Things to do in Hangzhou ยท October 2026
Things to Do in Hangzhou: A Plan You Can Actually Follow
The best things to do in Hangzhou are walking West Lake's free causeways, visiting Lingyin Temple (now free but timed-entry), and tasting Longjing tea in the village hills. Plan 2 days, book Lingyin's real-name slot 1 to 7 days ahead, and walk the lake before 9 am for clear water and empty paths.
What Hangzhou is really about
Hangzhou's core is West Lake, a free, UNESCO-listed body of water ringed by causeways, hills, and temples. Most of the city's famous views are within a 4 km walk of the shore.
Hangzhou East station is about 45 minutes by high-speed rail from Shanghai, which makes Hangzhou an easy add-on rather than a stand-alone trip.
The city reads best as a slow walk, not a checklist. Two days lets you do the lake properly and still reach one temple and one tea village.
Lingyin Temple and Feilai Feng became free to enter on 1 December 2025, but entry is now by mandatory real-name, timed reservation made 1 to 7 days ahead through Alipay or WeChat, with daily caps.
Spend 2 full days, in this order
Day 1, morning: walk West Lake starting from the Su Causeway. The causeway dates to 1074 and is flat, shaded, and free; arrive before 9 am for still water.
Day 1, midday: take a short boat between points or walk to Bai Causeway (laid out in 822) for the north-shore views and lunch nearby.
Day 1, afternoon: climb Leifeng Pagoda (rebuilt in 2002, ticket about RMB 40) for the panorama over the whole lake.
Day 2, morning: reserve Lingyin Temple and Feilai Feng ahead, then spend the cool morning among the carved cliffs and the 328 CE temple grounds.
Day 2, afternoon: go to a Longjing tea village in the hills for a free walk and a tasting (RMB 10 to 80), then finish on Hefang Street.
Book these before you leave home
Lingyin Temple + Feilai Feng: free since 1 Dec 2025 but timed real-name reservation 1 to 7 days ahead via Alipay or WeChat, with daily caps. Book the moment your date is set.
Leifeng Pagoda charges about RMB 40; buy on arrival, no advance needed, but go early for the view.
West Lake boat rides and the Xixi Wetland are paid; book the wetland ahead in peak season, walk the lake free.
High-speed rail Shanghai-Hangzhou sells out at holiday peaks; book your seat a few days out.
Where to base yourself
Stay on the east or north shore of West Lake within walking distance of a causeway. You trade price for the ability to walk the lake at 7 am.
The area around Hangzhou East station is convenient for a one-night transit stop but far from the lake; only base there if you arrive late.
Hefang Street is lively and central; a hotel one block off it keeps you close without the late-night noise.
Best time to go
March to May and September to November are best: mild air, green hills, and the clearest lake reflections.
June to August is hot and the lake gets crowded; shift walks to early morning.
Winter is quiet and misty, which photographers like, but some hill teahouses close.
The main things to do
West Lake
Free and UNESCO-listed since 2011. The Su Causeway (1074) and Bai Causeway (822) are the two walking spines; boats fill the gaps.
Walk a full causeway at opening for empty paths and still water; the paid sights are optional once you have done the loop.
Lingyin Temple and Feilai Feng
Free since 1 Dec 2025, but entry is by timed real-name reservation 1 to 7 days ahead, with daily caps. The temple was founded in 328 CE.
Feilai Feng's carved stone cliffs sit just outside the temple gate and are included in the same timed entry.
Leifeng Pagoda
A pagoda rebuilt in 2002, with a RMB 40 ticket and the best full-lake panorama. Go early; the top deck crowds by midday.
Longjing tea villages
Free to walk, with tastings from RMB 10 to 80. The hills just west of the lake are cooler and quieter than the shore.
Buy loose tea only from a village you watched it picked or roasted; the lakeside stalls are markup.
Hefang Street
A pedestrian old street for snacks and crafts, good as a close-out walk after the lake.
Getting around
West Lake is walkable end to end; the metro reaches the station and the outer hills but not the shore path.
Hangzhou East is 45 minutes by high-speed rail from Shanghai; book seats ahead at holidays.
Bikes and e-scooters rent along the lake; a morning loop by bike covers more causeway than walking in the same time.
Practical notes for first-timers
The lake is free but the boat touts near the causeways are not; use the official piers and the posted fares, not the greeters on the path.
Lingyin's free entry since 2025 removed the ticket line but added a reservation line; the real bottleneck is now the booking, not the gate.
Tea sold on the lakefront as 'Longjing' is often blended; the village hills west of the lake are where you see it actually picked and roasted.
A water-town add-on (Wuzhen or Xitang) is 1+ hour out; only fold it in if you have a third day, not as a rushed half-day.
West Lake boats are priced by route; the short hop between causeways is the best value, the long loop is for photos only.
The tea museum near the lake explains Longjing grading; visit it before the village so the tastings make sense.
Hangzhou's bike-share needs a local app or passport; sort it on arrival, not when you are already at the shore.
A lake morning and a temple afternoon is the right rhythm; do not cram a third major stop into day one.
If you have one more day
A water town (Wuzhen or Xitang) is a popular third day but 1+ hour out; only if time allows.
Xixi Wetland is a closer half-day with boats and birds, good when the lake crowds peak.
A Shanghai day-trip is 45 minutes by rail; easy as a buffer day, not a substitute for Hangzhou.