Hangzhou Travel Guide
West Lake, tea hills and a historic canal city — an easy, elegant escape from Shanghai.
Hangzhou is one of China’s most pleasant cities and one of the easiest to enjoy. Its centrepiece is West Lake, a UNESCO World Heritage Site surrounded by temples, gardens and walking paths that have inspired Chinese poetry and painting for over a thousand years.
Just outside the city, the Longjing tea villages produce some of China’s most famous green tea, and the terraced hillsides make a lovely half-day trip. The city is also the southern terminus of the Grand Canal.
One or two days is usually enough, and the city is only about an hour from Shanghai by high-speed train, making it a straightforward day trip or overnight stop.
Top Things to See and Do
West Lake
The city’s defining feature. Walk the Su Causeway, take a boat, or rent a bike to circle the lake.
Longjing Tea Village
Hillside tea terraces where you can taste dragon well tea where it is grown.
Lingyin Temple
One of China’s most important Buddhist temples, set in forest with carvings in the surrounding cliffs.
Hefang Street
A restored historic shopping street with local snacks, herbal medicine shops and souvenirs.
The Grand Canal
The southern end of the ancient canal linking Hangzhou to Beijing. Pleasant for an evening walk.
Xixi Wetland
Reed channels, small boats and quiet paths on the edge of the city.
Best Time to Visit
Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) are the classic seasons, with mild weather and the tea harvest in spring. Summers are hot and humid; winters are cool and grey but quiet, and the lake can look beautiful in snow.
Getting There and Around
Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (HGH) serves international and domestic routes. High-speed trains from Shanghai take around an hour, and Hangzhou is well connected to the wider national rail network. The metro is modern and easy to use, and the lake area is best explored on foot or by bike.
Book Your Hangzhou Trip
Hotels in Hangzhou
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Flights to Hangzhou
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Trains to Hangzhou
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West Lake Boat Tours
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Tea Village Tours
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Airport Transfers
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