- Best time
- Mar–May, Sep–Nov
- How long
- 2–3 days
- Daily budget
- ¥250–450 + hotel
- Getting in
- HGH · Hangzhou East
Overview
Hangzhou is a big modern city wrapped around one of China's most famous landscapes. West Lake, ringed by willows, causeways, pagodas and wooded hills, has inspired poets and painters for a thousand years, and it is still free to walk around.
An hour from Shanghai by high-speed train, Hangzhou works as a long day trip, but two or three days lets you add the temples and tea villages in the hills west of the lake. Avoid weekends and national holidays if you can: the lake gets very crowded.
See, eat and plan
West Lake 西湖
Walk or cycle the Su and Bai causeways, take a boat to the islands, and stay for sunset. Start early before the crowds.
Lingyin Temple and Feilai Feng 灵隐寺 · 飞来峰
Buddhist carvings in a limestone hill, then one of China's great temples. The hill area is free but needs a reservation a day ahead; the temple is about ¥30 at the gate.
Dongpo pork
Squares of pork belly braised slowly in soy and rice wine until they almost melt.
Longjing tea villages 龙井村 · 梅家坞
Tea terraces in the hills behind the lake. Sit at a farmhouse for a pot of Dragon Well tea, and agree the price before you order.
Leifeng Pagoda 雷峰塔
A rebuilt pagoda on the south shore with a wide view over the lake. Around ¥40; best near sunset.
Longjing shrimp
River shrimp stir-fried with fresh Dragon Well tea leaves. Light and delicate.
Xixi Wetland 西溪湿地
Waterways, reeds and old villages on the west edge of the city, best seen from a slow electric boat. Entry around ¥80.
Grand Canal and Gongchen Bridge 京杭大运河 · 拱宸桥
The southern end of the 1,700 km canal, with an old stone bridge and canal-side lanes. Pleasant in the evening, with a water bus back.
West Lake vinegar fish
Poached fish in a sweet-and-sour vinegar sauce. Famous, and locals argue about whether it is any good.
Beggar's chicken
Chicken wrapped in lotus leaves and clay, then baked. Order ahead at the bigger restaurants.
Pian'erchuan noodles
Noodles with pork, bamboo shoots and pickled greens. A cheap, everyday Hangzhou bowl.
Dragon Well tea
China's best-known green tea. New-season spring tea is the most prized and most expensive.
Getting there and around
Xiaoshan airport (HGH) is about 30 km east of the centre and connected by metro. Most high-speed trains use Hangzhou East; some use Hangzhou station near the lake or Hangzhou West. Shanghai Hongqiao is about an hour away, Suzhou around 1.5 hours.
The metro reaches the east side of West Lake (Line 1 at Longxiangqiao) and most hotels. Around the lake, walk or use the shared bikes you unlock in Alipay. Buses and Didi cover Lingyin Temple and the tea villages; traffic around the lake is slow at weekends.
Where to stay
Stay on the east side of the lake around Hubin and Longxiangqiao. The lake, Hefang Street and the metro are all on foot. For a quieter stay, small hotels in the hills near the tea villages are lovely but need taxis for everything else.
Good to know
- Reserve Feilai Feng at least a day ahead in the official mini-program in Alipay or WeChat; same-day bookings are not accepted.
- Crowds: West Lake is packed on weekends and holidays. Go out early or visit midweek.
- Weather: spring is mild and showery, summer hot and humid, autumn the most comfortable. Plum rain season in June is wet.
- Tea: buy from shops with clear prices, not from people on the street claiming their family farm.
- Paying: set up Alipay and WeChat Pay before you fly. See paying in China.
- Next stops: Shanghai and Suzhou are both under two hours by train; Huangshan is about 1.5–2 hours west.
Prices, hours and visa rules change. Confirm key bookings before you go.