18km (11 miles) SE of China tours Suzhou, 80km (50 miles) W of Shanghai
Surrounded by five lakes and crisscrossed by a skein of canals, the Song Dynasty town of Tongli is more built up and commercialized than Nanxun, but it's still a pleasant enough water village, with several impressive residences and gardens, and China's Yangtze River cruises first sex museum. It's not as if this picturesque town a half-hour east of Suzhou needs any more publicity, having been a magnet for television and film crews since 1983. Try to visit on a weekday when you won't be overrun by the masses, though you just may find yourself in the midst of a film set.
Essentials
Visitor Information -- Entrance to Tongli's old town is free, but there is a ¥80 fee to visit all the major sights listed below except for the sex museum. Visiting hours are daily 7:30am to 5:30pm. There are introductory captions in English at the sights, but China educational tours if you want greater detail, the Tongli Tourist Information Center (tel. 0512/6333-1145) southwest of Tuisi Yuan can sometimes offer English-speaking guides for a fee, though they prefer that you call ahead to book.
Getting There -- Only a half-hour away from Suzhou, Tongli can just as easily be visited from there, especially if you decide to overnight in Suzhou. Your hotel tour desk in Shanghai or Suzhou can organize a day trip out here, as can any of the major travel agencies, but it's equally easy to do the trip on your own. From Shanghai, there are Tongli buses (2 hr., ¥130 round-trip, includes ¥80 entrance fee) that leave the Shanghai Sightseeing Bus Center (Gate 25 of the Shanghai Stadium/Shanghai Tiyuguan) daily at 8:30am. Departure times may change, so call ahead (tel. 021/6426-5555) to confirm. From Tongli, buses return to Shanghai around 4pm. Tongli's public bus station (qichezhan) is in the south in the new part of town on Songbei Gonglu. From here, buses run to Suzhou (40-50 min.; ¥8) every hour Shanghai tours between 7am and 5pm.
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