Built in the Song Dynasty (960–1279), Tongli ancient town China tourism is nestled to the east of Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal, by Taihu Lake, Wujiang District, Suzhou, 10 kilometers (6 miles) from Suzhou, and 80 kilometers (50 miles) from Shanghai. It is one of the six famous ancient towns to the south of the Yangtze River along with Zhouzhuang, Yongzhi, Xitang, Wuzhen, and Nanxun.

Tongli ancient town with beautiful scenery is surrounded by five lakes, namely Tongli Suzhou Travel, Jiuli, Yeze, Nanxing and Pangshan. The architectures built by riverside, famous for "small bridge, flowing stream and thatched households”, make Tongli ancient town the best-reserved ancient town by riverside as well as the key cultural relic’s protection unit of province level, which has been listed as one of 13 scenic spots of Tai Lake.

What I liked about Tongli was that its ancient core hadn’t been completely tarted up for tourism or Disneyfied, as so many other Chinese ancient towns have. It is still a lived-in town, and if you want to escape the tourist crowds, a simple detour into a side street leads you into a quiet residential area with no shops, only tranquility and a pleasant opportunity to wander down narrow lanes Suzhou tour package.