Travel guide to Wuxi, China: Cherry blossoms, ancient waterways, an epic Three Kingdoms TV drama set

When I first received the invitation to visit Wuxi in China, the first thing that came to mind was: Where is it and what’s there?

A quick Google search revealed idyllic photos of this historic lakeside city, beautifully adorned with cherry blossoms in spring time. I was surprised to find it was located just a short distance away from its more famous neighbours Suzhou and Shanghai.

To understand Wuxi’s history, one needs to know about the ancient Grand Canal that runs through it, and links north and south China. The strategic location assured Wuxi’s place as a thriving waterway hub for trade and commerce, contributing to its prosperity today.

A five-hour plane ride from Singapore later, I found myself in wintry Wuxi in late December 2023.  Over the next four days, I would soon discover that this underrated lakeside city has plenty of hidden offerings.

Meandering around the melancholic landscapes, it was a peaceful way to wrap up the end of the year in quiet contemplation. The slow, unhurried pace and serenity was a welcome relief from the usual crush of bigger Chinese megacities.

Part of the draw is the city’s close affinity with water, where you can do an early morning stroll around the vast Lake Taihu or take a cruise down the Grand Canal.

But Wuxi’s star attraction is its flower blossoms. Every year, hordes of tourists descend upon the city to catch a glimpse of its famed cherry blossoms, along with verdant lotus blooms, plum blossoms, peach blossoms, lush bamboo groves and even gorgeous lavender fields.

Wuxi shares a surprising number of similarities with Singapore. Locals and residents tell me that Wuxi is a clean, affluent, relatively smaller city that is centrally located which makes it easy to travel around Jiangsu.  

Wuxi may not be one of Singaporeans’ top choices now, but you can be sure that it’s only a matter of time before more people catch wind of it.

1. CHASE THE CHERRY BLOSSOMS AT TURTLE HEAD ISLAND

When it comes to catching cherry blossoms, the first place that immediately comes to mind would be Japan, Korea and Taiwan. But Wuxi still remains a secret, to Singaporeans at least. The best place to view the cherry blossoms is at Yuantouzhu (Turtle Head Island), a peninsular situated at the northwest side of Taihu Lake, the third-largest freshwater lake in China. It gets the name for its huge rocks protruding into the lake, appearing as if a swimming turtle tossing its head.

Every March and April, the place – with over 30,000 cherry blossom trees – turns into a sea of delicate pink and white flowers. View the blossoms from various vantage points – as you wander through the pavilions and bridges under the trees and enjoy the falling cherry blossoms like a K-drama heroine, from a sightseeing boat tour on Taihu Lake or climb up winding paths to the mountain top to enjoy a bird’s-eye view.  We hear that the night cherry blossom viewing garden party is a must-see. Illuminated at night, it feels like walking into a dreamland.

Because I was there in winter, the scenery conjured up an entirely different mood, like a scene out of a calligraphy painting. The paths were lined with trees stripped bare of their leaves, and the icy wind bit into my face. I gazed out at ghostly ships in the mist-filled lake, while seagulls dipped and soared around me. My travel companions and I took delight in patting the many plump cats lazing about the isle.

2. PAY TRIBUTE TO THE GRAND BUDDHA OF LINGSHAN

At a mighty 88 metres tall, the Lingshan Grand Buddha has become a well-known symbol of Wuxi. Climb the Ascending Cloud Avenue to touch the feet of this towering bronze deity. The sprawling precinct has several Buddhist landmarks, one of them being the Nine Dragons Bathing Sakyamuni musical fountain show.

It begins with Buddha sitting in a lotus flower, before eventually rising upwards and revolving 360 degrees. The nine dragons around the pool spray water skyward to bathe the baby Buddha with water.

We also took part in the pagoda flower offering activity at the Lingshan Brahma Palace. In this sacred hall of Buddhist culture and art, the opulent interiors, intricate dome and floor-to-ceiling panels are nothing short of stunning.

3. TIME TRAVEL TO THREE KINGDOMS CITY

The generals thunder past on horseback, their spears locked in a fierce duel. The troops sit astride on their horses, geared for attack, before carefully choreographed warfare reigns on the battlefield. It’s an exhilarating display of steely might and showmanship. This is the closest I can get to one of the most famous battles in Chinese history, with the reenactment of The Battle of Three Heroes against General Lu Bu.

Built in 1987 by the China Central Television to film the epic period television drama The Romance Of The Three Kingdoms, this huge replica city is where history comes to life. It’s an educational experience as you view pavilions, temples and towers, palaces and arenas in the style of the Han and Song dynasties.

The site stages various cultural performances and activities based on Chinese classics – witness Wu Song fighting to kill Ximen Qing in Water Margin, school children can participate in a makeshift imperial exam, experience Liu Bei’s wedding ceremony, and sail in warlord Cao Cao’s ship to envision the naval Battle of Red Cliffs. If you’re lucky, you might see a film or television production in progress here.

