We drove 4 hours from Shanghai to Tianmu Lake, near Liyang. We stayed at the Liyang Garden Hotel.
While the accommodations were fine, if I was to go again I would stay at the hot spring hotel near Nanshan (just outside of Liyang). The “Sea of Bamboo” (竹海 in Nanshan is absolutely beautiful and great for hiking.
Bamboo
A pavilion
A tea house along the hiking trail
The tram route
More bamboo from the tram on the way down
Back along Tianmu Lake, a small island devoted to Tianmu Lake white tea
Tea leaves
On the way back to Shanghai, we drove along the west side of Taihu going through the small, dusty town of Yixing. Yixing is famous for its clay tea pots. To the south of the town there is a very large market where all kinds of tea paraphernalia can be purchased.