Hangzhou Travel Guide

Located in the east of China, Hangzhou is the capital of Zhejiang Province. This city is famous for rustic sceneries, notably the West Lake. The lake represents Chinese traditional garden with unique sculpture and architectural elements. Hangzhou is a top tourist destination in China and there are more than 20,000 domestic tourists and foreign travelers visiting Hangzhou annually. This city was used to be an important oceangoing trading center in China since the imperial era. Hangzhou is well-known for two Chinese specialties: tea and silk.

Best Time to Travel to Hangzhou

Located in a temperate climate zone, Hangzhou is usually affected by typhoons in two periods: late June – early July and August – September. Winter is chilly and humid and it may snow sometimes. The best times to visit Hangzhou are spring and autumn when it is cool and pleasant. If you want to engage in tea harvesting process, come here from March to May.

Hangzhou Travel Tips

• Avoid visiting famous spot such as West Lake, Wuzhen Ancient Village, and Meijiawu Tea Village during weekends since people from Shanghai, especially the newlyweds, come to Hangzhou for leisure and enjoy honeymoon trip. Instead, go to some less crowded attractions such as Xitang Water Town and Tea and Silk Museum.
• Hangzhou has the best public bike systems in China. With a Transportation Smart Card Z for visitors, you can rent a bike at a cheap price for a cycling tour around this beautiful city.
• Hangzhou is Jack Ma’s hometown – the founder of Alibaba. Thus, this city is a high-tech metropolis. You can download Alipay app and pay any financial transaction without bringing a wallet in this city.

What to See in Hangzhou

1. West Lake

West Lake is a must-see place in rustic Hangzhou. It is the symbol of this city and listed as a UNESCO Heritage site. This lake is attractive with tranquil scenery, brilliant historical and cultural architecture and stunning shrines, pagodas, and temples. Small arched bridges across green gardens add an atmospheric and restful feature to this place. This lake is an inspiration for many Chinese poets and painters from generation to generation to create masterpieces about this intriguing place. Tourists can enjoy this charming lake by leisurely walking, biking or taking a cruise around. Sunset at West Lake is truly amazing; don’t miss the opportunity to capture that moment.

2. Lingyin Temple

Listed in one of the ten most famous pagodas in China, Lingyin Temple is also known as Temple of Soul’s Retreat. This temple is built in 328AD by an Indian monk called Huili. Surrounded by forested hills, Lingyin Temple is certainly quiet and peaceful. This temple is attractive for its historic buildings and artworks, including grottos, pagodas, statues and Buddhist statues.

3. Wuzhen Ancient Village

80 kilometers from the center of Hangzhou, this 1000-year-old village is one of the most lovable ancient villages in the southern bank of Yangtze River. Characterized by black or grey bricks contrasting with white walls, this town possesses irresistible elegance which resembles an old Chinese painting. Sitting on a gondola along the river, you can appreciate Wuzhen in a slow and relaxing rhythm. You can enjoy many folk performances in the eastern side of this village, for example, shadow plays, martial arts and traditional Huagu Opera.

4. Nanxun Water Town

100 kilometers from Hangzhou, Nanxun Water Town is not as popular as Wuzhen. Nanxun was established during Ming Dynasty and used to be a silk trading center of China. Being influenced by foreign merchants, this town’s architecture is the combination of traditional Chinese and Western style. The exteriors are of Chinese classic standard but you can find some Western features in stones, bricks and carvings insides the houses. You will have a chance to discover colorful Chinese culture in Xiaolianzhuang (Lotus Garden), Red House (Liu’s Family Compound) and wedding performances in this ancient town. Xiaolianzhuang is well-known for making exquisite Chinese brushes while Red House is the place where you can learn Chinese block printing techniques.

5. China National Silk Museum

It is the biggest silk museum in the world. In this museum, you will understand the history and development of silk culture, which made Hangzhou prosperous during the imperial era. Silk fabrics made in China are of the highest quality in the world with dedicated filature and weaving techniques. This museum also displays historical relics of the Silk Road, the most important trading route in the ancient world.

6. Hangzhou National Tea Museum

With a long history, tea is considered as the national treasure of China. Chinese tea has dedicated smell and exquisite taste which is beneficial for your digestive system. This museum is surrounded by lush green tea plantations where you can see how tea is grown. Not only can you understand tea history and tea production process in Hangzhou National Tea Museum but you also can get an insight into how tea etiquettes are different in different regions of China.

7. Meijiawu Tea Village

This 600-year-old village is famous for growing Longjing tea (Dragon Well tea). The best time to visit Meijiawu Tea Village is in spring when you can take part in exciting activities: picking up green tea leaves and producing new tea! More than 160 tea houses can be found here; you can leisure and appreciate the process of tea etiquettes in this beautiful tea village. Meijiawu Tea Village is also well-known for tea foods such as Longjing tea shrimp and chicken infused in Longjing tea.

What to Do in Hangzhou

Visit classic gardens and water towns

• West Lake: This lake is attractive with tranquil scenery, brilliant historical and cultural architecture and stunning shrines, pagodas, and temples.
• Wuzhen Ancient Village: 80 kilometers from the center of Hangzhou, this 1000-year-old village is one of the most lovable ancient villages in the southern bank of Yangtze River.
• Nanxun Water Town: Nanxun was established during Ming Dynasty and used to be a silk trading center of China. Being influenced by foreign merchants, this town’s architecture is the combination of traditional Chinese and Western style.
• Xitang Water Town: Ancient buildings, arched bridges, and friendly local people – Xitang Water Town is the place for you to chill out and get to know classic Chinese architecture.

Discover silk and tea culture

Silk and tea are the most famous specialties of Hangzhou that people here dedicate museums for them.

• China National Silk Museum: In this museum, you will understand the history and development of silk culture, which made Hangzhou prosperous during imperial era.
• Hangzhou National Tea Museum: Not only can you understand tea history and tea production process in Hangzhou National Tea Museum but you also can get an insight to how tea etiquettes are different in different regions of China.
• Meijiawu Tea Village: The best time to visit Meijiawu Tea Village is in spring when you can take part in exciting activities: picking up green tea leaves and producing new tea.

Enjoy Zhejiang cuisines

As the capital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou is endowed with the quintessence of one of ‘China’s Eight Regional Cuisines’. If you find Chengdu and Chongqing’s cuisines are too strong and spicy, Hangzhou’s foods will satisfy you with its light, tender and fresh flavor. Some must-try foods in this city are West Lake Fish in Vinegar Gravy, Dongpo Pork, Fried Shrimps with Long Jing Tea and Jiaohua Chicken.

What to Eat in Hangzhou

Known as one of ‘China’s Eight Regional Cuisines’, Zhejiang cuisine is divided into many branches and Hangzhou cuisine is the most refined sub-division. If Chengdu and Chongqing’s cuisines are too strong and spicy for international tourists, Hangzhou’s foods will satisfy you with its light, tender and fresh flavor. Fish and seafood are widely found in Hangzhou cuisine.