As the famous Chinese saying goes, "Above, there is Heaven –below, there are Suzhou and Hangzhou." An impressive claim, but the only way to find out if Suzhou is indeed one of these two earthly paradises is to actually visit the place.

Suzhou sits only four meters above sea level, and so water features heavily in the landscape of its canal towns, as well as in the serene classical gardens that have been designated as World Heritage sites. This was immediately obvious on arrival, with rivers and canals criss-crossing the streets on the ten-minute walk from the train station to my riverside hostel.

Because of Suzhou’s location near the mouth of the Yangtze, numerous canals were built to stabilize the flood-prone delta areas. Several other towns and cities in the region followed suit, creating what has become known as China’s region of water towns. As well as the countless lakes, 35 kilometers of rivers, and 168 bridges nearby, the Grand Canal is another significant draw. Stretching from Beijing to Hangzhou, it cuts an impressive path from north to south, and brought significant trade to the town.

After a few minutes exploration down some of its many back streets, I discovered why Suzhou is often praised as the “Venice of the Orient.” Aside from the countless picturesque stone bridges peppering the city, Suzhou, like Venice, was once a great trading port, supplying goods from China’s “most productive land.” And during my brief visit I saw many small boats using the rivers to transport goods throughout the city.