Shanghai, Suzhou & Hangzhou: The Complete Jiangnan Itinerary

Jiangnan — the land south of the Yangtze — is one of China's most distinct regions. Canals, classical gardens, silk production, refined cuisine, and cities that have been prosperous for a thousand years. It is not the China of the Great Wall or the Terracotta Warriors. It is softer, greener, more intimate — and for many travellers, the more surprising and lasting experience.

A tour combining Shanghai with Suzhou, Wuxi, and Hangzhou gives you both faces of modern China: the hyper-kinetic international city of the 21st century, and the ancient, water-laced culture that shaped Chinese aesthetics for centuries.

The Route

The CTS Shanghai & Surroundings tour runs as a Yangtze Delta loop: fly into Shanghai, travel through Suzhou and Wuxi toward Hangzhou, then return to Shanghai for departure. The inter-city distances are short — often 1–1.5 hours by coach — which means less time in transit and more time in each place.

Suzhou (2 nights) is the classical gardens capital. The city has nine UNESCO World Heritage gardens, built by retired officials and scholars over several centuries as private retreats. The Humble Administrator's Garden (Zhuozheng Yuan) and the Master of the Nets Garden are the finest, but each of the nine has a distinct character. Suzhou also has an ancient canal district that predates Venice as a water city.

Wuxi (1–2 nights) sits on the shores of Lake Tai — a vast freshwater lake dotted with islands. The lakeside scenery is the draw: classical pavilions on promontories, fishing boats, morning mist. Wuxi is also the home of the Lingshan Giant Buddha — at 88 metres, significantly taller than the Leshan Buddha in Sichuan, though less dramatically sited.

Hangzhou (2 nights) is the West Lake city. Marco Polo reportedly called it the finest city in the world. The lake itself is the centre of everything: classical gardens at its edge, pagodas on islands, the Su Causeway for morning walks, and the surrounding hills dotted with tea plantations producing Longjing (Dragon Well) tea — the most prized green tea in China.

Shanghai (2 nights) bookends the trip. The Bund — the curved riverside promenade lined with colonial-era banking and trading buildings facing the Pudong skyline — is the defining image of the city. But Shanghai rewards exploration beyond it: the French Concession neighbourhood, the Yu Garden, the Old City food market, the contemporary art district of M50.

What Makes This Route Work

The inter-city rhythm is comfortable. Unlike a grand sweep from Beijing to Yunnan, this itinerary stays within a region where everything is connected, the culture is consistent, and the pace doesn't require you to be on a coach or plane every other day.

Several meals on this tour are deliberately left as own expense — a design choice, not an oversight. The street food in Suzhou (glutinous rice dumplings, fried tofu) and the tea-house culture in Hangzhou are best experienced independently, at your own pace, rather than as a scheduled group meal. CTS Tours builds this into the itinerary deliberately.

Best Time to Visit: October

October is the strongest month for this route. The summer heat and humidity have passed, the West Lake in Hangzhou takes on its autumn character, the tea harvest season is ending, and the region's famous silk-producing industry is in full operation. The CTS October 2026 departure leaves Auckland on 14 October — timed for these conditions.

Visa and Pricing

Many NZ passport holders currently qualify for China's visa-free entry. Confirm before booking. The Shanghai & Surroundings Discovery tour is priced from NZD $2,999 per person (twin share), including international airfares from Auckland.

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