Shanghai Travel Forum

We plan to be in Shanghai this April. One possibility that we are exploring is to do a side trip to either Suzhou or Hangzhou while we are there. Which would you recommend? Would you do it as a day trip or as an overnight? We will be with our 7-year old daughter and 77-year old aunt. Both are experienced travelers, but, given their ages, we want to keep the logistics reasonably simple.

We visited Suzhou to see the gardens in November. Transport was by an easy train, there is a water town nearby which is interesting.

The structure of the gardens was great, BUT we were very disappointed by them. They were not well maintained, one had plastic pots of scraggy plants, hanging baskets of dried up plants lined with torn plastic and tatty grass. They also had a lot of tour groups, berated by leaders with megaphones.

We have visited Japanese gardens, beautifully designed and maintained, busy but calm. It may be, as we were expecting something closer to that experiance, that we overreacted, also I suppose it was the end of the season, but we could not recommend them.

I went to Hangzhou from shanghai in May 2007. I would say 1 day is too short, especially on your own. I think you could take an originated day tour to Suzhou or maybe Hangzhou, but it will very rushed.

I found the train station in Shanghai not too English friendly. It can be done, just have the city you are going to written in Chinese. Your hotel should be able to sale you the train tickets for a fee, but I got mine at the station.

If you want to do a day trip, then choose from Zhuangzhou, Tongli etc.
If you have two days, then you can visit Suzhou.
If you have three days, then you can visit Hangzhou.
Though there will be some people say you can do Suzhou in a day or 2 days for Hangzhou, I think that's too rush.

I don't think 2 days is too rush for Hangzhou.

Take a morning train from shanghai south railway station and you will have time enjoying your lunch at Xihu(West Lake); cruise on Xihu in the afternoon then spent evening at Xihu Tian Di.

You may either visit Ling Yin Temple and Longjing Tea Village, or walk round Xihu on the 2nd day. Take an evening train back to Shanghai(It's better to purchase your return ticket upon your arrival).

Personally I recommend Hangzhou.

About Hangzhou, besides what neverstoptravel said, you may also take bus to Dreaming Tiger-Dug Spring, then Liuhe Tower. If you are lucky you may also see tide on Qiantang River. Then you can walk to see Misty Trees in Nine Brooks, then to Longjing Village. You will be able to see lots of tea on your way to the village. People there may also ask you to drink tea at their home, and ask you to buy tea from them. They will say it's the best Longjing Tea and it's much cheaper than market price. However it's still very pricy and I can't tell if it's good or not.
April is perfect time to visit Hangzhou. It's time to harvest tea for the first time in the year. I also recommend you visit Hangzhou if you have enough time.

Fall is the time for seeing Qiangtang tide, and I do not recommend you to visit Misty Trees in Nine Brooks, since I have seen a bunch of locals sitting in the brook playing majiang or cards when I visited there in the summer, disgusting!

Some visitors may wish to see the every corner of the city within the limited time, so it is always rush for them. Well arrange before you going to Hangzhou and you must find the trip enjoyable.

Definitely Hangzhou, and overnight trip.

Suzhou & Hangzhou gardens well worth seeing. 7 & 77 year-olds would enjoy them more [I think] by staying overnight. At weekends the gardens are very popular and become busy early. Enjoy yourselves!

Hangzhou isn't known for gardens.

It's known for the backyard of Shanghai, another 'garden'.