West Lake at dawn
A wooden rowing boat across the still lake before the tour groups arrive, with Leifeng Pagoda in the distance.
杭州 · Destination
Hangzhou
A lake that inspired a thousand years of poems, and the hills where China’s most famous green tea is grown.
How long2 days
Best timeMarch–May (tea season), September–November
From Shanghai≈ 45–60 min by high-speed train
Nearest airportHangzhou Xiaoshan (HGH)
Hangzhou’s West Lake is one of the most celebrated landscapes in China — a UNESCO-listed lake ringed by willow-lined causeways, pagodas and wooded hills. It is at its best early in the morning, when locals practise tai chi on the shore and mist sits on the water.
Behind the lake rise the tea hills of Longjing (Dragon Well), source of China’s best-known green tea. In spring you can watch the leaves being picked and roasted by hand, and taste the new harvest with the family that grew it.
Add Lingyin Temple and its Buddhist rock carvings, a bike ride along the Su Causeway and dinner in a lakeside restaurant, and two days pass quickly. High-speed trains from Shanghai take under an hour.
Don’t miss
The best of Hangzhou
Longjing tea village
Walk the terraces, try hand-roasting leaves in a wok and drink the new season’s tea with a farming family.
Lingyin Temple & Feilai Feng
One of China’s great Buddhist temples, reached through a valley of rock carvings more than a thousand years old.
Local tips
What we tell our own guests
- West Lake is free, but weekends and holidays bring huge crowds. Start at sunrise and leave the lake for lunch.
- The new spring tea is picked from late March; the earliest pre-Qingming leaves (before about 5 April) are the most prized.
- Hangzhou East station is the main high-speed stop; allow 30–40 minutes to reach the lake by car.
FAQ
Hangzhou: your questions
How many days should I spend in Hangzhou?
Two days is ideal: one for West Lake and the city, one for the tea village and Lingyin Temple. See our two-day Hangzhou itinerary.
Can I visit Hangzhou as a day trip from Shanghai?
It is possible — the train takes under an hour — but you will only have time for the lake. One night lets you see West Lake at sunrise, which is the best part.
Tours
Tours that include Hangzhou
7 daysHu Shang Jiangnan: Shanghai & the Water Towns
Shanghai · Suzhou · Wuxi · Wuzhen · Puyuan · Hangzhou
fromUS$299
7 daysClassic Jiangnan: Shanghai, Hangzhou, Wuzhen & Suzhou
Shanghai · Zhujiajiao · Hangzhou · Wuzhen · Suzhou
fromUS$399
6 daysShanghai, Hangzhou & Suzhou Essentials
Shanghai · Hangzhou · Suzhou · Zhujiajiao
fromUS$299
Travel Guide
Read before you go
Planning
Best Time to Visit Shanghai, Suzhou & Hangzhou (Month by Month)
Blossoms, plum rains, golden autumn and quiet winters — choosing your month for East China.
Transport
Taking the Bullet Train Between Shanghai, Suzhou, Hangzhou & Nanjing
Times, stations and passport booking for the fast trains that link East China’s cities.
Muslim-Friendly
Halal Food & Mosques in Shanghai and Hangzhou: A Muslim Traveller's Guide
Halal restaurants, how to spot them and the historic mosques of Shanghai and Hangzhou.
Let’s sketch your route.
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