But don't panic, The Sarky Traveller will hit you with the best of both towns and hopefully this will help you decide. Of course if you have time for both, do them both. We did.
Nanjing (Jiangsu Province).
We arrived by plane from Xi'an and stayed at The Orange Hotel, which is right by the canal and not far from the main canalside sights of Dashiba Street. http://www.orangehotel.com.cn/nanjing/Fuzimiao.html
Canalside in Nanjing
Top five things to do in Nanjing, in no particular order, other than this is the order we did them in on the day.
1. Zhongshan Mountain Scenic Area. http://en.zschina.org.cn/webpage/jqjj.jsp?detailId=10921&functionId=10885
To the East of Nanjing on the outskirts of the city, lies the Zhongshan Mountain, often referred to as 'the purple mountain.' This extensive National Park has many sights and attractions to keep you busy. As it is out of the centre you will likely need a taxi - quite difficult to flag down in Nanjing, trust me - as a taxi can take you right up to the drop off point of whichever sight you are visiting.
To the East of Nanjing on the outskirts of the city, lies the Zhongshan Mountain, often referred to as 'the purple mountain.' This extensive National Park has many sights and attractions to keep you busy. As it is out of the centre you will likely need a taxi - quite difficult to flag down in Nanjing, trust me - as a taxi can take you right up to the drop off point of whichever sight you are visiting.
You should visit Dr Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum. This man was, for a lot of people in China, a political hero and founder of modern China. But be prepared for crowds. We arrived about thirty minutes after opening and it was already filled with school groups and tour groups that had come to pay their respects. The mausoleum is a heavily trafficked tourist site with lots of stairs. Please be patient and courteous to others. Find out more here: http://zschina.nanjing.gov.cn/english_54819/
Lots of steps.
Looking down and out over the mountain, with Nanjing centre on the right in the distance.
The Mausoleum site is free to enter and explore, but the other sites on the mountain carry a small entry fee. There are options of a through ticket - for all attractions - or some combination tickets, if you have the whole day to explore.
We then took one of the shuttle buses to the Ming Tomb, as we had time for one more excursion on the mountain.
50 pence (5 RMB) is all it takes for a little jaunt on one of these buggies.
The Xioling Tomb of the Ming Dynasty is well worth a visit if you have a spare ninety minutes or so. Bring your walking legs and enjoy not only the tomb, gates and halls, but also the gardens and sculptures. For more information about the Ming Tomb visit the official site: http://www.njzsl.org.cn/mxl.aspx
Once you reach the main hall, there is an exhibition and gift shop, and you can look out over the tomb with a fantastic view.
Wow.
The view from the top.
The exhibition and gift shop. We picked up an English guide to the tomb.
Please visit the gardens, they are so fun and have lots of statues, though the animals are probably the most beloved.
As you head out, there are various exits along the way, so you can lengthen or shorten your walk as necessary. You may have to wait a little time to hail a taxi back off the mountain, but they will come. This is a big tourist destination for Nanjing, so just be patient and be sure to have the Chinese characters of your next destination, on hand.
2. The Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall http://www.nj1937.org/en/index.htm
This beautifully poignant memorial to the lives lost in the Nanjing Massacre, and to those 300,000 bodies discovered in a mass grave only 30 years ago, incorporates water, space, jutting angles and interesting sculptures, to convey the devastation brought on the city.
Space for contemplation.
The names of all 300,000 victims in Chinese characters.
The continuous flame
An impressive sight.
There is no fee for entering the site but they do ask you to sign in and state your nationality. Take a while to walk around and admire the remarkable tribute to those who lost their lives.
Now, before I continue, I must tell you where we stopped for lunch. Oh my word. Just by the Zhonghua Gate we found a tiny little eatery with tables inside and pictures on the wall. We wandered in and pointed to something we recognised. The amazing thing was that the chef then went into the kitchen and completely made it from scratch. We watched him do it. The dish was noddles, beef, potatoes and vegetables, and it was magnificent. It even came with a free bowl of broth soup. And all for the meagre cost of 12 RMB (£1.20 each). Cheapest meal ever. Oh and they over charged us at first and came running after us with the change. We tried to give it back to them but they do not accept tips. It felt like daylight robbery, for such great food, freshly made on the spot and so tasty. Thank you lunch place. I hope you are still there and still serving the people for ridonculously cheap.
3. Zhonghua Gate. http://tastejiangsu.com/attractions/zhonghua.html
Nanjing has the remains of an extensive part of its original city walls. And this gate is a key site to look out over the city and learn more about its history.
There are lots of interesting tunnels, caves and hidey holes, once used by the soldiers to defend the gate, that are now used to house small exhibits and there is still a small temple in one of them.
Here you can purchase a ribbon or board where you write your names on and it brings good luck for the year. Then they tie it up around the temple.
Always mind your stairs.
Looking out to Nanjing centre.
The Zhonghua Gate from the top.
Some of the walls.
4. The Garden of the Heavenly Kingdom.
Within walking distance of the Zhonghua Gate, the Garden of the Heavenly Kingdom is exactly what you would expect of a Chinese garden. There are pavilions and lakes; bridges and rocks; temples and gates; halls, caves and Bonsai.
5. The lights of Nanjing and shopping on Dashiba Street.
If you've pounded the four sites above like we did, you are likely to need a rest. We went back to the hotel for a short while before heading to Dashiba Street to see canalside Nanjing, by night.
It's all about the lights. Magnificent.
