Hangzhou: Ultimate Travel Guide By A Chinese (2025)

City Guides

26 Nov

Written By YenKid

Key Contents: attractions + activities + itinerary + directions + where to stay + what to eat + where to eat

(This guide has been written by the creator of the China online travel guide, YenKid In China, who last visited Hangzhou in summer 2024)

Introduction

Hangzhou is best known for

West Lake, one of the most scenic lakes embedded in China’s deep cultural heritage. UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Being visited by Marco Polo in 1287, who described it as “the finest and noblest in the world”.
Its production of Longjing tea and silk

A Few Facts about Hangzhou

There is a famous saying about the city. “Above is heaven. Below is Suzhou and Hangzhou.”
One of the former ancient capitals during the Southern Song dynasty from 1132 to 1276.
It is the southern terminus of the Grand Canal, which was completed in 618 AD. It remains the world’s longest canal, stretching 1,776km.
An emerging tech capital. Alibaba, DeepSeek, and Black Myth Wukong was created here.

What I liked particularly about Hangzhou 👍🏻

One of my favourite lakes in the world. Not just another lake - it has a special vibe and basically near the centre of the city.
Home to one of my favourite teas - Longjing (meaning “Dragon Wells”). I haven’t come across any other tea that tastes quite like it.
I love the food here, especially Dongpo pork and the restaurant chain “Grandma’s Kitchen”, which was founded in the city

3 Things To See + Photographic Spots Not To Be Missed 📷

Taking in West Lake from the top of Leifeng Pagoda
Seeing the history and tranquility of Lingyin Temple
Admiring the modern skyline of Qiantang New City, Greenland Hangzhou Center, and Hangzhou Olympic Expo Center

3 Things To Do 🚶🏻

Sailing on a boat to the islands on West Lake. My favourite is Three Pools Mirroring the Moon (三潭印月）
Watching Impression West Lake, a stunning cultural performance of dance, theatre, lights on a water stage
Visiting a tea plantation and drinking Longjing Tea, one of the top teas in China, in a tasting experience

Unique Experiences to Consider ⭐

Catching the Qiantang River Bore - timing is critical. Best day is around Mid-Autumn Festival.
Touring Moganshan, a scenic mountain area with bamboo forests, historic villas, and hiking trails

Points of Interest / Attractions to Visit 🌆

West Lake 西湖 - a beautiful scenic lake with islands, pagodas, temples, causeways, bridges, hills. It has influenced Chinese culture for thousands of years. You can cycle around the lake or walk along the causeway. I could come here several times a week.
Leifeng Pagoda 雷峰塔 - 5-storey octagonal pagoda, originally built in 975 AD. Has stunning panoramic views of West Lake. One of my favourite pagodas.
Chenghuang Pavilion 城隍阁 - 7-storey pavilion in the Song and Yuan dynasty styles, located at the top of Wushan Hill with views of West Lake, the city, and Qiantang River.
Lingyin Temple 灵隐寺 - Buddhist temple founded in 326 AD with ancient grottoes, statues, rock carvings, and artifacts, located in a valley near West Lake. Feels mysterious and tranquil.
Liuhe Pagoda 六和塔 - 7-storey octagonal pagoda with 13 tiers of eaves, with panoramic views of Qiantang River Bridge. The original version was built in 970 AD.
Longjing Tea Plantations 龙井茶园 - terraces of Longjing tea plants and villages offering a tea tasting experience. I love the feeling of walking through the fields.
National Silk Museum 中国丝绸博物馆 - world’s largest silk museum exhibiting the making of silk, ancient garments, and silk artwork. I learned so much about silk that I feel like a silk expert now. If you’re interested in silk, you must visit this one.
National Tea Museum 中国茶叶博物馆 - China’s largest tea museum showcasing the history of tea, cultivation, processing, and tea ceremonies. If you are interested in the origins of tea, don’t miss this one. Who doesn’t like tea!
Hefang Jie 河坊街 - a historic cultural street with lots of street food, souvenir shops, tea shops, craft shops. One of my favourite places to buy random stuff.
Yan’an Lu 延安路 - a commercial street with lots of restaurants, malls, and shops
Wulin Lu 武林路 - one of Hangzhou’s most famous night markets. Lots of snacks here. Eat as much as you can.
Qianjiang New City 钱江新城 - a newly-built central business district by the Qiantang River with futuristic buildings such as the Civic Center, the golden egg Intercontinental Hotel, and the moon-shaped Grand Theater
Xixi Wetland Park 西溪国家湿地公园 - a stunning park with lakes, ponds, and streams with reeds and wildlife. Boat tours are available.
Wuzhen Water Town 乌镇 - a 1,300 year old beautiful water town with canals, stone bridges, and traditional wooden architecture
Thousand Island Lake 千岛湖 - a picturesque lake containing one thousand islands of various sizes. Needs a day trip out of the city.

