvre (for good reason: they were both designed by IM Pei), this museum caters especially for Chinese visitors. Most of the exhibits focus on Suzhou’s canals and silk industry. The museum is also home to numerous historic relics related to the city. There are no English captions or English-language guides available so international visitors are left to their own interpretations of these exhibits. Phone: +86 512 6754 1534.

Suzhou Arts and Crafts Museum
More than a mere handicrafts boutique, this facility is an excellent place to watch local artisans in action. There are a number of disciplines represented here, highlighted by the silk embroiders. These artists (virtually all women) create intricate designs with bafflingly deft fingers. Visitors can also view artisans producing calligraphy brushes, carving jade ornaments and cutting latticework fans. All of these products are for sale in the adjoining gift shop. Phone: +86 512 6753 4874.

West Garden Temple
Locally known as Xiyuan Si, this Buddhist temple is a site of active worship, and while it attracts a steady crowd of sightseers, it draws an equally devoted crowd of worshippers. The temple itself is highlighted by the Hall of 500 Arhats, headlined by a 42ft-tall statue of the Guanyin Bodhisattva. Carved from a single piece of sandalwood, this statue has a thousand hands, a thousand eyes and four faces. Each face bears a different expression and parallels Chinese Buddhism’s Four Sacred Mountains. The garden outside the temple holds a pond where worshippers release fish and turtles to make merit.

Shopping venues in Suzhou focus primarily on traditional handicrafts, many of which have been perfected under the patronage of Suzhou’s historical wealth and prosperity. Diverse shopping districts are well-developed in areas immediately surrounding the city’s temples and gardens.

The city’s most celebrated handicraft is embroidered silk, and silk produced here has been celebrated throughout China for centuries. The most highly-regarded silk product is double-sided embroidery, in which two differing and extremely elaborate designs are stitched onto opposite sides of a single sheet of silk. The effect is remarkable. Embroidered silk in all its forms is available across town at venues such as the Arts and Crafts Museum and the Silk Embroidery Institute.

Sandalwood fans are another local product. These latticed folding fans are composed from thin sheets of sandalwood stamped with intricate designs. The breeze the fans produce hints at sandalwood incense, having a truly intoxicating effect. Beware of less expensive imitation fans which are made of low quality wood that has merely been dipped in sandalwood oil.

Bear in mind that foreigners shopping in China will almost always pay a higher price than locals. The initial price quoted is typically set high since negotiation is an intrinsic part of the shopping experience.

There are a number of eateries spread across the shopping and tourist districts of central Suzhou. Restaurants cater for a variety of budgets and palettes, with cuisine ranging from local and regional favourites to an increasing selection of international fare. Shiquan Jie and Taijian Nong are particularly good places to find a restaurant to suit your taste. Many (though not all) establishments on these streets offer English language menus.

Suzhou cuisine is subtly set apart from that of greater China. Dishes here are slighter sweeter than in other places, and freshwater fish plays an important role. Braised freshwater eel (huangmen), marinated duck (gusu luya) and sweets rendered from glutinous rice are a few local specialties.

The squirrel-shaped Mandarin fish (songshu guiyu) is by far the most famous Suzhou speciality. A carp is cut into strips, breaded and fried, then coated in pine nuts. The result, which bears some resemblance to a squirrel’s tail, is finally smothered in a sweet-and-sour sauce. The Pine and Crane Restaurant (141 Guanqian Jie) is a particularly sought-after establishment offering this and other local specialties perfected through more than two centuries of operation (phone: +86 512 6524 4921).

Italian fare is one of the most prominent international flavours featured in Suzhou. There are several authentic restaurants founded by expatriates that cater for moderate budgets. Cantonese food is also well-represented. Upscale hotels operate restaurants that specialise in a variety of international cuisines.

Given its reputation as a garden city, most of Suzhou’s activities revolve around well-planned outdoor facilities. Beyond leisurely strolls through these green spaces, visitors also have the opportunity to hire bicycles and tour the attractions or charter paddleboats to explore the network of canals that section off the city. Farther reaching tours into the countryside can be arranged either by boat (via the Grand Canal) or by bicycle. For a true yachting experience, visit the Tai HuyMercury Club and Marina.

Boating Tours
Cruises on the Grand Canal are a popular way to explore Suzhou and its surroundings, and adults and children alike usually appreciate the opportunity to get out on the water. Local travel agencies can arrange to pick tourists up at their hotels and transport them to the dock, where boats embark on sightseeing tours of varying lengths that take in Pan Gate, ancient stone bridges and historic houses along the canal. Passengers can also board a river bus from the bus station and circle the city moat for an alternative perspective on Suzhou’s old quarter.

Cycling
Cycling is a wonderful way to explore Suzhou. There are numerous places to hire a bicycle, and the city is laid out in such a way that several of the gardens and historic attractions can be taken in on a single tour. Arched bridges spanning the canals are open to pedestrians and bicycles, and there are equally as many cycling lanes alongside the city streets. Care should be taken at major intersections, as motorists are not likely to yield to cyclists. Travel agents in the city also offer planned multi-leg excursions that cross from Suzhou to neighbouring villages and towns such as Hangzhou.

Water Sports at the Marina
The Suzhou Marina is located on Lake Tai Hu, one of China’s largest lakes. Facilities here cater for a variety of water sports including sailing, waterskiing and fishing. There is an attractive sundeck attached to the lake where locals come to relax and host barbecues. It is also possible to charter a short voyage to a green and relatively untouched island perched in the middle of the lake. Dragon-boat competitors frequently train at Lake Tai Hu, where tournaments are occasionally held. Phone: +86 512 6651 5099.