4. CATCH THE NIGHT LIGHT SHOWS AT NIANHUA BAY

Located within the Lingshan Buddhist scenic area, Nianhua Bay is a resort town for guests to experience Zen-themed inns, tea ceremonies, ikebana, and incense traditions.

Drop by Smile Square, an open space for night-time performances featuring an 18-metre-high kinetic steel sculpture designed by renowned Georgian sculptor Tamara Kvesitadze. It serves as the centrepiece of a massive light show with stage design accomplished by the lighting design team behind the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games' opening and closing ceremonies. Even the skeptic in me was impressed by the dancing drones with their state-of-the-art projections.

Our travel companion caught the molten iron throwing show, a spectacle where craftsmen in the past would hurl molten iron against a cold brick wall to create spectacular sparks. Fans of the Story Of Yanxi Palace might recall this traditional practice from the show’s fireworks scene.

5. WANDER AROUND HUISHAN OLD TOWN

For a glimpse into old Wuxi, get lost in Huishan Old Town’s cobbled streets and gorgeous gardens. At the Jichang Garden, stonewalls enclose 400-year-old ginko trees, ancestral halls, ponds with enormous fish swimming lazily within it, and ornate pavilion roofs with dragon carvings. Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty liked the design of the garden so much, he had a replica built in Beijing’s Summer Palace.

Huishan Town is also packed with street food shops. Like any food-obsessed Singaporean, we join the snaking queues of people at a popular stall selling fried dough twist.

6. SAMPLE STREET FOOD AND SOAK UP THE NIGHTLIFE AT NANCHANG STREET

Nanchang Street is possibly Wuxi’s busiest nightlife spot. With the river coursing through the Grand Canal against the backdrop of illuminated historic buildings, it makes for a pretty sight, especially when viewed from Qingming Bridge. It’s easy to lose track of time here, as you wander down the streets lined with restaurants, tea shops, boutique stores and cat cafes while munching on street food and taking in sights like intricate molten malt candy being twisted into delectable shapes by the local artisans.

Tea is a huge thing here – we were momentarily distracted by an elaborate dance showcase that spontaneously broke out on the street, only to realise it was a massive ad to entice people into a milk tea shop. Elsewhere, tourists snap up cute miniature teapot accessories.

You’ll notice the food is especially sweet, a sign of the city’s affluence. I sample the yulan bing, a mildly sweet pork meatball encased within a deep fried glutinous rice ball. Despite its small size, the chewy golden snack is easily filling and bursts with juicy goodness. 

I was slightly confused by the meihua gao, or plum blossom cake. It’s made in the shape of plum blossom with sticky rice, jam, nuts and red bean paste, though it looked more like ice cream to me. I couldn’t get used to the mishmash of textures that melded both sweet and savoury notes. The Wuxi pork ribs with their signature spiced sweetness are a must-try too.

7. IMMERSE IN WUXI’S NATURAL LANDSCAPES

Home to no shortage of stunning countryside sights, nature lovers can embark on a cycling tour within the calming Yixing bamboo forest and pick Wuxi waxberries, whose juicy red flesh offers respite on a hot summer’s day.

Frolic through the purple sea of Xuelang Mountain’s lavender fields, pick enormous Wuxi grapes and strawberries in Doushan Agriculture Ecological Park or visit tea plantations at Jiangsu Provincial Tea Research Institute in Huishan.  

8. DO A DAY TRIP TO SUZHOU, VENICE OF THE EAST

The pretty and laidback Suzhou water town is an essential day trip from Wuxi, just 20 minutes by high-speed rail. At Shi Zi Lin, or Lion Grove Garden, dart through maze-like rockeries resembling dancing stone lions, and through tunnelled caves and winding ravines. Too bad that we were jostling alongside hundreds of other holidayers and selfie-toting girls dressed in hanfu, on New Year’s Eve.

But the real challenge was fighting our way through the human throng at Pingjiang Road, situated along a picturesque canal with stone bridges and clear green waters. You’ll find quaint narrow alleyways, old buildings converted to tea houses and shops selling local snacks and traditional souvenirs. Take a short gondola ride along the canal while the boat lady croons away soulful tunes or simply people-watch.

Attracted by the pretty colours of the osmanthus rice cake, we sampled the light and fragrant cake from a street vendor. And of course, I couldn’t leave without China’s internet-famous bamboo milk tea, or zhu tong nai cha.  It went viral because of its bamboo cup that is customised to the city you buy it in. I had the jasmine osmanthus oolong with fresh milk, a truly sweet ending to the year.

CNA Lifestyle was in Wuxi at the invitation of Jetstar Asia and the Wuxi Sunan Shuofang International Airport Group. Jetstar Asia is the only carrier to fly direct from Singapore to Wuxi.