Tour Guide

The best time to tour Hangzhou is April and October. The most famous spots in Hangzhou are on the West Lake, and comprise its ten scenic sights and ten new scenic sights. Some of the best of these are:

Zhiweiguan Restaurant is famous for its local snacks.

Spring Dawn at the Su Causeway (Suti Chunxiao): The Su Causeway, 3,000 meters long, was built during the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127) when Su Dongpo served as governor of Hangzhou. It is spanned by six bridges, and planted both sides with peach trees and willows. When spring comes, the red peach blossoms and green willows make an enchanting sight. Su Causeway ranks first among the ten scenic sights of Hangzhou.

Melting Snow at the Broken Bridge (Duanqiao Canxue): Nicknamed "Lovers' Bridge," this is a stone arched bridge, and is the background to the legendary romance between the White Snake and Xu Xian. After a snowfall, snow on the sunny side melts, while that on the shaded side remains pristine, hence its name: melting snow at the broken bridge.

Zhiweiguan Restaurant is famous for its local snacks.

Lotuses in the Breeze at the Crooked Courtyard (Quyuan Fenghe): The courtyard was originally a brewery in the Southern Song Dynasty, and was named after the lotuses that grew in the courtyard. This scenic spot comprises the Crooked Courtyard, Lotuses in the Breeze, and the Lakeshore and Dense Grove areas. In the Lotuses in the Breeze area are dozens of kinds of lotus, and the Dense Grove area, with its tall firs, is cool, quiet, and perfect for a barbecue or picnic.

Autumn Moon on a Calm Lake (Pinghu Qiuyue): This is where the western end of the Bai Causeway and the Gushan (Solitary Hill Islet) meet. There is a stone tablet here bearing inscriptions in the calligraphy of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty that reads: pinghu qiuyue (Autumn Moon on a Calm Lake), and in front of the pavilion is a platform on which to sit and gaze at the moon.

Tourists participate in a folklore performance on Qinghefang Street.

Viewing Fish at Flower Harbor (Huagang Guanyu): This was formerly a private garden, famous for its view of flowers and fish, and is now a park, with a large lawn, a flower harbor, and a grove, as well as a pond containing over a thousand red carps.

Three Pools Mirroring the Moon (Santan Yinyue): This is also called Xiaoyingzhou, the largest islet on the West Lake, famous for its gardens on the water. Outside Xiaoyingzhou are three stone pagodas, which are the main feature of the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon. The best time to view the moon is during the Mid-Autumn Festival in September.

Late Bell at Nanping Hill (Nanping Wanzhong): At dusk, the Nanping Bell at the Jingci Temple is struck, and the sound reverberates across the West Lake.

Asking Tea at Dragon Well Village (Longjing Wencha): Dragon Well Spring is one of the three famous springs in Hangzhou, and Dragon Well Tea is one of China's ten famous tea brands. Dragon Well Village is famous for Dragon Well Tea, and drinking tea at this village is a fascinating experience. It can be reached by bus No. 27 and Tour Bus No. 3.

Cloud-Shrouded Path in a Bamboo Grove (Yunqi Zhujing): This is at the foot of Wuyun Mountain, named for its cloud-shrouded bamboo groves. It is quiet and secluded. Emperor Kangxi and Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) frequently came here.

Osmanthus Rain at Manlong Temple (Manlong Guiyu): This is famous for osmanthus blossoms, whose fragrance drifts far and wide when the osmanthus are in bloom. In October every year a month-long Osmanthus Festival is held here.

Tiger Spring (Hupao Mengquan): This is on Daci Hill, between the West lake and the Qiantang River, five kilometers from the city proper. According to legend, a Tang Dynasty monk loved these hills and wanted to stay, but the area lacked water. One day, as he watched two tigers pawing out a hollow in the ground, spring water welled out, which is how the spring got its name. The clear and sweet water streaming out from rock rifts is bottled and sold as mineral water, and also used to make tea. Tea brewed with Tiger Spring water and the Dragon Well Tea is widely claimed as one of Hangzhou's specialties.

Green Trees in Misted Clouds at the Nine Streams (Jiuxi Yanshu): This is called the Nine Streams and 18 Ravines by the locals, and is a good place to escape from the summer heat.

In addition to the above-mentioned sights, the Lingyin (Soul's Retreat) Temple also merits a visit. Standing at the foot of Lingyin Hill northwest of the West Lake, it is one of China's ten temples of the Zen Sect, having a history of 1,600 years. The Hall of the Great Hero houses a nine-meter-high statue of Sakyamuni sitting on a terrace in the lotus position -- the largest of its kind in the country. The grotto art in Hangzhou is also famous, most of it having been carved in the Five Dynasties (907-960), Song (960-1279) and Yuan (1271-1368) Dynasties. The ancient street of Qinghefang where old city districts are well preserved, is also well worth a visit.