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Jiangsu Travel

Jiangsu Travel Guide 2024

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Jiangsu is located in the eastern coastal center of China, with the Yellow Sea in the east, and bordering Shanghai, Zhejiang, Anhui and Shandong provinces. The Yangtze River Delta city group, which is composed of Jiangsu, Shanghai and Zhejiang, has become one of the 6 largest international city groups in the world.

Since ancient times, Jiangsu has been prosperous in economy, education and culture, which endows it with rich tourism resources. Natural landscape and cultural heritage blend with each other. There are ancient water towns, famous temples, classical gardens, world-renowned silk, scenic lakes and mountains, emperors' mausoleums and capital sites... A trip to Jiangsu will offer you a different and memorable travel experience!

Why You Should Visit Jiangsu?

  • Cradle of Chinese Civilization with Diverse Culture - Jiangsu is one of the birthplaces of ancient Chinese civilization. Because of its location, Jiangsu is a multi-cultural land with regional characteristics of "Wu" (Suzhou), "Jinling" (Nanjing), "Huaiyang" (Yangzhou), "Central Plains" (Xuzhou), etc. They are united together while with own features, presenting different travel experiences to the visitors.
  • Hometown of Charming Chinese Silk - Silk is a special product of China with a history of thousands of years. Its gentle textile and beautiful shine have won the heart of numerous people and opened the first large-scale trade exchange between the East and the West, known as the "Silk Road". Suzhou silk is an outstanding representative of Chinese silk. There are silk museums and factories in Suzhou for you to know how the silk is produced and really touch the silk in person.
  • Essence of Classical Gardens - In the past, many wealthy officials and scholars built their gardens in Jiangsu. The gardens are well designed, blending the owner’s aesthetic tastes and ideas into the landscape. There are Humble Admistrator’s Garden, Lingering Garden, and Master of the Nets Garden in Suzhou, Jichang Garden in Wuxi, Geyuan Garden and Heyuan Garden in Yangzhou, etc.
  • Featured Water Towns in Southern China - Because of the criss-crossed rivers and canals, villages in Jiangsu have formed the distinctive water towns. Locals build their homes along the river and live there generation by generation. Jiangsu has some of the most famous water towns such as Zhouzhuang and Tongli, as well as tranquil ones like Luzhi and Mudu.
  • Picturesque Waterscape with Scenic Lakes - People say that Jiangsu is a land of water and it is true. The water has cultivated Jiangsu people and formed many cross-city or inland lakes. Among them, the most famous and beautiful is Taihu Lake. It is quite relaxing to bath in the sunset glow and enjoy the view. Other lakes include Xuanwu Lake in Nanjing, Jinji Lake in Suzhou, Slender West Lake in Yangzhou, etc.
  • Convenient Transportation to Major Cities in China - Cities in Jiangsu such as Suzhou, Nanjing, and Wuxi are always traveled with nearby Shanghai and Hangzhou. With the frequent and comfortable high-speed trains, it only needs 1-2 hours or less time to travel between them. To other cities like Beijing, Xian, Chengdu, and Guilin, flights and bullet trains are also available.
  • ......

144-hour Visa-free travel: From Jan. 30, 2016, qualified travelers of 51 countries could travel among Shanghai, Jiangsu Province (Suzhou included) and Zhejiang Province (Hangzhou included) for 144 hours (6 days) without visa. Learn more about 144 Hours China Visa Free Transit >>

Top Travel Destinations in Jiangsu Province

Jiangsu consists of 13 cities, many of which are attracting tourists from home and abroad with their own charm. You can admire the profound history and culture of ancient capital for 6 dynasties in Nanjing; appreciate elegant gardens, graceful silk and beautiful water towns in Suzhou; meet the largest bronze Buddha and romantic scenery of Taihu Lake in Wuxi; pay a visit to the Canal Capital of the World and representative city on The Maritime Silk Road - Yangzhou and have fun in the dinosaur-themed entertainment park in Changzhou, etc. Learn more about Main Destinations in Jiangsu >>

