Tongli's Pearl Pagoda Garden

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Tongli's Pearl Pagoda Garden

Tongli's Pearl Pagoda Garden is the largest of Tongli's gardens. It is an amazing place. I have been there twice and each time I find a new area I missed. This time I found the living area. I don't know how I missed it because it is large. The living area is gorgeous!It is a courtyard style home and each room is its own building and has a courtyard in between it and the next building. The living area is beautifully laid out. The garden is huge and the architecture is really beautiful! There are so many nooks and cranny's to explore and each area has a very different atmosphere than the next. The garden has a lake in it. It is the largest open area of the garden, but not the main feature. There are many smaller areas and walled in gardens each featuring a specific object or scene to enjoy. It is kind of hard to explain. I'll give an example. In one part of the garden is a two storey pavilion which is in a smalled walled in area. It seems too big for the space and a bit strange, but if you sit in the bottom of the pavilion you have a beautiful view of a bizarre rock and bamboo and flowers around it. From the second floor you get a spectacular view of the garden's rooftops. Every inch of the garden was designed to give a specific view or feeling. Quite amazing really. As I said in my other two blogs, the tourist busses leave Tongli everyday at 2:30 and with them so do the tourists, so in the afternoon you can stroll through the garden with virtually nobody else in it.

Ticket Price:
Free
Time Needed:
1.5-2 hours
Hours of Operation:
10:00-6:00
Location:
Northern part of Tongli Village outside of Suzhou

In September 2008 I was sent on an inspection tour with China Odyssey Tours. I am the Marketing Manager of China Odyssey Tours. No one is told that I work for the company, and since I am a foreigner I can experience a tour the way our customers do. That way I get the real experience without any VIP treatment. I check on the sites, hotels, restaurants, and guides to ensure that they all meet our rigid quality guidelines.

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