Visit to Wuzhen Ancient Water Village

Wuzhen is a popular spot for tourists to visit. It is in the northern part of Zhejiang province, and is visited by tourists from Shanghai as well as those in Zhejiang and other provinces close by. Souzhou is also another popular ancient water town to visit for tourists, and that is closer to Shanghai.

It is a good idea to go to these tourist spots during the week, as on Saturdays and Sundays and public holidays the crowds are enormous. As they were when we visited. It was a very hot day too - which did not help as one walked within the crowds to see the various places of interest.

These places are often compared with Venice - as there are many canals, and little boats, with some similarities to the gondolas, ply their way through the canals. The boatman stands at the rear of the boat and with an unusual action propels the boat with a long pole which he deftly manages.

Most people though will walk around the village. There are wonderful gardens at the entrance to the park, and the first view of the ancient village is across water, with the silkworm boat in the foreground.

There are many Chinese and English explanations, though not all places have the English prominently displayed. You need to look out for the entrances of such places as the Wine Factory, Bed Museum and so forth. It is hard to read all the notes with so many people milling around with cameras flashing!

The residents of the village are older, and no doubt used to the crowds. They often leave their doors open so prying eyes can see inside and see how they live. Some are more modern, but others look as if there has been no changes for centuries.