My favourite vantage points

Viewing Three Pools Mirroring the Moon from Xiaoying Island
Looking over West Lake from the upper floors of Leifeng Pagoda
The rows of Longjing tea terraces

My Suggested Itinerary

Day 1 - West Lake ➡️ Lingyin Temple ➡️ Longjing tea plantations ➡️ National Tea Museum ➡️ Leifeng Pagoda ➡️ Boat Ride to Xiaoying Island ➡️ National Silk Museum ➡️ Chenghuang Pavilion ➡️ Hefang Jie
Day 2 - Liuhe Pagoda ➡️ Qiantang River Bridge ➡️ Hangzhou Olympic Expo Center ➡️ Qiantang New Town ➡️ City Balcony
Day 3 - Wuzhen Water Town

Summary of Attractions 🎟️

Attraction | Ticket Price | Metro Station Exit

West Lake | free to enter | Line 1, Longxiangqiao, Exit C
Leifeng Pagoda | 40rmb | Line 7, Wushan Square, Exit C -> take a shuttle bus or walk 2km
National Silk Museum | free | Line 7, Wushan Square, Exit C -> take a shuttle bus or walk 2km
Chenghuang Pavilion | 30rmb | Line 7, Wushan Square, Exit D
Lingyin Temple | 75rmb | Taxi is the best option
Liuhe Pagoda | 20rmb | Line 4, Shuicheng Bridge, Exit B
Hefang Jie | free | Line 7, Wushan Square, Exit D
Qianjiang New City | free | Line 4/7, Citizen Center, Exit L
Longjing Tea Plantation | free to enter | Take taxi either from hotel or from Line 1/2, Fenqgqi Station
National Tea Museum | free | Take taxi either from hotel or from Line 1/2, Fenqgqi Station
Xixi National Wetland Park | free to enter | Line 19, North Xixi Wetland or Line 3, South Xixi Wetland
Note: most museums closed on Mondays. Even if the attraction is free, it is likely to require online booking. Please check Trip or the official museum mini-program for info.
(Information last checked in Sept 2025)

Recommended Days in Hangzhou 📅

2-3 days depending on your interests

Best Time to Visit ☀️

March to May + September to November have the most comfortable temperatures.
It is crazy hot in summer, so much that heatstroke is a significant risk. It reached low 40s in August 2024.
See my Weather Dashboard for temperature ranges by month.

How to Get There ✈️

By air

Land at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport
OR
Land at Shanghai Pudong International Airport, take the regional express train to Shanghai Hongqiao station, and then take a high speed train to Hangzhou East station.
If there are flights to Shanghai Hongqiao airport, do that instead.

By land

Take the high speed train to any of Hangzhou’s stations. Hangzhou East is the main one and Hangzhou West also has high speed services.

How to Get Around 🚇

Hangzhou Metro only opened in 2012 and is now the world’s 10th longest metro network in 2025. You can visit most tourist spots using the metro, although you will need to take a taxi or walk for certain attractions around West Lake.
When I first visited Hangzhou as a student in 2010, I had to take taxis and buses everywhere. To me, it is a mind-blowing change for the city.
City taxis or DiDi are also widely available.
Check out these articles if you’re stuck:
How to Ride the Metro in China: Ultimate Guide to Getting Around the City (2025)
How to Hail a DiDi Driver in China (2025 Guide)

Where Should You Stay 🛏️

I recommend you stay near the West Lake area, at least near the eastern side of the lake. It will make everything much easier and you will have a much bigger choice of restaurants within walking distance.
Parts of Shangcheng district, Xihu district, and Gongshu district are near West Lake.
So remember to check the map for the hotel’s location. The districts are pretty big and last thing you want is to accidentally book a hotel on the other side of the city.
I recommend you use Trip, since it is the top hotel booking platform in China and has the bigger range of hotels. Always cheaper for me as well.
Check out my articles How to Get The Best Deal For Hotels in China and Things To Consider When Booking a Hotel in China

What Should You Eat 🥢

Hangzhou’s local offering is Zhejiang cuisine. It also has a lot of restaurants offering dishes from neighbouring Jiangsu province and Shanghai. You’ll have no problem finding cuisines from all over China.
Major Hangzhou specialties are:
- Red-braised pork belly | dōng pō ròu | 东坡肉
- Longjing shrimp | Lóng jǐng xiā rén | 龙井虾仁
- Beggar’s chicken | jiào huā jī | 叫化鸡
- West Lake fish in vinegar | Xī hú cù yú | 西湖醋鱼
- Hangzhou braised duck | Háng zhōu jiàng yā | 杭州酱鸭
- Pork noodle soup with pickled mustard and bamboo shoots | piān er chuān miàn | 片儿川面
- Hangzhou steamed pork bun | háng zhōu xiǎo lóng bāo | 杭州小笼包
Check out my list of 60 dishes to eat here - you can also easily find all of the Shanghai and Jiangsu dishes in Hangzhou. Look for regional restaurants for the other cuisines.

Where Should I Eat 🧑🏻‍🍳

My two personal favourites are Grandma’s Home 外婆家 and Green Tea Restaurant 绿茶餐厅. These are two affordable restaurant chains offering Zhejiang cuisine.
Hefang Jie 河坊街 - pedestrianised area offering a variety of street food and restaurants
Yan’an Lu 延安路 - a street lined with restaurants and cafes. Hangzhou Jiujia 杭州酒家 offers a wide selection of authentic Zhejiang cuisine.
Wulin Lu 武林路 - night market offering lots of street snacks

You can type these in Amap or Dianping and it should locate the nearest restaurant to you. Check out the pictures and menus to see the food and reviews.

Don’t forget the streetside restaurants. You can use Dianping to check out the food and reviews. Check out my article How to Find Great Restaurants in China - A Simplified Guide to Dianping and RedNote.

Best Places to Relax ☺️

West Lake, Hangzhou Botanical Garden, Taiziwan Park
City Balcony - in the Qiantang CBD by the Qiantang River
You can also take a walk along Qiantang River Bridge or any section of the river