West Lake is undoubtedly the representative of the beauty of Hangzhou City. There are very famous ten scenic spots around the lake, which are nature and humanities reflect each other to form the core of Hangzhou travel.
You do not have to insist on going to every attraction, but you can spend half a day to wander around the lake, no matter how to play, people are in a good mood.
What to See
The north shore of the West Lake is home to a number of attractions, usually starting from the Broken Bridge in the northeast corner of the lake and wandering westward all the way to the Yuewang Temple.
Su Causeway
Su Causeway runs through the north and south of West Lake and was built by Su Dongpo (a famous poet in the Song Dynasty 907-1227) when he was an official in Hangzhou, also known as the "Su Gong Causeway". Due to its charming spring scenery, it is also known as the 'Suti Spring Dawn'. The Su Causeway is nearly 3 kilometers long, with willow trees providing shade on both sides of the asphalt road on the embankment. You can take a stroll and enjoy the beautiful scenery of West Lake such as San Tan Yin Yue and Lei Feng Pagoda, and it's also great to ride a bike when you're young.
Bai Causeway
The original name of Baidi was Baishadi, with a total length of 1 kilometer. It is connected to a broken bridge at one end, Pinghu Qiuyue and Gushan at the other end, and has a flat asphalt road in the middle. On both sides of the road are neatly planted willows and peach trees, and when you look up, you will see the beautiful scenery of West Lake, which is very suitable for a leisurely stroll.
Yanggong Causeway
Yanggong Causeway, roughly parallel to Su Causeway, is the only roadway among the three embankments of West Lake. This long embankment connects with the mountains of West Lake and was built under the supervision of Yang Mengying, the governor of Hangzhou during the Ming Dynasty. Later, due to the siltation of West Lake, land gradually formed. In recent years, in order to restore the old appearance of West Lake, the water area was dredged again, and Yang Gongdi was able to be restored.
The greening of Yanggongdi is very good, and there are also scenic spots along the way such as Gaijiaotian's former residence, Guozhuang, Hangzhou Flower Garden, and Maojiabu, but they are relatively scattered. The Li Liu Bridge on the embankment is known as the "Chongqiao" by car enthusiasts in Hangzhou due to its large undulations. Cowardly riders always scream when going downhill.
Xiaoyingzhou Island
Xiaoyingzhou Island is located on the south central lake surface of West Lake, and tourists can take boats to visit the island. On the island, tourists can see three stone towers on the open lake surface. On moonlit nights, especially during the Mid Autumn Festival, people light candles in the tower and cover the circular holes around the tower with thin paper. The light then passes through the paper and prints on the lake surface, shining brightly with the moon in the sky, creating a beautiful sight. This scene is also known as the 'Three Pools Imprinting the Moon'.
You can walk along the White Causeway all the way to the Lone Mountain, see the Xiling Printing Society, Zhejiang Provincial Museum, China Printing Museum, Release Crane Pavilion and other humanities attractions, in the building outside the building to eat authentic West Lake Vinegar Fish, from the Xiling Bridge off the island, not far from the Temple of King Yue and the Qu Yuan Feng He.
Another area with a concentration of attractions is the southeastern coastline of Hubin Road-Nanshan Road. Hubin Road is at the junction of downtown Hangzhou and West Lake scenic area, where you can see the view of the West Lake, and there is also a pier to take a cruise on the West Lake, as well as the iconic musical fountain.
The advantage of Hubin Road is that it can quickly reach the downtown business district from the scenic area, suitable for travelers who are in a hurry to stay for a short time.
How to Travel
To visit West Lake, you can either walk, take a boat, or ride an electric scooter. Among them, riding an electric scooter is convenient and effortless. On the path around West Lake, there is an electric scooter that travels around the lake once. As long as you wave your hand, it will immediately stop. In addition, you can also rent public bicycles and ride along the lake. If you want to take a boat tour, there are nearly 10 docks by the lake and various types of boats for tourists to choose from.
Best Time to Visit
From March to May and from September to November. March to May is the most suitable time to stroll along the Su Causeway, go for an outing, and appreciate the flowers; From September to November, the autumn sky is clear and the osmanthus flowers are fragrant for ten miles in the rain of Longgui. Not recommended during the summer season, roasting at temperatures above 30 ℃ can reduce the enjoyment of the trip.
Travel Tips
Address: No.1 Longjing Road, West Lake District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
Phone: 0571-87179617
Opening Hours: All day
Entrance Fees: CNY 80