Fodor's Expert Review Zhouzhuang

The most renowned of the water villages is undoubtedly Zhouzhuang. Its fame is partly due to its proximity from Suzhou and Shanghai, just 45 minutes and an hour away, respectively. As a result, more than 2½ million annual visitors elbow their way through its streets, diminishing the town's charm in an en-masse attempt to experience Old China. Next to the "ancient memorial archway," which isn't ancient at all, is a ticket window. The entrance fee of Y100 gets you into the water-village-turned-gift shop.

Crowds aside, Zhouzhuang is fun for families. Several residences, some 500 years old, let you peek in to see what life was like in the Ming and Qing dynasties. There are several storefronts where you can see brick making, bamboo carving, and basket weaving—traditional crafts that, up until recently, were widely practiced in the countryside. In terms of souvenirs, skip the usual snuff bottles and teapots, and opt for items you're less likely to find elsewhere: homemade rice wine, rough-hewn ox-horn combs, and bamboo rice baskets, say. The food here is typical country fare, making it a nice break from the fancier cuisines of Suzhou and Shanghai. Braised pork belly, crunchy stir-fried water chestnuts, pickled vegetables, and wild greens abound.

Buses bound for Zhouzhuang depart from Suzhou's North Bus Station every 20 minutes between 7 and 5. The 90-minute trip costs Y25.