Jiangsu Travel Yangzhou
Jiangsu Travel Changzhou

Popular Tourist Attractions & Activities in Jiangsu Province

Jiangsu is rich in tourism resources with beautiful scenery, appealing culture, and many things to do. Classical gardens such as Humble Administrator’s Garden and Lingering Garden will give you a glimpse of what traditional Chinese gardens are like; spending a leisure afternoon in beautiful Zhouzhuang or Tongli will bring refreshment to both mind and body; a visit to Nanjing Museum is a recommended way to know more about Jiangsu’s past and present… You can also enjoy a part of the melodious Kunqu Opera, take a boat trip on the canal, climb up to Niushoushan, and indulge yourself in Yuantouzhu in your Jiangsu tour. For more attraction & things to do in Jiangsu, please check Top Things to Do in Jiangsu | Top Jiangsu Tourist Attractions.

Jiangsu Travel
Humble Administrator’s Garden

The largest and most famous Suzhou garden, listed as World Heritage Site by UNESCO, and is the most classis private garden in China.

Jiangsu Travel
Lingering Garden

Lingering Garden is a UNESCO-recognized Chinese Classical Garden with delicate designed architecture, featured shaped stones and idyllic scenery.

Jiangsu Travel
Suzhou Silk Factory

Established for near 100 years, Suzhou No.1 Silk Factory is the best place to see the real process of making Suzhou silk items from silkworms to the delicate silk products.

Jiangsu Travel
Suzhou Grand Canal

An important part of Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, and cruise on the Grand Canal is definitely a unique experience to see the water scene of Suzhou.

Jiangsu Travel
Zhouzhuang

Zhouzhuang is the "No. 1 Water Town in China" of nearly 1000 years old and a great place to see old buildings and picturesque waterscape on the boat.

Jiangsu Travel
Tongli

Tongli of over 1,000 years old is a featured Jiangnan water town with ancient residences, old streets, stone bridges, anthentic folk customs, etc.

Jiangsu Travel
Kunqu Opera

Kunqu of over 600 years old from Suzhou is reputed as the "mother of Chinese operas" and the "World Intangibel Heritage" with elegant singing and graceful performance.

Jiangsu Travel
Lingshan Grand Buddha

Lingshan Grand Buddha is one of the symbols of Wuxi featuring the tallest bronze Shakyamuni Buddha in the world standing majestically at 88 meters tall.

Jiangsu Travel
Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum

Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum (Zhongshan Ling), designed in the shape of an alarm bell, is the mausoleum for Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the “Father of Modern China”.

Jiangsu Travel
Nanjing Massacre Memorial Hall

It records the most painful memory of Nanjing people. The site now is an influential museum to educate people not to forget the pain of war, and call for the forever peace for mankind.

Jiangsu Travel
Nanjing Museum

Nanjing Museum is one of the three major museums in China with 432,768 pieces (sets) of various collections. Here you can meet the essence of Nanjing in its thousands of years' history

Jiangsu Travel
Niushoushan

Niushoushan is a cultural park themed in Buddhist culture. The world’s only parietal relic of Buddha (the skull bone of Shakyamuni) is enshrined in the palace.

Jiangsu Travel
Yuantouzhu

Yuantouzhu (Turtle Head Island) is a must-see in Wuxi especially in spring. There is a famous saying “The superb view of the Taihu Lake lies in the Turtle Head Island”.

Jiangsu Travel
Slender West Lake

Slender West Lake is the No. 1 attraction of Yangzhou as well as one of the most beautiful lakes in China. It is an important part of UNESCO World Heritage Site - Jinghang Grand Canal.

Jiangsu Weather & Best Time to Visit

Jiangsu Travel Jiangsu Travel

Jiangsu is in a transitional zone from temperate climate to subtropical climate, with moderate rainfall and four distinct seasons. Divided by Huaihe River and North Jiangsu irrigation canal, Jiangsu enjoys a warm temperate zone humid and semi-humid monsoon climate in the north (Xuzhou, Suqian, Lianyungang…) and subtropical humid monsoon climate in the south (Nanjing, Suzhou, Wuxi, Yangzhou, Changzhou…).

