Little Suzhou
In keeping with the Weekender's philosophy of going off the beaten path, we give you Mudu, a scaled-down, compacted version of Suzhou with the Mingyue Temple in place of the Hanshan and Yanjia Garden replacing Master of Nets. Our favorite garden, though, is Gusong Garden (Gusong Huayuan), named for the 500-year-old pine in the back courtyard. Even more impressive is the veritable labyrinth of tunnels within its traditional rock garden and the collection of embroideries done by Yao Pingjian.

After a look around, stroll the canal to Yanjia Garden (Yanjia Huayuan), Mudu's most impressive garden. Tour groups are never far away (the garden is frequently used to film those ubiquitous TV period piece serials) but it's big enough to find a quiet corner of your own. Be sure to check out the stone work by renowned craftsman Cai Yundi. Walk away with a foot-and-a-half tall, beautifully crafted sandstone Buddha of Mercy for ￥2,000, or pick up a stone teapot--they are extremely delicate and look exactly like wood!

Follow the canal promenade south until you get spit out at an open air flea market. Skip that noise and cross the busy street to Ling'an Mountain. There is a fantastic temple on top, which affords a bird's eye view of Mudu Old Town and will get a bit further away from the maddening crowd.

Details

Mudu is half way between Suzhou and Taihu Lake. Hop an express train to Suzhou then grab a cab to Mudu Old Town (￥60). Stay at the Home Inn (￥220 for clean doubles with Internet).