West Lake (Xihu) is a roughly 6.4 km² freshwater lake in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, ringed on three sides by forested hills. Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2011 as the 'West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou,' it is celebrated as an idealised fusion of humans and nature that has shaped garden aesthetics across China, Korea and Japan for over a thousand years. The lake, its shoreline paths, two causeways and lakeside parks are mostly free, with no fixed gate or opening hours.
Su Causeway and Bai Causeway: tree-lined embankments crossing the lake, framed by willows and peach blossoms and ideal for walking or cycling
The Ten Scenes of West Lake: ten classic vistas formalized in the Southern Song Dynasty, such as 'Broken Bridge in Snow,' 'Three Pools Mirroring the Moon' and 'Leifeng Pagoda in Evening Glow'
Leifeng Pagoda: a 71 m tower on the south shore with an elevator and panoramic lake views, and the setting of the Legend of the White Snake
Boat tours to Xiaoying Island and the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon, departing from official docks
Cycling or walking the full loop and evening open-air performances; the lake is most magical at dawn when mist sits on the water
Good to know
CautionA common tea scam near West Lake: a friendly 'student practicing English' invites you to experience traditional tea culture, then you are hit with a bill of 500-2,000 RMB for a pot of tea. Never follow a stranger to a venue you didn't choose.
CautionNear Buddhist sites, people dressed as monks offer 'blessing bracelets' and then demand donations of 100-500 RMB. Real monks do not solicit money from tourists on the street; ignore and keep walking.
CautionTake boats only from official docks. Private small boats inflate prices and often do not include admission to Three Pools Mirroring the Moon.
SafetyOn weekends and holidays the Broken Bridge and Su Causeway become shoulder-to-shoulder, and pickpocketing is the most common crime affecting tourists. Keep your bag in front of you in dense crowds.
SafetyUse official taxis or a ride-hailing app such as Didi rather than hailing a random car, especially at night, since Didi logs your route via GPS and helps you avoid being overcharged.
SeasonAvoid the Oct 1-7 National Day Golden Week, Spring Festival and the May 1-5 holiday, when the causeways are packed. Spring and autumn are the most pleasant; summer is hot and humid (though lotus ponds peak then).
Practical info
No entrance fee and no opening hours (free, 24/7). Some sub-sights are paid: Leifeng Pagoda about 40 RMB, sightseeing boats about 55-70 RMB (verify current rates). From Shanghai Hongqiao it is roughly 45 min-1 hr by high-speed train; from Hangzhou/Hangzhou East station take Metro Line 1 to Longxiangqiao, then a 5-minute walk. Link an international card to Alipay or WeChat Pay for the metro and payments. Allow about 2-3 hours; visit on a weekday before 9 AM or after 5 PM to avoid crowds.
On-site reviews📍 Verified on-site
No reviews yet. If you are here, be the first to leave one.
