A easy dip into old Suzhou for day-trippers

A green corner of the garden of love known as Ou Garden. The character ou in the name of the garden means couple, and thegarden and pavilions were built by Shen Bingcheng in 1874 for his wife Yan Yonghua. He built a spacious study for his wife.

Dotted with dozens of classical gardens evoking landscapes of rocks, mountains and rivers, Suzhou is a perfect getaway for Shanghai day-trippers during the upcoming May Day holiday.

Suzhou is only an hour's drive from Shanghai, or a 30-minute express train ride.

The small city in Jiangsu Province, known as the city of gardens, has carved out its kingdom in China's tourism map. Since ancient times, it has been called "paradise on earth" for its gardens, water and architecture.

The eastern part of the city is famous for private (but open to the public) gardens, while the western area is more countryside, scattered with exquisite gardens.

Keeping to the essentials, Shanghai Daily recommends two tour routes, covering the best-known gardens — and a half-hidden one that many locals don't know about — historic sites and natural landscapes in the eastern and western sectors.

Eastern tour:

The Zhuozheng Garden (The Humble Administrator's Garden) — Suzhou Museum — the Lion Grove Garden — Ou Garden — Xiangmen Ancient City Wall — Folk Art and Culture Museum

The Zhuozheng Garden, also known as the Humble Administrator's Garden, dates back more than 500 years and is one of China's four famous gardens. The multicolored azaleas are in glorious bloom this spring.

The annual Azalea Festival runs through May 8 and features many rare varieties at the garden's five main attractions. These include the Cloud-capped Peak (a rocky hill), the Maple Forest, the big lawn of the East Garden, the south lawn of Tianquan Pavilion and the crape myrtle forest.

There are around 12,000 pots of Belgian azalea, 450 pots of Mao azaleas and 12,500 pots of other flowers. For the May Day holiday, gardeners will add 1,200 pots of Mao azalea and 36,000 pots of other flowers.

During the festival, the Listen-to-the-Rain Pavilion will be turned to an old-fashioned study, evoking the daily life of a scholar in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Su Qinghua, the host of Guanzhi Hall culture salon, will perform tea ceremonies and share his Pu'er tea with visitors.

Visitors can learn to make rubbings from stone inscriptions, engraved by stone-carving master Chen Cunnan. They can watch craftsmen make a guqin, a zither-like, plucked instrument favored by ancient scholars. Performances will be given.

Another festival highlight is a VIP tailor-made garden tour. If you want to avoid the noisy crowds and get an exclusive tour, this is the tour for you. At 6:30am daily, before the garden opens, those who have booked VIP service (180 yuan per person) gather at the north gate. Only 16 VIPs are allowed per day. Follow the experienced guide, and then wander about. Tour in English is also available.

You can spend hours in the garden or choose a hearty Suzhou-style breakfast.

Address: 178 Dongbei St

Tickets: 50 yuan (October 31-April 15), 70 yuan (April 16-October 30)

Opening hours: 7:30am-5:30pm

Tel: 0512-6751-0286

Just a few steps from the Humble Administrator's Garden is the Suzhou Museum. Designed by legendary architect I. M. Pei, the museum has a rich collection of paintings, calligraphy, porcelain, crafts, carved seals and relics of the Wu culture dating back more than 3,000 years.

Address: 204 Dongbei St

Admission: Free

Opening hours: 9am-5pm (Tuesday-Sunday, closed Monday except on holidays)

Tel: 0512-6757-5666

Not far from the Suzhou Museum is the Lion Forest Garden, so named for its many grotesquely shaped rocks, quite a few resembling lions. It covers just a hectare, but this exquisite garden has it all — meandering streams, lush trees, zigzagging corridors, beautiful pavilions and rocky hills.

Address: 23 Yuanlin Rd

Admission: 30 yuan (April 16-October 30), 20 yuan (October 31-April 15)

Opening hours: 7:30am-5:30pm (March 1-October 10), 7:30am-5pm (October 11-February 9)