A cruise ship sails on Taihu Lake in Wuxi. [Photo/WeChat account: wuxishilvyouju]

The sightseeing cruise routes to Taihu Fairy Island in Yuantouzhu scenic area and Xishan Island in Suzhou have been officially opened to the public in Wuxi, Jiangsu province.

The route from Guanshe Villa Wharf to Taihu Fairy Island operates every Saturday and Sunday in January, with 9:30 am and 2 pm departures.

The cruise is half an hour one way and will pass through various scenic spots in Wuxi, such as the Siyuan Pavilion, Changchun Bridge, and the lighthouse in the Yuantouzhu scenic area. After stepping on the island, visitors can have about 1.5 hours of free time to explore the island before returning.

Visitors enjoy the scenic landscape along the cruise route. [Photo/WeChat account: wuxishilvyouju]

The route from Guanshe Villa Wharf to Xishan Island operates in January every Saturday at 8:30 am.

The outbound journey takes about four hours and passes through various natural, cultural, and engineering landscapes, such as Taihu Fairy Island and Three Kingdoms City in Wuxi, as well as Manshan and Sanshan islands in Suzhou.

After dining at the Xilaichun Farmhouse on Xishan Island, tourists will be arranged to visit either the ancient villages of Mingyue Bay or Shigongshan, which takes about 2.5 hours. After the activities, tourists will return by bus.

Both routes offer guide services, beverages, fruits, and snacks within the ship.

Fare:

Route to Taihu Fairy Island: 120 yuan ($16.39) per person (discounted price at 98 yuan in the first quarter of this year)

Route to Xishan Island: 388 yuan per person (discounted price at 288 yuan in the first quarter of this year), including lunch, entrance tickets, and bus.

How do you book the sightseeing cruise routes?

Follow the official WeChat account of Wuxi Culture &Tourism Development Group (WeChat ID: gh_f3f97eb96432) and then find "太湖黿頭渚" in "門票預約" under the "太湖明珠" column to book your desired route.

Where to take the cruise ships?

Guanshe Villa Wharf (管社山莊碼頭)

Address: 1081 Huanhu Road, Binhu district, Wuxi (無錫市濱湖區環湖路1081號)