Private Flexible Suzhou City Tour With Tongli Or Zhouzhuang Water Town Options

Sunny had helped arranged this tour although it was last minute and having to deal with the aftermath of Typhoon Bavi. Sunny was very communicative from start to finish and helped arrange our tour with Lulu. We had an absolutely memorable time with Lulu in Suzhou, Tongli, two gardens, the silk museum, and a tasty local meal with her. She spoke great English and was knowledgeable and very good with our children of two, and was very considerate of our needs. The pace was perfect for our family and we thoroughly enjoyed our time with Lulu and seeing the beautiful gardens of Suzhou and all the sites. Despite the fact that the canal boats were not operating, Lulu did an amazing job showing us the two gardens, and the kids especially enjoyed the silk museum. We tried several of the locals foods and confections, and also enjoyed our time in the old village markets. We highly recommend Lulu and this tour. The driver also was very attentive and helped us load and unload at each stop, and was courteous and professional as well. All in all, we had a wonderful time with no issues at all (except for some mosquito bites… lol, and they even found a pharmacy for my wife to find some medication for her bites). We will certainly be back to Suzhou in the near future and look forward to our next visit and tour with Lulu and company.

Lulu was an exceptional tour guide and showed us places and experiences we would never have done without a local tour guide. She also helped us negotiate and bargain with the vendors at every spot. When we come back to Suzhou we’ll definitely want to book with her again!

Enjoyed the tour very much. Michelle and driver Mr Lee were very helpful, friendly and informative. They went above and beyond to ensure we had a great time! Thank you!

We booked a private tour and Lulu was our guide along with a driver. Lulu was knowledgeable and made it enjoyable for us to have background of the places we visited. Highly recommend Lulu to anyone who is looking to book this tour.

We had an absolutely incredible private tour to Suzhou and Tongli, and our guide Lulu made the entire experience truly special. From start to finish, everything was seamless, engaging, and unforgettable. Our day began in Tongli Water Town, a charming historic town filled with peaceful canals, arched stone bridges, and narrow lanes. Walking through with Lulu was like stepping back in time—she knew the best vantage points for photos and shared fascinating stories that brought the town to life. Next, we visited the Silk Museum in Suzhou, where Lulu guided us through the entire silk-making process. It was fascinating to see how this ancient craft has been preserved, and her explanations gave us a real appreciation for Suzhou’s heritage. Lunch was another highlight. Lulu brought us to an authentic local restaurant where we enjoyed one of the most delicious Chinese meals of our trip—every dish was full of flavor and perfectly chosen. We ended the day at the Humble Administrator’s Garden, one of the most beautiful classical gardens in China. With Lulu’s insights into the symbolism and design, we were able to see details and meanings that we would have otherwise missed. What really stood out was Lulu’s professionalism, warmth, and passion. She went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable, engaged, and truly experiencing the best of Suzhou and Tongli. This tour was one of the highlights of our time in China. The destinations were breathtaking, and Lulu’s guidance made it an unforgettable day. We couldn’t recommend her more highly!

Our tour guide, Lulu, was fantastic. She flexed the day as it was so hot and we went to the Silk Museum, a real highlight. Very knowledgable and gave a great introduction to our time in Suzhou.

This was my first (of two) bookings with Sunny for my trip. It was a breeze working with Sunny. Communication was clear and she helped to handle all the logistics like clockwork. My guide, Michelle, was an excellent and a treasure trove of information especially in flora and fauna, as well as Chinese customs. I had a really enjoyable time and would definitely recommend in exploring the ‘Venice of the west’.

I contacted Sunny Tours several months before our visit to Shanghai. The response to my enquiries was prompt; within 48 to 72 hours. I wanted a private tour for 5 adults starting from Shanghai to Suzhou by Hi-speed rail. We wish to visit Suzhou for a day 10:00am to 4:30pm; then return by minivan to Shanghai. Sunny gave me good advice for itinerary. I had previously research on price for such a tour and Sunny from the start quoted me a fair price for the tour, guide and minivan. This is a fair and trustworthy tour company with good English communication skill. I would use Sunny Tour again if I visit Shanghai in future.

This trip is fantastic. Lulu is an excellent guide who took great care of our needs. She is very knowledgeable and shared a wealth of knowledge with us. Such was fantastic and Lulu made sure the food was suitable for all of us. Last but no least, Lulu was very patient as we have elderly in the group. Highly recommend Lulu and Sunny Tour!

Lulu our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable about the history of Suzhou and Zhouzhuang. Would definitely recommend the tour and Zhouzhuang water town.

