Location: Hangzhou
Top Things to do in Hangzhou
Top Restaurants in Hangzhou
- 1. The Grandma's Restaurant (Wai Po Jia)
- 2. LvCha (LongJing Road)
- 3. Jin Sha (Four Seasons Hotel Hangzhou at West Lake)
- 4. HangZhou ZhiWeiGuan .Wei Zhuang (YangGongDi)
- 5. 28 Hubin Road
- 6. Sawasdee Thai Restaurant
- 7. Grandma's Restaurant(Hubin)
- 8. Asia Bistro
- 9. BaiLu Restaurant (XiaoShan Yin Long)
- 10. Haidilao Hot Pot (Yong Jin Plaza)
Countries
The 10 Best Things to Do in Hangzhou, China
Hangzhou is the capital of Zhejiang Province and one of the seven ancient capitals of China. It was described by Italian traveler Marco Polo as the finest and most luxurious city in the world. The West Lake scenic area contains over 60 cultural relic sites and several attractions of natural beauty, and a cruise on the lake is a good option to view several sites. Hangzhou is also a good place to visit a tea plantation.
Restaurants in Hangzhou
1. Lingyin Temple
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1 reviews
Built in 326 A.D. at the foot of Lingyin Mountain, this temple features a main hall extending 33.5 meters in height, a statue of Sakyamuni carved out of 24 pieces of camphor wood and a laughing Buddha covered in gold.
Reviewed By Grantds - Faribault, MN
This Temple and the surrounding complexes are amazing. It’s well worth a visit.
If you’re not a familiar with Buddhism, I recommend you hire a guide. There are signs in English and Chinese, but these do not explain the significance of the religious objects you will see.
The last photographs in this review are of the vegetarian food prepared by the temple monks.
This entire area where this temple is located takes time to explore. A day or more is recommended.
2. West Lake (Xi Hu)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6 reviews
Considered one of the most beautiful sights in Hangzhou, this scenic lake is sheltered on three sides by hills, with open flat land to the northeast where downtown Hangzhou is located.
Reviewed By rayanelb - Beirut, Lebanon
We visited the west lake after our 2 week training in Hangzhou. We took a small cart around the lake with many stops around it. The scenery was beautiful and every side of the lake is different. We loved it. The trip in the cart takes around 60 minutes if you don't get off it at every stop. In addition to the cart, you can talk the small boat, at night time and watch/listen to the beautiful music Fountain. Highly recommended.
3. Fei Lai Feng
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 401 reviews
The legendary peak's caves have hundreds of Buddhist stone statues dating from the 10th to the 14th centuries.
Reviewed By MadButterfly - Hong Kong, China
Hotel concierge suggested that we take a guide plus hotel car which costs RMB1,500!!! Dont ever believe them. The taxi ride there was only rmb40 and there are many taxis waiting at the taxi stand. We actually took a bus to West Lake, bus no. 7 which costs only rmb2.
First stop, buy entrance fees to Fei Lai Feng where you see many statues of Buddha on the mountain. A tiny cave and running waters to enjoy the calm serene environment. There are koi swimming in the waters.
Second stop, buy entrance fees to LingYin temple and here you get to do your prayers with free incense sticks. Stall sellers convinced us there were none inside and we bought some. There are a few different temples and there is one much higher up. If you look up, you will notice cable cars which can bring you up there for a small fee.
Third stop, vegetarian lunch within temple grounds.
Fourth stop, buy cable car tickets and take a short ride up with views of the long jing (dragon well) tea plantation. Lovely ride.
At the final stop, we arrived at another temple where again, you need to purchase temple entrance tickets. If you would like to hit the giant bell for good luck, thats rmb30.
Chose a Monday to visit and was pleasant. Not too long queues and not crowded. Other than West Lake, this is really a MUST VISIT.
4. Former residence of Xueyan Hu
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 175 reviews
Reviewed By Douglas T - New York City, New York
This is a great attraction. House from the late 18th century and you can see how the wealthy lived. Nicely restored with a maze of different buildings and rooms. Beautiful Gardens and furniture and 30 foot walls surrounding it. Really enjoyed.
5. Prince Bay Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 303 reviews
6. Gu Shan (Solitary Hill)
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 434 reviews
Reviewed By David B - Rayong, Thailand
Gu Shan (Solitary Hill) is a island treasure trove of Chinese culture and history.
It is in the north of Hangzhou's west lake, and is the only natural island - the others being man-made.
It is accessible by the Bai Causeway from the north of the lake, or by a small stone arched bridge from Beishan Road in the north west.
There is a delightful story told of an ancient Chinese hermit who lived in seclusion on Gu Shan (Solitary Hill). His name was Lin Bu, a talented poet of the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127). When not writing poetry he spent his time planting plum blossom trees and raising cranes. Because he never married, people said the plum blossom was his wife and the cranes his children.
The hill on the island is 38 meters high and covers about 50 acres.
Gu Shan has stunning natural beauty, and stunning views across the waters of West Lake. It is also home to many historical and cultural sites, including the Provincial Museum, which is a treasure trove itself of Chinese pottery and porcelain dating back 11,000 years.
7. Hangzhou Songcheng
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 555 reviews
The Romantic Show of Songcheng is the symbolic performance of Hangzhou, being performed over 1,300 times per year. Since it was created, the show has been performed more than 17,000 times with an audience number of over 50 million. It is the theatre performance that has been performed in most times and has the largest audience number; along with the O Show in Las Vegas, and the Moulin Rouge in Paris, the three have been regarded as the "Top 3 Famous Shows in the World".
8. Ping Hu Qiu Yue
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 391 reviews
Reviewed By David B - Rayong, Thailand
Billed as on of the top ten "classical" scenes of Hangzhou's West Lake Scenic Area, Ping Hu Qiu Yue is an island in the lake on the west point of Bai Causeway.
It is referred to whimsically as "Autumn Moon over the Calm Lake", because Chinese for centuries have loved to come here in the early night and sit and watch the moon reflecting across the extensive waters of West Lake.
Ping Hu Qiu Yue has featured in many classical Chinese paintings, depicting the moon's reflections, the surrounding hills, the clouds, and family residences' lights also shining on the water of the lake.
I did not go here at night, so missed all of this, but a visit to the island is still a relaxing trip, with beautiful parks and Gardens and extensive views across Western Lake.
The autumn leaves of many Red Maple trees were particularly beautiful.
9. Su Causeway
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 263 reviews
Reviewed By YTCHENG - Hong Kong, China
We have again strolled along Su Causeway early in the morning by late March this year and the whole trip was really peaceful and nice for photo snapping. The surrounding area were picturesque and a few tourists just enjoyed to rode their boats along side with the causeway while some cyclists rode their bikes up and down the six Bridges along the causeway. The whole 3 km trip would take slightly more than an hour if you just walk from one end to the other but if you like photo-taking or relaxing during your way, you have to allow for more than two hours to complete the journey. Highly recommended.
10. West Lake Colored Port View Fish Garden
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 908 reviews
Reviewed By Douglas T - New York City, New York
We were on our way to a boat to the island of lakes within lakes in the middle of West Lake. This garden area is fantastic. If with kids they will go crazy over the zillions of carp. But the trees and Gardens themselves are nice and a good place to see Chinese local tourism at its most common. On a nice day go all the way across the causeway, or find a quiet spot (takes some looking!) and just relax.
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