Pearl City, Suzhou

[Tom]

This is our first trip to China. We will be in Shanghai for a few days at the end of May and would like to see many and perhaps buy some pearls. My wife is relatively knowlegable about pearls. Pearl City in Suzhou was recomended as the best place to go. I also found a Pearl City Shanghai. Is it worth a trip to Suzhou? What is the best way to go: a tour, train and taxi, hire taxi for day etc? how long should one allow?

 

[susannahxu]

This is our first trip to China. We will be in Shanghai for a few days at the end of May and would like to see many and perhaps buy some pearls. My wife is relatively knowlegable about pearls. Pearl City in Suzhou was recomended as the best place to go. I also found a Pearl City Shanghai. Is it worth a trip to Suzhou? What is the best way to go: a tour, train and taxi, hire taxi for day etc? how long should one allow?

Suzhou is one of the best places for buying pearls not only for big buyers but for individuals. The price of pearls is sure to be lower than that in Shanghai because of lots of pear farms in Zuzhou. However, whether it is worth a trip to Suzhou will depend on the overall amount of pearls you would like to buy. There is a big pearl wholesale center (Pearls Jewellery City)in Weitang, Suzhou. It will take you 1.5-2 hours by train or taxi from Shanghai to Weitang, which is not long trip. Hopefully you will find your favorite
pearls there.

 

[cindyclark]

Suzhou

Suzhou

I agree with the last member, it depends on how much you want to buy. It takes an entire day and $100 to $200 in Taxi/private car fees to get there. If you want unusually shaped pearls, that are rather inexpensive, just stay in Shanghai. If you are looking for larger (9 mm and up) roundish pearls, the pricing is better in Suzhou, but you will need to buy more than a few strands to make of the cost of the trip.

Cindy Clark
Passion Pearls

 

[goskins44]

Pearls in Suzhou

Pearls in Suzhou

This is our first trip to China. We will be in Shanghai for a few days at the end of May and would like to see many and perhaps buy some pearls. My wife is relatively knowlegable about pearls. Pearl City in Suzhou was recomended as the best place to go. I also found a Pearl City Shanghai. Is it worth a trip to Suzhou? What is the best way to go: a tour, train and taxi, hire taxi for day etc? how long should one allow?

I agree with others that the number of pearls can make a difference on going to Suzhou. But I would add a little to that. Suzhou is a very nice city with a lot of things to do. There are the original rock gardens, the best of which are the Lion Grove Gardens (there are several but these the best in my opinion). There is also Tiger Hill and the waterfront in SIP has a lot of very good food.

If you are just going for pearls, then yes it makes a difference how many you plan to but. But you can also plan a very nice day or couple of days there outside of buying pearls. Again, it's a very nice city. I have been going there for work several times a year for over a decade.

 

[Katbran]

Good information , it's just that the original post is from 2006