Hangzhou Travel Guide 2023

Tranquil and elegant West Lake is the essence of Hangzhou, all kinds of attractions, like parks, bridges, pagodas, temples can be found in here.

With a history of nearly 1700 year, Lingyin Temple is the oldest and most famous temple in Hangzhou, remaining its charm with natural and cultural beauty.

Famous for Longjing (Dragon Well) Tea, Longjing Tea Plantations are wonderful places to see verdant view and know about the tea culture in China.

China National Tea Museum is a good place to go for learning the tea culture, tea history, enjoying tea, watching elegant tea ceremory and tea plantations.

With brilliant culture and long history, Hefang Street is regarded as a typical symbol of ancient Hangzhou Hefang Street. You can see many time-honored stores there.

Hu Qing Yu Tang is like a living classroom of traditional Chinese medicine to both have a good understanding about Chinese medicine and appreciate the hundred-year-old exquisite architecture.

It is the largest silk museum in the world. You can have full knowledge about 5000 years Chinese Silk history and the Silk Road, enjoy Chinese and Western fashion changes over the centuries.

With a long history of over 1000 years, Liuhe Pagoda is very popular among tourists with its ancient charm and the best viewing deck of Qiantang River.

Xixi National Wetland Park attracts lots of tourists to have a sightseeing and relaxation with its peaceful environment and beautiful waterscapes.

A classic water town of Jiangnan style, peaceful environment and ancient architectures, all make Wuzhen a very poetic and romantic place in China.

Xitang is a living ancient town with a history more than one thousand years. It is featured in 104 old bridges, 122 old lanes, long ceilinged corridors, Ming and Qing Dynasty architectures.

Qiantang River tidal bore is one the largest tidal bores in the world which reaches the most spectacular on the eighteenth day of the eight month on Chinese lunar calendar.

Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City

Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City (良渚古城遗址), which were inscribed to the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List in July 2019, is a must-visit for history lovers who want to trace the Chinese civilization 5,300 years ago.

Former Residence of Hu Xueyan

The Former Residence of Hu Xueyan (胡雪岩故居) gets its reputation for its exquisite design and decorations featured with both traditional Chinese characteristics and Western styles. Every corner of this mansion is beautiful.

Qiandao Lake (千岛湖), or called Thousand Island Lake, is an ideal vacation site to get away from the bustle and bustle of the vities. Here, you can appreciate fresh and beautiful lake sceneries, enjoy biking and hiking…

Taking a boat sailing on the picturesque West Lake is an enjoyable and relaxing way to appreciate the beautiful scenery with islands, causeways, pagodas and ornamental planting... There are multiple kinds of boat types for you to choose.

Heading to the tea plantations of the first-class Dragon Well Tea is a must-do for all Hangzhou tourists. And you can enjoy drinking tea and picking tea leaves there. Longjing Village and Meijiawu Village are the top 2 tea plantations to visit!

Try short-distance biking trip (1 hour to half day) which offers you more freedom and leisure for exploration and more importantly, you are much closer to the beautiful nature. There are 5 best hiking routes in Hangzhou.

Hangzhou has over 130 museums, including many state-level museums in China! Most of the Hangzhou Museums are located at or not very far away from the West Lake, like China National Silk Museum, China National Tea Museum, etc.

You can enjoy famous Enduring Memories of Hangzhou Show, admire Hangzhou Musical Fountain & Light Shows, take Grand Canal Night Cruises and Qiantang River Night Cruises, hit Hangzhou bars…

You can appreciate its exquisiteness and beauty with your eyes and record it by your camera. Popular photography sites include West Lake, Lingyin Temple, Liuhe Pagoda, etc.

Hiking up to the tea plantations hidden in the forests is really a great experience. On the way, you may meet with locals picking tea leaves in the fields and be rewarded with amazing vista of the West Lake!

Hangzhou is also a paradise for foodies! Popular Hangzhou dishes and snacks include Braised Dongpo Pork, West Lake Fish in Vinegar Gravy, Fried Shrimps with Long Jing Tea, Aunt Song Fish Broth, etc.

Take Art Classes

In this "City of Handicrafts", there is a special Hangzhou Arts & Crafts Museum Cluster, where you can take plenty of interesting art classes, like parasol painting class, round fan painting classes, embroidery class, etc.

In about 1.5~3 hours’ drive, you can travel from Hangzhou to many famous water towns in Jiangnan Area, like Wuzhen Water Town, Nanxun Water Town and Xitang Water Town. Why not add the one you prefer to your Hangzhou tour?

Qiantang River Tidal Bore is one of the most spectacular tidal bores in the world. The best places to admire the water walls rushing up to the air are Liuhe Pagoda, Qiantang River Bridge and the nearby Haining City.