Suzhou New District

Suzhou New District, also known as Huqiu District, is adjacent to Taihu Lake in the west and Suzhou Old Town in the east. Suzhou New District was set in 1990 and now has covered an area of 332 square kilometers (82,039 acres), including 109 square kilometers (26,934.5 acres) of Taihu Lake - China’s third largest freshwater lake. Consisting of Science and Technology City, Economic Development Zone and Western Ecological City, Suzhou New District is a comprehensive new district integrating technological development and ecological tourism.

Visitors can take high speed trains from Shanghai, Nanjing, and Hangzhou directly to the railway station in Suzhou New District. In the future, Suzhou metro line 3 and line 6 will connect Suzhou New District with other areas of Suzhou.
 

Located in the west of Suzhou City, 16 kilometers (9.9 miles) away from the Suzhou Old Town, it’s the “green lung” of the whole Suzhou New District. Baimajian Ecological Park is divided into six areas, including four natural scenic areas and two public leisure areas. Freshwater jellyfish is the highlight of the whole scenic area. It is the world’s highest level of “Extremely Dangerous Organisms”, even has the name of “Giant Panda in Water”. Besides, you can go rafting, swimming, watching waterfalls, climbing mountains and enjoying a variety of plants such as ginkgo, plum blossom and camphor here.

 How to get there: take bus 357 and get off at Lujiawan South Station.
 Entrance fee: CNY 50 / person.
 Opening hours: 09:00 ~ 17:00.
 Recommended visiting time: 2 hours.
 

As a natural wetland, it’s located to the west of Taihu Lake in Suzhou New District. Here you can visit the Suzhou New Expo Hall to learn about the 2,500 years of the ancient history of Suzhou, see the two lovely pandas in Panda Theme Plaza, and take a boat in the Water Forest to watch migratory birds flying through the forest. In addition, there is a beach with soft sand, bumper boats and other water amusement facilities for children to have fun.

 How to get there: take bus line 43, 441, 370, 352, 359 to Taihu Wetland Park Station.
 Entrance fee: CNY 60 / person.
 Opening hours: 09:00 ~ 16:30.
 Recommended visiting time: 3 hours.
 

Located at the intersection of Shandong Road and Shanshenwan Road, it’s a modern theme park with the theme of Oriental Disney, which integrates the features of lively, cheerful and spectacular western amusement park and leisure, tranquility and nature of oriental garden. It is divided into four scenic areas: Forest Water World, Homothermal Water Park, Forest World, and Forest Town. The hot spring fish recuperating, water recreation facilities, roller coaster and XD cinema are the must-play ones for both children and adults. Also, the Sijiyue Resort Hotel in Suzhou Amusement Land provides tourists with beautiful natural scenery and interesting entertainment facilities.

 How to get there: take bus 322 to Forest Water World West Station and bus 357 to Forest Water World North Station.
 Entrance fee: CNY 198; CNY 128 for child between 1.2 and 1.5m (3.9 and 4.9ft) tall.
 Opening hours: Forest Water World: 10:00 ~ 21:00 from June to September; Homothermal Water Park: 10:30 ~ 21:00; Forest World: under construction; Forest Town: 09:00 ~ 17:00.
 Recommended visiting time: 5 hours.
 

With quiet natural environment, the Shushan Village is located in the eastern plain of Taihu Lake in Suzhou New District. There are many ornamental and medicinal trees, wild animals and birds such as egrets and thrushes. Visitors can take a sightseeing car to enjoy the scenery of the mountain village, learn to pick up tea, and appreciate pear flowers bloom in spring from March to May. Enjoying the hot spring, tasting delicious food and cycling around the mountain are also very enjoyable activities in Shushan Village.

 How to get there: take bus line 316, 321 and get off at Shushan Village Station.
 Entrance fee: free.
 Opening hours: 09:00 ~ 17:00.
 Recommended visiting time: 3 hours.
 

It is located in the high-tech zone of Suzhou Xushuguan development zone Suzhou New District, adjacent to the Taihu Lake in the west, to the Yangshan Road in the east, to the Taihu Avenue in the south, and to the Xingxian Road in the north. Its forest coverage rate is 88.64%, and called “urban green lung” of Suzhou. The park is a comprehensive urban forest park featuring recreation, ecological protection, leisure, science education and cultural tourism. Here the Wen Shu Temple and Botanical Garden Scenic Area are the must-see spots. In addition, the book bar, hot spring and 7D cinema are quite leisure activities for tourists after sightseeing.

 How to get there: take bus line 357 to Wen Shu Temple Station and 322 and 357 to Dayangshan Station.
 Entrance fee: CNY 40 for a ticket of Wen Shu Temple; CNY 40 for a ticket of Botanical Garden.
​ Opening hours: 09:00 ~ 16:30.
 Recommended visiting time: 1 ~ 3 hours.