West Lake looks compact on a map but the full shore is a long day. These routes keep the north lake, Lingyin hills, south lake, Xixi, the Grand Canal and the tea valleys on separate days. Reserve passport-linked attractions first, then let the free lake walks move around weather and crowds.
West Lake is the centre. Lingyin, Feilai Peak, Longjing and Nine Creeks sit west and south-west; Hefang Street and the Southern Song quarter sit east; Xixi and the Grand Canal need their own half- or full-day routes.
The Hangzhou section of the Grand Canal guide: free riverside walks, the Gongchen Bridge cruise, how to get…
Read guide →Hefang Street guide: the free pedestrian old-town lane for snacks, medicine shops and souvenirs, how to get…
Read guide →Lingyin Temple guide: the combined ticket (~¥75), the Feilai Peak stone Buddhas, how to get there, and…
Read guide →Longjing (Dragon Well) Tea Village guide: free fields, tea tastings, the spring harvest, how to get there, and…
Read guide →Songcheng guide: the Romance of Song (千古情) show, the theme park, how to get there, and first-timer tips on…
Read guide →West Lake guide: free 24-hour access, boat rides (~¥55–70), Leifeng Pagoda (~¥40), the best walking loops, and…
Read guide →Xixi Wetland guide: boat routes through the reed marshes, the best season to visit, how to get there, and…
Read guide →Hangzhou is easy after four things are ready: passport, payment, data and the exact Chinese destination. The lake is forgiving; timed transport, temple entry and peak-season traffic are not.
Use exactly the passport details shown on train, hotel and attraction bookings. Screenshots help at the gate, but they do not replace the original travel document when real-name verification is required.
Official foreign-traveller guide →The public lakefront and causeways are generally free. Boats, Leifeng Pagoda, cableways and some gardens charge separately. Never buy a “West Lake entrance ticket” from an unverified seller.
Open the West Lake guide →Feilai Peak scenic-area entry and temple access may use separate procedures. Check the current official arrangement, carry your passport and arrive early; weekend road controls can slow the final approach.
Open the Lingyin guide →Activate Hangzhou in Alipay Transport or buy a single metro ticket. Metro does not ring the entire lake, so save the Chinese bus stop or gate—not only the attraction's English name.
Official West Lake transport guide →Link an international bank card to Alipay or WeChat Pay and keep small RMB cash as backup. Boat desks, tea stalls and taxis may be easier when you have two working payment methods.
Official overseas payment guide →Hubin and Longxiangqiao are best for first-time lake access; Wulin Square is practical for metro connections. Show the original passport at hotel check-in and confirm registration if staying in a private home.
Official accommodation registration →Xiaoshan International Airport is HGH; Hangzhou East is the main high-speed-rail hub. Save the terminal, station and Chinese name before booking a car—“Hangzhou station” is not precise enough.
See arrival and base advice →Longjing tasting is part of the experience, but a tasting does not require a purchase. Ask the price per 50 g before agreeing, avoid unsolicited “family tea” invitations and keep the package label.
Open the Longjing guide →Use museums, Hefang Street or the Grand Canal when hill paths are wet or lake boats pause. Spring weekends and national holidays bring traffic controls, so avoid building a day around several fixed appointments.
Open the flexible seven-day plan →Planning information checked 10 Aug 2026. Reconfirm live ticket release times, boat service, temporary traffic controls and weather closures before travel.