The average temperature in Jiangsu is 13-16 ℃. The coldest month is January with an average temperature of - 1.0 ~ 3.3 ℃. July or August is the hottest month with an average temperature of 26 ~ 28.8 ℃. The annual rainfall is about 704~1250 mm and most of it concentrates in June and July. Nanjing is one of the hottest cities in China and indoors activities are more recommended in summer. In winter, there are chances to see beautiful snowscape but it is also very cold, so you need to dress accordingly. In terms of weather and natural scenery, the best time to visit Jiangsu is in warm spring (March - May) and cool autumn (September - November).

Best Places to Visit in Spring: Suzhou, Nanjing, Wuxi, Yangzhou, Changzhou, etc.
Best Places to Visit in Summer: Suzhou, Wuxi, Yangzhou, etc.
Best Places to Visit in Autumn: Suzhou, Nanjing, Wuxi, Yangzhou, Changzhou, etc.
Best Places to Visit in Winter: Nanjing, Suzhou, Yangzhou, etc.

▶ Useful Links: Nanjing Weather | Suzhou Weather | Wuxi Weather

 

How to Get to & Get Around Jiangsu

Jiangsu Travel Jiangsu Travel Jiangsu Travel Jiangsu Travel

Get to Jiangsu

By Flight

There are 10 international airports in Jiangsu in Nanjing, Wuxi, Changzhou, Xuzhou, Lianyungang, etc. Most international airlines are connected with Asian cities like Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Seoul in Korea, Osaka and Nagoya in Japan, etc. For more flexible flight schedules, you can take an international flight to cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou first and then transfer to Jiangsu.

Flights to Nanjing: Nanjing Lukou International Airport (南京禄口国际机场) has flights from Beijing (2h), Guangzhou (2h15min), Chengdu (2.5h), Xian (2h), Guilin (2h), Kunming (2h40min), Chongqing (2h)...

Flights to Suzhou and Wuxi: Sunan Shuofang International Airport (苏南硕放国际机场) is near to Suzhou and Wuxi. It has flights from Beijing (2.5 hrs), Xian (2 hrs), Chengdu (2.5 hrs), Chongqing (2 hrs), Guangzhou (2.5 hrs), Shenzhen (2.5 hrs), Kunming (3 hrs)...

By Train

Currently there are frequent high speed trains to Nanjing, Suzhou, Wuxi, Yangzhou, Changzhou... from most cities in China. Nanjing and Suzhou are two major gateways to Jiangsu and most travelers start their Jiangsu tour from there.

Trains to Nanjing: You can take high speed trains to Nanjing from Beijing (about 3-5h), Shanghai (about 1-2.5h), Hangzhou (about 1.5-5.5h), Suzhou (about 45min-2.5h), Huangshan (3-4h), Wuhan (2.5-3.5h), etc.

Trains to Suzhou: You can take high speed trains to Suzhou from Shanghai (about 0.5h), Hangzhou (1.5~2.5h), Nanjing (1~1.5h), Wuxi (20min), Changzhou (25~50min), Wuhan (4~4.5h), etc.

Get Around Jiangsu

It is recommended to use high speed trains when you travel between destinations within Jiangsu province such as Nanjing, Suzhou, Wuxi, Yangzhou, Changzhou, etc. They are not far away and it only needs 1-2 hours or less time to travel between them.

To get rid of hustle and bustle of public transportation and time-consuming tickets booking, it is strongly recommended to travel Jiangsu with us which not only includes tour guide, hotels, meals, attractions, etc., but also takes care of all the transfers during your trip, from airport/train station pick up, high speed train, flights to private vehicle and your own driver, so that you can focus all your time and energy on enjoying magnificent culture and beautiful landscape of Jiangsu.

▶ Useful Links: Nanjing Transportation | Suzhou Transportation | Wuxi Transportation

Jiangsu Accommodation and Where to Stay

Jiangsu Travel Jiangsu Travel

Jiangsu Province is prosperous place with rapid economic development and good tourism facilities, so from star hotels to ordinary ones, all kinds of hotels of different grades and brands are available. It is easy to find one that is well located and equipped with complete facilities. The capital city Nanjing and popular Suzhou provide the highest-end hotels with many international luxury hotel brands and domestic luxury hotel brands offering suites, deluxe rooms, standard rooms, etc. Other cities like Wuxi, Yangzhou, Changzhou, etc. mainly offer Chinese hotels, several international hotels and valuable 3-star, 4-star and 5 star hotels.

