Suzhou Private Tour with Tongli Town Boat Tour, Paper-cutting & Vegetarian Lunch

5–6 hours Free cancellation Private tour

MoreFunAsia in Tongli — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

Tongli is a peaceful, tranquil and beautiful water town in Suzhou, which is known as the “Venice of the east” due to its bridges, water towns and small villages. Despite its popularity with tourists, Tongli is still a semi-residential village and the historical canalside hums with activity in the mornings before the crowds arrive. Famous places of historical interest, incredible architecture, private gardens, small bridges and running water as well as old streets and long alleys are everywhere in Tongli Town, and will light up your imagination from the moment you arrive here.

1. Enjoy beautiful view of Tongli Town by taking the boat

2. Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site – Tuisi Garden

3. Learn paper-cutting to experience Chinese art and classical culture

4. Enjoy a special vegetarian lunch

Day Cruises Half-day Tours Bus Tours Private and Luxury Private Sightseeing Tours Lunch Cruises Historical Tours Walking Tours

At a glance

Duration: 5–6 hours
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Your group only
People per booking: 1–15
Guide: Chinese, Japanese, English, French
Operated by: MoreFunAsia

Ages: Infants (0–2 years) · Children (3–17 years) · Adults (18–75 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Admission to the indicated attractions
Included: Pick up and drop off service
Included: In-vehicle air conditioning: Air-conditioned vehicle
Included: Professional tour leader and driver
Included: Lunch: Vegetarian diet

Itinerary

Tongli Town

2 hours Admission included

Your tour leader will be welcoming you at your hotel lobby or Suzhou Railway Station at 08:30 a.m.

Tongli is a semi-residential village and the historical canalside hums with activity in the mornings before the crowds arrive. A boat tour can take you through narrow rivers, straight stretches, winding turns and under beautiful bridges. The oarsman of your boat will go slowly so that you can take in all the sights and beauty.
Tongli Town

one hour Admission included

Paper-cutting is a very distinctive visual art of Chinese handicrafts. It originated from the 6th century. Today, paper-cuttings are chiefly decorative. They are pasted on the walls, windows, doors, columns and lanterns to express people’s hopes, gratitude and other emotions. It is easy to learn about cutting a piece of paper but very difficult to master it with perfection. Let's experience traditional Chinese handicrafts by learning paper-cutting.
Tuisi Garden

one hour Admission included

After lunch, we will visit Tuisi Garden. This Chinese classical garden, built in 19th-century, delightfully translates as the ‘Withdraw and Reflect Garden’, so named because it was the retirement home of a demoted Qing government official. The 'Tower of Fanning Delight' served as the living quarters, while the garden itself is a meditative portrait of a shimmering pond, rockeries and pavilions.
Tongli Pearl Tower

30 min Admission included

After visiting Tuisi Garden, we will head over to Pearl Tower.

In the north of town, quiet Pearl Tower dates from the Qing dynasty and contains a spacious residential complex decorated with Qing-era antiques, an ancestral hall, a garden and an opera stage. It gets its name from a tiny model pagoda draped in pearls.