How to Spend the Chinese New Year Holiday? A 3-Day Itinerary Covering Eating, Drinking, Playing, Staying, and Shopping Around East Taihu Lake, Suzhou
The pandemic has blocked many people from returning home for the New Year, so those who still wish to travel during the Spring Festival will choose a nearby, safe city without any outbreaks. Suzhou, just half an hour by high-speed train from Shanghai, naturally becomes the top choice for trips within Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai.
Unlike the bustling downtown Suzhou, the East Taihu Lake Scenic Area in Wujiang, Suzhou, sits quietly in a corner yet possesses a unique charm all its own. Even in winter, there are plenty of places to stroll, take photos, and check in. Today, Yaya has specially put together a private route perfect for the Spring Festival period, bundling together food, drinks, fun, and shopping.
If you haven't decided where to go this Spring Festival holiday, this route around East Taihu Lake—ideal for couples and family self-driving trips—will certainly not disappoint.
Day 1 Itinerary: East Taihu Lake Wangong Causeway – Lim Café – Suzhou Bay Grand Theatre – East Taihu Lake Hotel or Baixiangli
Stop 1: East Taihu Lake Wangong Causeway (play time: 2–3 hours)
Start your perfect New Year holiday at Wangong Causeway on East Taihu Lake! I visited here last April, but things have changed so much. What was once a lush green Wangong Causeway now wears a winter look. Redwood forests tinted crimson by the cold, black-awning boats drifting on quiet little waterways, a restaurant converted from a green train carriage, small shops and cafés built from food carts, and even camping tents where you can bring pets—all with surprisingly complete supporting facilities.
Wangong Causeway is the most beautiful stretch of the entire East Taihu Lake, and it's a free, lesser-known scenic spot. You can choose to cycle, boat, camp and barbecue, or just eat and drink coffee. The row of tiny shops here each has its own character, and there's even a pet pig that serves as a shop owner.
Photos taken this season have a Korean-drama cinematic feel—every frame is full of story. Especially the food carts converted from green trains, they're incredibly photogenic. Cycling along East Taihu Lake, you can go all the way to Suzhou Bay Grand Theatre. This place is charming in all four seasons: cherry blossoms in spring, lotus flowers in summer, maple leaves in autumn, and redwoods in winter.
- Shangshuzhou Academy: This quaint, antique-style bookstore by East Taihu Lake—surely its owner is a person of great sentiment.
- OCC Café: If you're tired from walking, drop by this Instagram-style café to rest and have a coffee. It's also a great photo spot, especially its spiral staircase.
Stop 3: Lim Café for lunch and afternoon tea
This Lim Café inside Suzhou Bay Sports Park is not only stunningly beautiful, it's also my favorite café in all of Suzhou.
The Instagram-style white décor is simple yet tasteful. Not only the coffee, but every dish is so beautifully presented you can hardly bear to take a bite. It's suitable for both lunch and afternoon tea.
With the Spring Festival approaching, the shop brims with festive atmosphere—even the cake boxes have “get rich” written on them. There are plenty of New Year decorations, too. Don't forget to order their wreath coffee and little bear coffee, both gorgeous and delicious drinks.
Though it's an internet-famous shop, every offering not only looks good but tastes authentic—no worries about style over substance.
Stop 4: Suzhou Bay Grand Theatre
With its futuristic design, the Suzhou Bay Grand Theatre stands like flowing ribbons by the shores of Suzhou Bay. It is the palace of culture and the arts in Wujiang and even the entire Suzhou region.
On weekends, there's not only the grand musical fountain show at Yuehu Platform, but the theatre also regularly updates its performance programs.
Stop 5: East Taihu Lake Hotel or Baixiangli Nanshe Homestay
East Taihu Lake Hotel boasts a huge garden, a major portion of which runs along the lake. It is divided into Phase I and Phase II. Phase I features lake-facing buildings, while Phase II comprises villas—absolutely a top choice for weekend getaways. The hotel has a yacht dock, and you can take a yacht to enjoy the scenery of East Taihu Lake.
On the eve of the Spring Festival, the whole East Taihu Lake Hotel is brimming with festive vibes.
If you prefer a homestay, I recommend Baixiangli Nanshe. As the New Year approaches, the festive atmosphere here is especially strong. The Baixiangli Sun-Drying Festival is in full swing, truly living up to the homestay's name.
Especially on Laba Day, they sun-dry cured meats, salted fish, bask in the sunshine, and “sun” their kids—anything can be sun-dried. As city folks flock to the countryside, this “rural vacation” trend has taken off.
Though it's a renovated old house, the design and sense of space are superb. It's perfect for a group of friends to rent a whole villa—the ground floor has a huge living room. It's also very family-friendly, full of rustic charm. We even stumbled upon an old-fashioned popcorn machine on the old street.
Day 2 Itinerary: Shengjiaku Old Street – Lan Cuisine – Wangyan Hot Spring – HUALUXE Hotel
Stop 1: Shengjiaku Old Street
A qipao town speaking in soft Wu dialect, this is Shengjiaku Old Street in Wujiang, Suzhou, with a history of over a thousand years. There are many old qipao shops here; you can buy a silk qipao to take home. Dressed in a qipao and climbing the steps, it feels like you've time-traveled into the classical elegance of In the Mood for Love.
There's also Li Yugang's restaurant and homestay, the creative “Zhijian Bookstore” rich in cultural flair, and to soak in the old Suzhou charm at a slow pace while sipping tea and enjoying the view, head to “Yizhan Chashi”.