It was our first time to Suzhou and Lulu was an excellent guide. We visited Tongli water town in the morning and enjoyed a very pleasant boat ride through the canals. Lulu provided us with a lot of interesting historical information, and gave us many great suggestions for places to eat and special Suzhou gifts to bring home. We spent the afternoon at a beautiful Chinese garden and then relaxed with a cup of tea at a wonderful Pipa music show. Thanks very much Lulu for also helping us find the perfect souvenir - a fan with Chinese calligraphy of a special and personal poem. A very memorable day; we will treasure this for a long time!

My family and I had a tour with Sunny Journey Tours in which we had a flexible day trip around Suzhou and Zhouzhang Water Town. We set it up the night before using our WeChat app which made it very easy to coordinate with Sunny. The next morning, we were picked up at our hotel by a driver who was very courteous and patient. We met our tour guide, Lulu, at the first site who was helpful and informative about the sites around Suzhou and Zhouzhang Water Town. We recommend this tour operator and tour guide. Do not pass up the Humble Administrator's Garden which is a marvel. The only advice we would give when booking is to devise your own list of recommended sites to offer to the guide so that you and the guide can negotiate between what's on your bucket list and some of the less known historical or cultural sites in and around Suzhou. It's a flexible trip but it takes time to get around the city. That means you need to be clear about whether you are more interested in history and Suzhou cuisine or you also want to spend time engaging with local merchants.

Very insightful tour given by Lulu, our tour guide and driver also was very friendly. Flexible arrangements, able to change itinerary on the fly - We went for tea tasting in between our visit to Tongli and Liu Yuan.

We had a great day with Lulu! We really liked Tongli water-town. So authentic! Suzhou garden is also really a must see. Great lunch as well (tip: do not order too much). If you stay at least 4 days in Shanghai, I recommend to book 1 day to Suzhou.

Great explanation of the Suzhou history n attractions by Sophie. Don’t think I’ll appreciate that much of the Humble Administrator and Zhou Zhuang without the guide. Also, I like it as a private tour customised to our needs.

We spent an incredible day with Sunny last week touring Suzhou and Tongli Water Town. Suzhou was our final stop on our China trip, and we came to see the gardens and the local water towns. November is a wonderful time to travel to China, as the weather cool and crisp, and the crowds are low. Sunny was very communicative in setting up our trip, and arrived to our hotel early for our tour. Her English is perfect, and she is positive and extremely knowledgeable about the history and the local culture. She took care of everything, and had our driver waiting to take us to our first stop The Humble Gardens. The gardens, one of the top 4 gardens in China is not to be missed! Sunny told us details all through out the gardens, and gave us the history and cultural facts. She also stopped at many places to take our photos, and emailed us them after the tour, which I found to be very thoughtful. Plus she is an excellent photographer, and knew the best places to get photos! We then made another stop at another garden, the Master of Nets. I had found a contemporary art gallery called True Colors, that was on the way to Tongli, and Sunny said no problem, and took us there! If you love contemporary art and architecture, this private museum is not to be missed. I found it on trip advisor, and it was a highlight, as I love contemporary art. Sunny shared in discovering this museum with us, it's a very large museum three floors, and in the middle of nowhere. So happy Sunny took us there, as it would have been hard to get there by subway, although it is possible! We were then off to Tongli, with Sunny and our private driver. The car was always stocked with bottled water for us to enjoy, which was so nice. Got to stay hydrated! Tongli exceeded our expectations, a small quaint water tower, bridges and small water canals everywhere. Since it was November, the crowds were very low. Sunny took us to her favorite lunch time restaurant, but because we took too much time at the True Colors Gallery, the chef had already left for the day. But Sunny asked the owner, and the chef came back to make us a delicious lunch. It was these small details that made you feel like you are hanging out with a local! Btw, get the slow cooked pork at this restaurant, it is incredible, and local dish. The meat falls off the bone, and the owner of this tiny restaurant is proud of her food, it shows in the details. On the way back to Suzhou, we mentioned to Sunny that we wanted to get a massage, so instead of dropping us at our hotel, they dropped us in the city center a block away from the massage place. It's China, don't forget the incredible massages!! Sunny is a 5 out of 5 tour guide. She is funny, knowledgeable about history, smart, and just fun to hang out with. I can see that she would be great with many different types of clients, and next time we are in Shanghai we will most definitely take another tour. If you are traveling to Suzhou and Tongli, you are in for a great trip. We could not recommend these towns enough. We stayed in Suzhou for 4 nights at Little Folk House Hotel, and loved every minute of it. Suzhou is a great town to explore, so many amazing shops, an Tongli exceeded our expectations as a very small water town. Thank you again Sunny!!!