Hangzhou杭州
West Lake’s causeways and pagodas, Longjing tea villages and Lingyin Temple — a city Marco Polo is said to have called the finest in the world.
Photo: Yinweichen · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons
- Time needed
- 1–3 days
- Best time
- Late March–May (blossom and new tea) and October–November
- Sights covered
- 4 must-sees
Why visit Hangzhou
Hangzhou was the capital of the Southern Song dynasty and has been celebrated by poets for over a thousand years. Its heart is West Lake, a UNESCO cultural landscape of causeways, islands, temples and gardens, framed by hills on three sides.
The hills west of the lake are planted with Longjing (Dragon Well) tea. In spring you can watch the picking and drink new-season tea in villages such as Meijiawu and Longjing. Lingyin Temple, with its cliff carvings at Feilai Feng, is one of China’s most important Buddhist sites.
Must-see in Hangzhou
- West Lake — Walk the Su Causeway at dawn, take a boat to the islands.
- Lingyin Temple & Feilai Feng — Go early on weekdays.
- Longjing tea villages — Tea tasting and walks through the plantations.
- China National Tea Museum — Free, set among tea fields.
Getting there, getting around, staying
- Best time to visit
- Late March–May (blossom and new tea) and October–November. Summer is hot; lotus fills the lake in July.
- Getting there
- Hangzhou East station is about an hour from Shanghai by high-speed train. Xiaoshan airport (HGH) has international flights. Hangzhou is a 240-hour transit port.
- Getting around
- Metro, public bikes around the lake and DiDi.
- Stay: Hubin (east shore)
- Walk to the lake and Hefang Street.
- Stay: West Lake hills
- Boutique hotels among tea plantations; quieter.
What to eat in Hangzhou
- Dongpo pork — slow-braised pork belly.
- Longjing shrimp — river shrimp with tea leaves.
- West Lake vinegar fish.
Day trips
- Wuzhen water town (about 1 hour).
- Moganshan bamboo hills (about 1 hour).
Field notes
- Weekends and holidays are extremely busy around the lake; visit midweek if you can.
- Rent a public bike — the lake loop is about 15 km.
Sights in and around Hangzhou
FAQ
Is Hangzhou a good day trip from Shanghai?
Yes, by high-speed train. But staying one night lets you see West Lake at dawn and dusk, which is when it is at its best.
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