• Tongli Overview
• Highlights
• Food
• Transportation
• Accommodation
• Recommeded Itinerary
• Travel Tips

• Wuzhen Water Town
• Xitang Water Town
• Zhouzhuang Water Town
• Luzhi Water Town

Tongli Travel Tips

1. The single ticket can be bought in every scenic spot and the price varies from 5 to 40 Yuan. 

2. If you have bought the through ticket, you needn't buy the single ticket to enter into the ancient town. Tourism season can be divided into : low season (1st June 1-31st August , 1st December -29th February of the next year) the peak tourist season ( 1st March- 31st May, 1st September- 30th November)

3. Tongli Gondola Tours/ Luoxing Islet Sampan Trip

River Gondola Tour:
You can rent a gondola (long boat) w/boatman for a quiet tour on the river– the price is 60 Yuan for a standard, 30 minute ride, which, generally speaking, is enough to see the entire river section in which Tongli, with its seven small, interconnected islets, lies. However, if you would like to make stops in order to take more composed photos, enjoy dejeuner sur la rivière, etc., you can negotiate the price for a slower journey with the boatman. There are two gondola piers in Tongli: one at the front (northwestern corner) of Retreat Garden (Tuisi Garden) at the intersection of Zhongchuan Street and Dechun Bridge; and another one south of the garden on the street that runs parallel (here) with Xinzhen Street, and which is separated by the canal (from the front/ western side of Retreat Garden, proceed south on Zhongchuan Street past Xinzhen Street until you cross the canal, then turn left (east) on this street and you should see the gondola pier about 50 meters farther on the left).

Sampan Shuttle to Luoxing Islet:

At the front (northwestern corner) of Retreat Garden (Tuisi Garden), namely, at the aforementioned intersection of Zhongchuan Street and Dechun Bridge, there is a gondolier pier where you can catch the sampan shuttle (holds up to 15 passengers) to Luoxing Islet, which lies on the edge of Lake Tongli, a few hundred meters east of the city of Tongli, just below the dividing line between Lake Jiuli and Lake Tongli.

In addition to its charming water scenes, Tongli is home to Tuisi Garden, aka the Retreat and Reflection Garden (Retreat Garden, for short). » more

Tongli has a gentle, slightly humid climate, with lots of river branches that contain various edible fishes and aquatic plants. » more

There are direct buses from Shanghai and Suzhou to Tongli. At Zhouzhuang, there are small buses going to Tongli which involve a journey of about ½ hour. » more

Chuanxin Alley, archaic yet elegant, is worthy of special mention, its bluestone pathways providing a hint of the city's ancient cultural flavor. » more

Although Tongli is small, its streets are relatively wide, with dwellings and business establishments alternating with noteworthy cultural and historical sites. » more

You can rent a gondola (long boat) w/boatman for a quiet tour on the river– the price is 60 Yuan for a standard, 30 minute ride. » more