Stop 2: Lan Cuisine for lunch
“Lan Cuisine” in the East Taihu Lake food paradise in Wujiang is absolutely the best choice for Japanese food in the area. You can indulge your appetite and feast your eyes.
Most importantly, the price is wonderful—for such quality and variety, the buffet is only 200+ yuan per person. Eating Japanese food here, you can arrive holding the wall and leave holding the wall (i.e., so full you can barely walk). It's simply amazing. Botan shrimp, sweet shrimp, abalone, conch, eel, foie gras... eat as much as you want.
The entire restaurant is decorated in a purely Japanese style; the private rooms are named after Japanese cities, and you need to take off your shoes to enter. The service staff are very warm and responsive.
Stop 3: Wangyan Hot Spring
Wangyan Hot Spring is right next to HUALUXE Hotel, and it's open to both hotel guests and outside visitors. Even in the freezing winter, you won't feel cold at all as you soak your way through dozens of outdoor hot spring pools.
One of the most unique pools at this hot spring lets you share the water with over a hundred little yellow ducks; in a lakeside pool, you can enjoy afternoon tea while soaking—an experience you won't find at any other hot spring hotel.
Stop 4: HUALUXE Suzhou Bay
After soaking in the outdoor hot springs and having afternoon tea, check into this hotel under the InterContinental umbrella. HUALUXE is the first luxury hotel brand designed for Chinese travelers, and it just opened last April. It's not only situated on the shores of Suzhou Bay, Taihu Lake, but also right next to East Taihu Lake Ecological Park and Suzhou Bay Cultural Center.
If you stay here, make sure to book a lake-facing balcony room. The spacious balcony has its own private hot spring tub. If you didn't get enough during the day, you can continue soaking undisturbed on your room's balcony at night.
If you don't feel like going out for dinner, you can eat directly at the hotel's Cai Feng Lou restaurant. They have private rooms, serve mainly Suzhou-style dishes, and the food is delicious.
Day 3: BFM Art Center – Hepburn Restaurant – Sasseur Outlets – Le Méridien Suzhou Bay
Stop 1: BFM Art Center
This new exhibition space only opened a few weeks ago, near the East Taihu Lake scenic area. The entrance is modest, but inside, it's full of wonders. This time, it has invited 18 renowned contemporary Chinese artists, with works covering painting, installation, sculpture, video, ceramics, jewelry, and more—a brand-new art feast to welcome 2022.
The gallery spans two floors, with white as the dominant tone, extremely photogenic. The row of window seats is set up as a café, offering coffee, desserts, and the like. The tea sets used are quite high-end, very much in keeping with the gallery's refined style.
Stop 3: Hepburn Restaurant
You might guess from the name that it's a Western restaurant, but it's actually a Chinese restaurant mainly serving Cantonese cuisine, with some Sichuan and Western dishes as well. And it's the hottest restaurant in the East Taihu Lake area.
The interior is dominated by Tiffany blue, complemented by huge floor-to-ceiling windows and warm-toned lighting—truly Hepburn-esque. Classic clips from Roman Holiday play on the lobby screen, overflowing with nostalgic vibes. If you go for dinner, arrive early or book in advance.
Stop 4: Sasseur Outlets
On your last day before leaving East Taihu Lake, you can come to this outlet for some shopping; it's right opposite Hepburn Restaurant. The entire outlet is very design-oriented, especially beautiful when the lights come on at night.
Inside, the outlet is divided into several sections, including an Italian hall focusing on luxury brands and a well-stocked sports hall. Many restaurants have already moved in, making it a one-stop shopping and dining complex. During the Spring Festival, many brands offer limited-time discounts—don't miss out!
Stop 5: Le Méridien Suzhou Bay
For your last night before leaving East Taihu Lake, choose Le Méridien Suzhou Bay—it won't disappoint. The hotel enjoys a superb location right next to East Taihu Lake, facing the East Taihu Lake Hotel.
With all lake-facing rooms offering an unobstructed view of East Taihu Lake, this resort hotel is simply perfect for a weekend or short getaway. The moment you step into the hotel, you're greeted by waves of strong festive atmosphere—a real sense of celebrating the New Year in vibrant style.
Red lanterns are everywhere, along with background music for the New Year. Even the snacks in the room are arranged with copper coins, ingots, and the God of Wealth; having a meal in the hotel, you'll find lucky koi, the “hong zhong” and “fa” (mahjong tiles symbolizing luck and prosperity). It could not be more festive.
During this Spring Festival holiday, Le Méridien is not only offering Suzhou-style snacks like tangyuan and Dingsheng cake, but also experience activities like writing couplets, sending “fu” (blessing) characters, and traditional tea ceremonies.
After reading all this, what are you waiting for? Pack up and take a spur-of-the-moment Spring Festival trip!
1. Self-drive: From Shanghai to East Taihu Lake, Suzhou, it's about a 1.5-hour drive.
2. High-speed train: From Suzhou Station to East Taihu Lake, about 40 minutes by car.
Nán Shízìxīng Yāyā, MBA from a prestigious overseas university, globetrotting travel writer – author of "Traveling Australia: Tips and Practical English", one of Weibo's top 10 overseas travel bloggers. Has journeyed through 5 continents, 4 oceans, over 40 countries, and more than 500 cities, covering all 34 provincial-level administrative regions of China. Still on the road, eager to see the most beautiful sights this world has to offer.
