Tongli Water Town Tour from Shanghai: Sunset & Night View Experience

Tour Itinerary

The driver and guide will be waiting for you in the lobby of your Shanghai hotel, holding a "Your Way Holiday" sign, ready to assist you with a warm welcome and ensure a smooth start to your Tongli Water Town adventure.

Nestled on the outskirts of Suzhou, Tongli Water Town is one of China’s most authentic and best-preserved ancient water towns. With a history stretching back over a thousand years, Tongli retains much of its original layout, architecture, and atmosphere. It is renowned for its quiet, meandering canals, gracefully arched stone bridges, time-worn cobbled alleys, and whitewashed homes with black-tiled roofs. Life here moves at a slower pace, echoing centuries of tradition. Upon arrival, you’ll step into a living museum of Jiangnan charm, where ancient customs are still practiced and everyday life unfolds alongside the waterways. Your guide will point out the cultural landmarks and explain how Tongli has earned the nickname “a pearl of the Yangtze Delta.”

Your first stop will be Tuisi Garden (Retreat and Reflection Garden), a UNESCO-listed gem that showcases the refined aesthetics of classical Chinese landscaping. Built by Ren Lansheng, a Qing dynasty official who sought peace after retirement, the garden is an exquisite fusion of architecture and nature. With its flowing ponds, scholar’s rocks, winding corridors, and lush greenery, Tuisi Garden embodies the Confucian ideals of balance, introspection, and harmony with the natural world. As you stroll through its serene courtyards and pavilions, your guide will explain how each structure, inscription, and planting reflects a deeper symbolic meaning. This garden is not only a place of beauty but also a philosophical retreat, designed to nurture both body and mind.

Continue your exploration at the Three Bridges Area, the symbolic and spiritual heart of Tongli. These three ancient bridges — Taiping (Peace), Jili (Luck), and Changqing (Long Life) — span the intersection of three canals and are a favorite photo spot for visitors. But they are more than picturesque crossings; they are rich in cultural significance. It is a local tradition to walk over all three bridges during life’s important moments, such as weddings, birthdays, or the arrival of a new year, as a way to invite blessings for peace, fortune, and longevity. As you pause to admire the rippling reflections of willow trees, boats, and old stone buildings, your guide will share folk stories and superstitions that bring these bridges to life.

After exploring Tuisi Garden and wandering through the iconic Three Bridges Area, you’ll take a well-deserved break for lunch at a charming riverside restaurant nestled within the heart of the old town. Overlooking tranquil canals and shaded by ancient willows, this traditional eatery offers a delightful selection of authentic Jiangnan dishes, celebrated for their light, refined flavors. Savor local specialties such as Wansan-style braised pork shank, steamed river fish with ginger and scallions, stir-fried freshwater shrimp, and lotus root stuffed with glutinous rice. Vegetarian options are also available upon request. As you enjoy your meal in this peaceful setting, your guide will share more about the town’s culinary heritage and daily life in southern China’s water towns. The relaxed pace of lunch not only refreshes the body but deepens your connection to Tongli’s cultural atmosphere — a moment of stillness before continuing your journey through its quiet gardens, grand halls, and golden canals.

Next, visit Gengle Hall, an imposing private residence built during the Ming dynasty. The name "Gengle" translates to “Joy in Farming,” and the mansion reflects the values of diligence, virtue, and prosperity cherished by the gentry of the time. The residence features traditional Jiangnan architectural design, including intricately carved wooden screens, ancestral halls, and stone-paved courtyards. Here, you can imagine the daily life of a wealthy scholar’s family and gain insight into Confucian ideals of family, education, and harmony. Your guide will highlight the meanings behind various decorative motifs and architectural elements that embody the homeowner’s aspirations and cultural values.

If time permits, you may also stop by the Pearl Tower Courtyard, a modest yet culturally significant site named after a famous Chinese opera. The story tells of a kind and loyal young woman who secretly gifted a treasured pearl tower to her beloved to help him succeed. As your guide recounts the moving love story, you’ll explore the quiet courtyard and browse exhibits featuring opera costumes, props, and historical interpretations that give voice to the enduring power of love and devotion in Chinese folklore.

As the sun begins its descent, Tongli takes on an entirely new character. The town becomes bathed in warm golden light, and the reflections on the canals become dreamlike. Whether you choose to sit quietly by the water, capture photos on one of the bridges, or simply wander the glowing alleyways, the sunset in Tongli is a moment of calm beauty. For a more immersive experience, consider an optional private wooden boat ride, where a skilled boatwoman will paddle you through narrow canals as red lanterns slowly come to life along the banks. The soft ripples of the water and the faint sound of evening birds make this a romantic and unforgettable journey through time.

At the end of this unforgettable day, your driver will be waiting to take you back to Shanghai. Relax in your private vehicle as you reflect on a journey through waterways, gardens, stories, and centuries of living history. You’ll arrive back at your Shanghai hotel in the evening, carrying with you the timeless beauty and serenity of Tongli Water Town — a gentle reminder of the poetry that still lingers in China’s ancient water towns.

Price Per Person in US Dollars