Lesson #18: The Best Places to Visit in Wuxi, China

View from our apartment balcony

We have lived in Wuxi for an entire school year now (10 months). It's easy to view Wuxi as just an urban jungle at first glance. It's true that in the area of Wuxi where I live (New District), everything just looks concrete and grey. But after living here, I've learned that Wuxi has beautiful natural scenic areas to be discovered just by going a little out of the way. Here are some of the beautiful areas that Tim and I have visited this year in Wuxi:

1) Ancient Canal and Qingming Bridge

I visited other areas of China and the Jiangsu Province (wherein is Wuxi) before moving to Wuxi. Before coming to China, I envisioned it to look less urban and more ancient and quaint. For better or for worse, all the areas that I visited in China are in fact very developed and grey. For that reason, the Wuxi Ancient Canal area is like a breath of fresh air. For foreigners and locals alike, it's an area in Wuxi that we can go to and celebrate China's history. The ancient buildings are still there along the canal, but they've been remodeled. Tourists can walk along the canal and visit quaint cafes and shops. Tim and I visited a very relaxed cat cafe in this area! I also plan on going back to buy some souvenirs before going home for the summer.

2. Lingshan Buddha Scenic Area: 灵山大佛

 I had the opportunity to visit the Lingshan Scenic Area on a field trip with my grade 4 students this fall. We took a private bus there, but I was also told that there is a public bus that will take people all the way there. Because I was there with a giant group of students (at least 450), we didn't actually climb to the Giant Buddha statue that day. The statue is about 290 feet tall and is a very popular landmark in China. The statue is not ancient. In fact, it was just completed in 1996. It's a very beautiful area with mountains surrounding it. It also has a theater with a short show that was very well done. I would like to come back and visit with Tim, so we can climb the Buddha and eat at the vegan restaurant there.

3.Turtlehead Park and Fairy Islands: Yuantouzhu

We actually first visited this area in the fall. We arrived late in the afternoon, and we decided to take a boat to the Fairy Island on Lake Taihu. The timing worked out perfectly because we were able to catch the sunset from the island! It was incredible. I felt like I was on a private paradise! We then returned to the Turtlehead Park in the spring to see the famous cherry blossoms! We went on a day that wasn't too hot, but it was the weekend; so everyone was there. It was way too crowded! This area with the Fairy Island included is just too big to see in one day. Even though we visited in two different trips, I still feel as though there is a lot left to explore here. 

4. Huishan Ancient Village and Mountain: 惠山古镇

We visited the Huishan Ancient Village during the Lantern Festival in February. We went there one afternoon hoping to view a traditional performance for the festival that evening. Unfortunately, the day got colder and colder, and we were not appropriately dressed for the weather. We ended up having to leave without seeing the performance that evening! Nevertheless, we got there early so we could explore the ancient village. Like the ancient canal, visiting this area is a like a step back in time. There are lots of little shops to see and places to buy souvenirs. We also climbed the steps all the way to a pagoda, which disappointingly was not even open to visitors. Then, we took a cable car to the top of the Huishan Mountain! It was not a very sunny day, so the view from the top was a little disappointing. We also saw a few people climbing the mountain because there was actually a nice-looking path to the top for people who like to hike. I would love to return to the mountain on a nice warm, sunny day.

5. Wuxi Chang Guang Xi National Wetlands

We visited the Wetland Park one mild winter day. I was truly astonished by the beauty of this natural area, even in the winter! There were lots of little paths to take that allowed us to get away from any of the other visitors that day. In a city in a country that's crowded with people, this place was a true escape from everything. We were just surrounded by natural beauty! I'm truly amazed that I don't hear people talking about this place more often.

6. Qian Hong Tea Plantation, Yixing

We were lucky to be invited to join a tour group to a tea plantation in Yixing, which is a rural town located just outside of Wuxi. I had been wanting to go to Yixing for a while, but I really had no idea how to get there on my own. I think you would need to hire a car or join a tour in order to visit Yixing, since it is about 2 hours outside of Wuxi. I am a tea lover, so I was so excited to be able to view the tea fields and pick the tea leaves. We got to see how the tea leaves are dried, and we were treated to a traditional Chinese meal with a gorgeous view! After visiting the plantation, we got to visit a temple in Yixing, where they were hosting a vegan food festival! After walking around the temple area (which was like a park), I started to feel really exhausted and in pain; so Tim and I sat down. Noticing the two foreigners sitting outside the temple, these two self-proclaimed volunteers started talking to us. It appeared as though they were trying to answer survey questions. After a while, they said their English wasn't very good, so they introduced us to their leader who spoke English really well. This female monk looked very androgynous. In fact, when we all got back on the bus, we learned that there was apparently a debate about whether or not the monk was a male or a female. Because we had talked to her, I would definitely say she was a female, but it otherwise was difficult to tell. All in all, Yixing was a very memorable experience! 

7. Xuelang Mountain Ecological and Scenic Garden

Before moving to Wuxi, I had seen reports that perhaps there were lavender fields here! When Tim and I went to France in July 2014, we intended to visit the stunning lavender fields that France is known for. Instead, we left there very disappointed because we learned that the lavender had already been harvested. Determined to finally see lavender fields, I asked around to learn if I could actually visit lavender fields here in Wuxi. And, yes! We visited the garden just in time to view the beautiful lavender fields. Since it was the weekend, the area was very crowded. On the bright side, it wasn't too hot even though it was summer because it was kind of a rainy, overcast day. Because Tim and I had the taxi drop us off on the wrong side of the mountain, we had a 30-minute walk around the mountain before getting to the gardens. The gardens themselves were huge, so we did a lot of walking that day. They also serve lavender-flavored soft serve ice cream and have a lavender gift shop on sight. I just didn't want to leave without seeing everything! 

I look forward to all of the new places left to explore here in the upcoming school year, but for now, I'm so excited to be going home in just a few days!!