This summer, my family and I embarked on a journey to explore Eastern China. From September 4th to 10th, we visited Nanjing, Suzhou, Hangzhou, Wuzhen, and Shanghai. The weather was comfortable during our trip.

I had previously visited the eastern part of China ten years ago and was deeply impressed by the Yangtze River Delta. I particularly enjoyed Wuzhen, so we decided to revisit the area this time.

Our first destination was Nanjing. We traveled there by high-speed train from Zhengzhou, which took about 3.5 hours. In Nanjing, we visited Xuanwu Lake, Sun Yat-Sen Mausoleum, Qinhuai River, and Confucius Temple. These scenic spots are mainly concentrated in the urban area and are easily accessible by subway. We also tasted some local delicacies such as duck vermicelli soup and other Nanjing snacks.

Our second destination was Suzhou. We traveled there by high-speed train from Nanjing, which took about 1 hour and 20 minutes. In Suzhou, we visited the Lingering Garden, Humble Administrator’s Garden, and Pingjiang Road.

Our third destination was Hangzhou. We traveled there by high-speed train from Suzhou, which took about 1 hour and 40 minutes. In Hangzhou, we spent a day visiting West Lake and hiking around the lake.

After Hangzhou, we traveled to Wuzhen. Buses run every half hour between Hangzhou and Wuzhen from 6:30 am to 6:30 pm, with destinations being either Wuzhen Xizha or Dongzha. We chose to take the bus to Xizha, which took about 1.5 hours. Since our trip was not during the summer holiday season, we did not book entrance tickets in advance and instead purchased them on the spot. The night view in Wuzhen is particularly beautiful, so we decided to stay there for one night.

Our final stop was Shanghai. We traveled there by high-speed train from Hangzhou, which took about 1 hour and 10 minutes. In Shanghai, we visited the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, the Bund, Jinmao Tower, Shikumen building in Xintiandi, and Nanjing Road. The metro system in Shanghai is advanced and convenient, so we used it to travel everywhere.

At the end of our trip, we took a high-speed train from Shanghai to Zhengzhou, marking the conclusion of our happy journey.

By Susan Yan - Charmission Travel