As for hotels areas, we suggest you choose those not too far from city center, business districts and transportation stations. If you are independent travellers, you are suggested to stay close to train stations, shopping streets, major attractions so that you find public transportation, food and shops easily. If you prefer a worry-free tour operated by travel agencies like China Discovery, you can accommodate around the commercial center, or stay away from the crowds. Your travel agencies will find a well-located and well-equipped hotel for you.

▶ Useful Links: Nanjing Accommodation | Suzhou Accommodation | Wuxi Accommodation

Jiangsu Travel Maps

To help you learn more about Jiangsu’s location, transportation, attractions and plan your Jiangsu trip easily, here we have collected some useful Jiangsu maps including Jiangsu China Map, Jiangsu Yangtze River Delta Map, Jiangsu Travel Map and more maps of Nanjng, Suzhou, Wuxi, etc. more Jiangsu maps >>.

Jiangsu China Map

Jiangsu China Map

Jiangsu Yangtze River Delta Map

Jiangsu Yangtze River Delta Map

Jiangsu Travel Map

Jiangsu Travel Map

2024 Special Theme Tours for Jiangsu Travel

1
2 Days Suzhou Essence Tour with Water Town
(Relaxing Suzhou Vacation with Tongli Water Town)
2
2 Days Time-efficient Nanjing Essence Tour
(Visit the Best Places in Nanjing)
3
2 Days Wuxi Highlights Tour
(A Shining Pearl of Taihu Lake with Lingshan Grand Buddha & Yuantouzhu)
4
2 Days Yangzhou Tour with Train Station Pick Up
(Slender West Lake, Ge Garden & Mausoleum Museum of Han Guangling King)
5
3 Days Hangzhou Suzhou Beauty Tour by High Speed Train
(Holiday to Heavenly Cities)
6
5 Days Charming Jiangsu Tour to Suzhou, Wuxi & Nanjing
(Classical Gardens, Picturesque Water Town, Vast Lake & Profound Culture)
7
5 Days Shanghai Suzhou Hangzhou Tour with West Lake Biking
(Fun Vacation in Beautiful Heaven Cities)
8
9 Days East China & Mt. Huang Tour by High Speed Train
(Shanghai / Suzhou / Hangzhou / Huangshan)

Other Popular Destinations in China

China is vast and diverse. You can choose your favorite destinations among more than 70 tourist destinations and regions, like Beijing, Shanghai, Xian, Chengdu, etc. Following are 8 popular destinations you may get interested in. Check all destinations in China.

Jiangsu Map

Chinese Name: 江苏

Chinese Pinyin: jiāng sū

English IPA: /ˈdʒyɑŋˈsü/

Capital: Nanjing

Population: 80.7 million

Language: Jiangsu Dialect & Mandarin

Climate: Transitional climate from temperate zone to subtropical zone

Area: 107,200 Square Kilometers

Rivers: Yangtze River, Huai River...

Lakes: Taihu Lake, Hongze Lake, Gaoyou Lake...

Time Zone: (UTC+8)

Plan Your Jiangsu Tour

It usually needs at least 5 days to cover the main cities in Jiangsu. You can spend 1~2 days indulging yourself in the beautiful Suzhou city to appreciate exquisite gardens, meet mysterious Suzhou silk, wander along the ancient streets, and take a boat trip in water towns. Then travel to Nanjing for a 2-day history and culture exploration in Zhongshan Ling, Ancient City Wall and Nanjing Museum. After that, spend a leisure day admiring the superb scene of Taihu Lake and Lingshan Grand Bauddha in Wuxi. You can also add a day to the Slender West Lake in Yangzhou or Tianning Temple in Changzhou.

If you have more time, it is strongly recommended to extend your Jiangsu tour to surrounding cities such as Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Huangshan or to more popular destinations like Beijing, Xian and Guilin to discover the diverse beauty of China.

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