Stand at the eastern end of Beishan Road in the late afternoon and the Bai Causeway runs west toward Solitary Hill, with the water of West Lake on both sides of you and the hills rising beyond. This is the Hangzhou most visitors come for, and it rewards walking rather than checking off viewpoints.
The city suits travellers who are happy to spend a full day on their feet around a lake, break for tea in a garden, and let the evening come on slowly. It also suits anyone interested in the Southern Song period, when Hangzhou was the capital known as Lin'an, since much of what you will see along the shore refers back to that era.
This guide covers the lakeside sights and experiences worth your time, followed by a plan for a single day and answers to the questions travellers ask most often.
Top things to do in Hangzhou
1. West Lake (西湖 Xī Hú)
West Lake is the reason most people come to Hangzhou, and the simplest way to enjoy it is to wander rather than chase a checklist. The traditional Ten Scenes and Ten New Scenes are often seasonal and, taken individually, overrated; a clear day spent walking the circumference and the causeways, with a ferry trip to the islands, will cover most of them anyway.
The walk around the lake is about 12 km, so plan for a half day at least. The east side is easily reached by Metro, from Longxiangqiao station on line 1 or Fengqilu station on lines 1 and 2. The lake is open 24 hours and entry is free.
2. Spring Dawn at Su Causeway (苏堤春晓 Sūdīchūnxiǎo)
The Su Causeway is almost 3 km long and dates from the year 1189, planted with willows and peach trees along its length. It runs north to south, starting by the Shangri-La on Beishan Road and continuing down to Nanshan Road.
Walking it is one of the best ways to cross the lake rather than skirt it. Combine it with the Bai Causeway if you want to link the eastern shore to Solitary Hill without retracing your steps.
3. Three Ponds Mirroring the Moon (Lesser Yingzhou Isle, 三潭映月 Sāntányìngyuè)
This is the largest island on the lake, built in the early 1600s. On a full moon, candles are lit inside the pagodas, and in the candlelight it appears as though you are seeing the moonlight.
Reach it by boat. The official tour operator sells tickets from official ticket stalls, with clear pricing and insurance covering all parts of the lake; private gondola rides vary in insurance coverage, range and price, so decide which you want before you step aboard.
4. Leifeng Pagoda in Evening Glow (雷峰夕照 Léifēngxīzhào)
The pagoda is lit up at night, and the classic way to see it is not from the pagoda itself but from across the lake. Time your walk along the southern shore so you are looking back at it as the light goes.
This pairs naturally with the southern end of the Su Causeway, which finishes at Nanshan Road, and with King Qian's Memorial on the south end of the lake off Nanshan Road.
5. Lingering Snow on Broken Bridge (断桥残雪 Duànqiáocánxuě)
The Broken Bridge is the most elegant and romantic site on West Lake, and when it snows the opening of the bridge makes it look as though the bridge itself is broken. The Legend of the White Snake, which takes place here, gives the bridge a cultural weight beyond its appearance.
It sits at the eastern end of Beishan Road, where the Bai Causeway begins, so it is easy to fold into a walk toward Solitary Hill.
6. Bai Causeway
The Bai Causeway starts at the eastern end of Beishan Road and leads to Solitary Hill, cutting the distance between, for example, Hubin Road and the Shangri-La. It is the shortest and most convenient link between the eastern shore and the northern part of the lake.
Use it as your first or last stretch of the day, depending on where you are staying, and combine it with the Broken Bridge at its eastern end.
7. Solitary Hill and Zhongshan Park
This is the only natural island on the lake, and at least three emperors constructed palaces here. It is also where the Lou Wai Lou restaurant is located. The popular area is home to the Xiling Seal-Engravers' Society, along with the seals, calligraphy, engraving-masters and relics that go with it.
Come here for the seal engraving rather than the restaurant if you are watching your budget, and continue on to the Bai Causeway when you leave.
8. Guo's Villa (郭庄 Guo Zhuang)
Guo's Villa is one of the best traditional private gardens in Hangzhou and one of the garden masterpieces of Jiangnan, thanks to its position on the shore of West Lake and its carefully managed space. The garden develops as you move further in, switching between tight, closed spaces and sudden, open ones, and its key feature is water.
The teahouse, Liang Yi Xuan (两宜轩 Belvedere of Both Good), sits in a prime viewing spot between two water courtyards, one large and one small. The entry fee keeps many people away, and you can take tea on the lakeside pavilions while avoiding the crowds. Note that the source material describes the villa both as being on Yanggong Causeway and as built in 1907, so treat the two references as the same garden.
