The water towns of Jiangnan, including Suzhou and Hangzhou, are a must-visit

Recommendations: Lingering Garden: The Lingering Garden is not large, but the scenery is exquisite. Each window is like a picture frame, offering a unique view at every step, and every window presents a different scene. The garden's layout is perfect for taking beautiful photos. Pingjiang Road: You must try the 'hand-rowed boats' to experience the 'gentle breeze and cool waters' and 'lean on the boat's window to gaze at the distant mountains.' 'Zhizhenshe' is a place to listen to Suzhou Pingtan, where the teachers sing beautifully. The teahouse has limited seating, which makes it quiet and peaceful. The set menu includes tea, and the prices are affordable. 'Xie Dongjia' is highly recommended for crab roe noodles and taro mochi. I even packed a portion to eat on the way back to Beijing. Xiyuan Temple and Hanshan Temple: I recommend Xiyuan Temple. Visit before three in the afternoon, eat vegetarian noodles next to the Heavenly King Hall, especially the Guanyin noodles. Grab two vegetarian buns near the Drum Tower. Both the buns and noodles have a sweet taste, so if you don't like sweet flavors, you might want to skip them. Tiger Hill: Enter through the north gate and stroll from the back hill to the front hill. You must take a bamboo raft boat; the dock is under the bridge at the north gate entrance. The photos are incredibly beautiful! Below the Sword Pool on the front hill is the tomb of King Wu, and climbing to the top reveals the 'Leaning Pagoda' with its pleasant scenery. When visiting, avoid Saturdays and Sundays to not miss out on Suzhou! Book the Suzhou Museum one week in advance. I do not recommend the Lion Grove Garden and Hanshan Temple. Hangzhou Avoid and Recommendations: Zhejiang Provincial Museum: You must visit the Zhejiang Pavilion, where the ten treasures of the museum are located. Make sure to book in advance! The Gushan Pavilion is located within the West Lake scenic area, and you can visit it while touring West Lake. I recommend the porcelain and lacquerware galleries, especially the lacquerware. Although there are few pieces, they are exquisite, with many from the Song and Yuan dynasties on display. China National Tea Museum: You can visit exhibition halls 1-4; the others are not very interesting. The museum environment is nice, located near Hupao, where you can drink Longjing tea. It's better to chat more and buy less. Xixi National Wetland Park: One of the top ten wetland parks, it's like a real-life version of the 'Emerald City' from The Wizard of Oz. Inside, there's a mini version of an ancient town with small bridges and flowing water, perfect for photography. There aren't many tourists, and it's divided into free and paid areas. If you don't take a rowing boat, the free area is enough to explore. Leifeng Pagoda and Broken Bridge are to be avoided. Don't go, especially to Leifeng Pagoda, as it's a waste of money. Paying 40 yuan to take an elevator to the top just to feel the cold wind is not worth it. It's better to visit the West Lake scenic area in the evening; there's not much to see during the day, but the night view is nice!