Attractions in Hangzhou Overview

Located in Chun’an County on the western outskirts of Hangzhou, the lake is approximately 129 kilometers from the city. Qiandao Lake, which literally means“thousand-island lake,”derives its name from the 1,078 islands within its waters. A reservoir that was formed after the construction of the Xin’an River Hydroelectric Power Station, it contains more islands than any other lake in the world. It is now considered a tourism area and a popular spot for holiday homes. Two ancient towns that date back a thousand years weresubmerged beneath the lake: Hecheng and Shicheng.

It is a must to take a boat cruise on the lake and visit some islands. The birdview from the top of the island hill is amazing.

The Grand Canal is one of the oldest artificial waterways in the world. Beginning in Hangzhou and reaching as far north as Beijing, the canal is approximately 2,700 kilometers long. Begun 2,500 years ago, the canal was vital to the circulation of goods and exchange of cultures between north and south China. It was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2014.

In ancient times, Hangzhou flourished as a hub on the Grand Canal to transport grain and supply the military. The canal eventually transformed the city into a major trading port. From 2001 to 2012, Hangzhou implemented a project to protect and restore areas along the banks of the canal. Now one of the best preserved sections, this area boasts a wealth of cultural sites. Not only does the Grand Canal offer opportunities to appreciate history and culture, and participate in tourism and leisure activities, it still functions as a bustling shipping canal.

Source: ywhangzhou.cn, an official introduction site of Hangzhou.

Dadou Road runs along the east side of the Grand Canal from the Daguan Bridge to the Jiangzhang Bridge. The architectures along the road have been well preserved, with Xiangji Temple’s ancient stone pagoda, the State Reeled Silk Warehouse, and many local-style dwelling homes from the late Qing Dynasty and the early years of the Republic at the turn of the 20th century.

The area is distinguished by the many examples of Buddhist cultural exchange along the street, which hosts lively arts and culture fairs, and boasts inns, vegetarian restaurants, and teahouses steeped in the local culture of the Grand Canal. Dadou Road has been honored with the title “First Street of the Grand Canal.”

You will marvel at the charm of Chinese history and culture here, so beautiful and so lively.

Leifeng Pagoda (Leifeng Ta) is a five-storey tower with eight sides, located on Sunset Hill(Xizhaoshan) south of the West Lake in Hangzhou. Originally constructed in the year AD 975, it collapsed in 1924 but was rebuilt in 2002. Since then it has been a popular tourist attraction.

You can take some stairs to the exhibition halls to see the ruins of the old Leifeng Pagoda and the wall paintings of the love story between a White Snake and a young scholar. The White Snake had been confined to the pagoda for years before her grown-up son rescued her.

Then take the lift to the top floor to have a bird view of Hangzhou city. One the one hand, the city is covered with green hills and beautiful lakes; on the other hand, there are many high rise modern buildings. Then you will get why Hangzhou is called the heavenly city.

West Lake is the soul of this city. The pretty of the West Lake not only lies in the lake itself but also in the surrounded bridges, pavilions and dozens of matched hills.After the cruise, take a walk by the lake which will bring you closer to it.

Located in the west of West Lake, it is an ancient village with a history of 600 years. Inhabited by more than 500 households, Meijiawu Tea Culture Village is picturesque surrounded by mountains and waters; it is a main production base and a protected area of the fragrant West Lake Dragon Well Tea, and a leisure tourist spot featured with tea culture in farm style.

Coming to the northwest of the West Lake, you will visit the Lingyin Temple, a Buddhist temple of the Chan sect. The temple's name literally means Temple of the Soul's Retreat. It was constructed about 1,600 years ago and is the oldest temple in the city. It is one of the largest and wealthiest Buddhist temples inChina, and contains numerous pagodas and Buddhist grottoes.

China's first national wetland park, Xixi National Wetland Park is about 6km from Hangzhou city center. If West Lake is the famed beauty of Hangzhou, Xixi National Wetland Park is its young maiden still hidden at home, not yet discovered by the world.

Literally meaning "west waterway," Xixi is a lush wetland that covers about 10 square kilometers, of which three-and-a-half square kilometers are open to the public as a park. With more than 70 percent of the area being covered by water, Xixi National Wetland Park truly deserves its nickname, "wetland paradise."

You can take a 1-hour electric boat ride(included) on the water which provides pretty views of the waterway, wild weeds and, with a little luck, waterfowl swimming in the lake. After the ride, feel free to take a walk in the park. The complete walk route around the park is about 8km and you can walk as long as you like.

Pronounced Liuhe Pagoda in Chinese, it is located at the foot of Yuelun Hill, facing the Qiantang River. It was originally constructed in 970 AD, destroyed in 1121, and reconstructed fully by 1165. After the current pagoda was constructed of wood and brick during the Southern Song dynasty, additional exterior eaves were added during the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing Dynasties (1644–1911). The pagoda is octagonal in shape and some 59.89 metres (196.5 ft) in height; it also has the appearance of being a thirteen-storey structure, though it only has seven interior stories. There is a spiral staircase leading to the top floor and upon each of the seven ceilings are carved and painted figures including animals, flowers, birds and characters. Each story of the pagoda consists of four elements, the exterior walls, a zigzagged corridor, the interior walls and a small chamber. Viewed from outside, the pagoda appears to be layered-bright on the upper surface and dark underneath. That is a harmonious alternation of light and shade.

The Romance of the Song Dynasty in Song Dynasty Town is a must-see show. In the form of singing, dancing, and acrobatics, it mainly shows the local allusions and folklore of Hangzhou such as Legend of the White Snake , the Butterfly Lovers , stories of General Yue Fei’s leading the defense against invaders etc. And it applies high-tech to enhance stage effect which definitely will give tourists a ground-breaking visual feast.

Location: No.148, Zhijiang Road, Hangzhou.

Time: daily 14:00-15:00; 19:30-20:30.