Dashiba Street is a bustling canalside street with restaurants, food markets and vendors, and plenty of tea and souvenir shops. It is well worth a visit in the evening. You can also take a lit up canal boat for an evening ride on the water. We were lucky enough to find the Confucius Temple still open and lit up to the nines, so we visited and even caught a live music show. http://www.njfzm.net/language/english/about.asp
The Confucius Temple
A musical treat.
So these are my top five sights in Nanjing, as done in one day. There is so much more to do in Nanjing as it is quite a big city, but this is what we managed and it was awesome.
Suzhou: The Venice of China. (Jiangsu Province)
Hailed as the Venice of China, Suzhou attracts a huge amount of visitors and it's not difficult to see why. Top five things to do in Suzhou, again in no particular order.
1. Stay at the Suzhou Garden Hotel. http://www.gardenhotelsuzhou.com/
It has five stars. It has gardens inside and the lobby has a water feature complete with bridge you can walk over. We paid about £30 for one night - obviously staying at peak times will cost more, but if you fancy a night of luxury then this is definitely the place. We're talking people taking your luggage to your rooms, early check in and deluxe rooms. Yay!
Hailed as the Venice of China, Suzhou attracts a huge amount of visitors and it's not difficult to see why. Top five things to do in Suzhou, again in no particular order.
1. Stay at the Suzhou Garden Hotel. http://www.gardenhotelsuzhou.com/
It has five stars. It has gardens inside and the lobby has a water feature complete with bridge you can walk over. We paid about £30 for one night - obviously staying at peak times will cost more, but if you fancy a night of luxury then this is definitely the place. We're talking people taking your luggage to your rooms, early check in and deluxe rooms. Yay!
The lobby, complete with pond and fish.
Part of the hotel grounds.
2. The Master of Nets Garden. http://www.szwsy.com/en/home.asp
Lucky for us, just across the road from the Garden Hotel was the lovely Master of Nets Garden.
Bonsai
As well as all the usual features of an oriental garden, there was also an arts and crafts shop and tea shop, and plenty of stopping points to rest and reflect.
3. Canalside shopping and the delights of Pingjiang Road.
If you come to Suzhou, this is what it's all about. Walking the length of the Pingjiang road, along the canal and treating yourself to food, drink and gifts from the many independent shops and eateries. It's a real haven of exciting shops and plenty of bustle.
4. The Opera Museum. http://www.kunopera.com.cn/
Down one of the side streets of the Pingjiang Historic Area - and well signposted - is The Opera Museum. It is free to get in and you don't have to be a crazy Opera fan to appreciate the architecture and that stage. Wow. The stage is phenomenal. Plus, if it's raining or cold, it's a nice diversion to warm you up and allow you to soak up some more of China's fabulous history.
Down one of the side streets of the Pingjiang Historic Area - and well signposted - is The Opera Museum. It is free to get in and you don't have to be a crazy Opera fan to appreciate the architecture and that stage. Wow. The stage is phenomenal. Plus, if it's raining or cold, it's a nice diversion to warm you up and allow you to soak up some more of China's fabulous history.
The stage.
5. The Humble Administrator's Garden. / http://en.szzzy.cn./
The biggest garden we'd visited so far, and one of the top 5 in China, a trip to Suzhou wouldn't be complete without visiting The Humble Administrator's Garden. The cost is between 70 RMB and 90 RMB depending on the time of year you travel, but its extensive grounds and beautiful architecture will make it well worth your time and money.
So you've met the players, now it's time for the battle: Nanjing Vs Suzhou
Shopping: The winner is Suzhou. There are so many amazing independent stalls, shops and eateries along the canalside Pingjiang Road. We came away with many unusual gifts and souvenirs with our wallets significantly lighter.
Gardens: Both towns have remarkable gardens, so I call this section a draw.
Attractions: The winner is Nanjing for the Zhongshan Mountain scenic area. See the Ming Tomb, the Mausoleum of Dr Sun Yat-sen and much much more.
Lights: The winner goes to Nanjing and its beautiful canalside illuminations.
Accommodation: The winner is Suzhou and the Garden Hotel. Stay in five star luxury even when travelling on a budget.
Museums: Both towns have a wealth of museums, but I would say the Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall and the Suzhou Opera museum - both free to get in to - were top picks. This section is another draw.
Getting around: Suzhou wins this one due to its walkability. There is also a good network of buses. Nanjing and its attractions cover a much larger area, so visiting multiple places had to involve taxis. Suzhou's more compact centre allowed for a lot of pleasant strolling along the canal and in the gardens.
Food: Value: Nanjing wins this hands down, with very reasonable and very tasty food, even along the super touristy Dashiba Street.
Food: Variety: Suzhou nails this one with a huge variety of home grown eateries but also a much more multicultural feel, with bakeries and restaurants serving food from around the globe.
Transport Links: Both towns are served by high speed railways, and offer links to most major cities in and around the province. Nanjing has an airport too which can cut down on some of the longer train journeys. And the journey between the two towns is easily done by high speed train, if you have the time to visit both.
Conclusion: Suzhou does give you a more extensive canal network than Nanjing. But then Nanjing is also a big city with an array of attractions and sights that we didn't even have time for. From the battle I think Suzhou perhaps just came out on top, but it was a close run fight. And really both towns are an excellent departure from the huge cities like Beijing and Shanghai. If you do however, have a day or two to spare in this region, I would definitely consider doing both these canal towns. A day in each is all you need to see a lot and really get a feel for life along the canal. I promise you, you won't be disappointed by either.
Join me next time for the final China blog, where I try to condense three days in Shanghai into one blog. *Eek*
Until then, keep travelling.
The Sarky Traveller.