9. Yanggong Causeway
Yanggong Causeway is more than 3 km long and runs north to south, one road west of the Su Causeway. It starts at the intersection of Beishan and Shuguang Road, which becomes Yanggong Causeway once you are south of that intersection.
It includes Quyuan Garden, the most popular spot to see lotus blossoms from late spring into summer. The water area west of the top of the causeway is the Maojiabu Scenic area, with orchids blended into the water scenery, and at the southern end, just before Nanshan Road, there is a fish-viewing pond.
10. Wind and Lotus at the Crooked Courtyard (曲院风荷, Quyuanfenghe)
This is one of the Ten Scenes, at the west of West Lake just in front of the Yuemiao (岳庙). It is known for its lotus in summer and has a lot of shops within it.
It sits close to Yanggong Causeway, so pair the two if you are visiting in the warmer months when the lotus is out.
11. Autumn Moon over the Calm Lake (平湖秋月 Pínghúqiūyuè)
This is a traditional place to see the full moon reflected in the water, and it is best saved for an evening when the moon is full and the sky is clear.
The Zhejiang West Lake Gallery, a well-known art education and exhibition centre in Zhejiang province, is near this site, so you can combine the two in an afternoon and stay on for the moon.
12. Hubin Parks
Hubin Parks 1, 3 and 6, and probably the numbers in between, are the parks between Hubin Road and West Lake. They were relatively newly designed when the West Lake Tunnel was being built underneath in early 2004.
They are good places to sit for a bit, buy ice cream or a newspaper, and, most importantly, hire a boat from the cluster of boat docks at each park.
13. Mid-Lake Pavilion (Huxin Pavilion)
Built in 1552, this is the oldest island in Hangzhou, and it carries an inscription by the Qing Dynasty Emperor Qianlong.
It is reached by boat, so combine it with a boat trip from one of the Hubin Parks docks rather than making a separate crossing.
14. Zhejiang Provincial Museum (浙江省博物馆)
This is the largest comprehensive museum in Zhejiang province, on the north side of the West Lake Scenic Area at 25 GuShan Road. It holds rarely-seen treasures from Zhejiang, especially celadon porcelains, and shows the elite culture of traditional China in the Jiangnan region.
A self-service rental museum collection guide is available inside. It sits on the north side of the lake, so it fits neatly into a day that also takes in Solitary Hill and the Bai Causeway.
15. West Lake Museum (西湖博物馆)
The West Lake Museum is at 89 Nanshan Road in Shangcheng District. It is open 09:00 to 16:00 and closed on Mondays, and entry is free.
The closest bus stop is the West Lake Museum bus stop, served by the Patriotic Education Bus; the next closest is the King Qian's Memorial bus stop, served by bus nos. 4, 12, 31, 42, 52, 52h, 102 and 133. It is a sensible stop on a southern-shore day that also takes in King Qian's Memorial.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start on the east side of West Lake, arriving by Metro at Longxiangqiao station on line 1 or Fengqilu station on lines 1 and 2. Walk the Bai Causeway from its eastern end at Beishan Road toward Solitary Hill, pausing at the Broken Bridge, then continue to the Zhejiang Provincial Museum on GuShan Road on the north side of the lake.
Afternoon. Cross the lake on the Su Causeway, which runs from Beishan Road down to Nanshan Road, and take a boat to Three Ponds Mirroring the Moon from one of the boat docks. If time allows, walk part of the Yanggong Causeway, one road west of the Su Causeway, and stop at Guo's Villa for tea at the Liang Yi Xuan teahouse.
Evening. Make your way to the southern shore and watch Leifeng Pagoda light up from across the lake, then finish at King Qian's Memorial on the south end of the lake off Nanshan Road. If you still have energy, the dancing fountains in front of the Hyatt Hotel on the west side of the lake run every 30 minutes starting at 19:00.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to West Lake by public transport?
The east side of the lake is easily accessed by Metro, from Longxiangqiao station on line 1 or Fengqilu station on lines 1 and 2.
Is there an entry fee for West Lake?
No. West Lake is free and open 24 hours.
Should I try to see all Ten Scenes of West Lake?
You do not need to. The individual scenes are often seasonal and overrated, and rather than walking back and forth looking for them, it is better to spend a clear day wandering the circumference and the causeways and taking a ferry to the islands, which will probably cover most of the sites anyway.
When is the best time to see the lotus on West Lake?
Quyuan Garden on Yanggong Causeway is the most popular spot for lotus blossoms, from late spring into summer. Wind and Lotus at the Crooked Courtyard is the Ten Scene associated with the same season.
Decide how many days you can give the lake, pick the causeways and gardens that suit the season you are travelling in, and start planning your route around the shore.