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Hangzhou 杭州
—  Sub-provincial city  —
杭州市
Chinese transcription(s)
- Chinese	杭州
- Pinyin	Hángzhōu
Skyline of Hangzhou with the West Lake in the foreground, China
Hangzhou (red) in Zhejiang province (orange) and China
Coordinates: 30°15′N 120°10′E / 30.25°N 120.167°E / 30.25; 120.167
Country	China
Province	Zhejiang
Government
- CPC Secretary	Huang Kunming (黄坤明)
- Mayor	Cai Qi (蔡奇)
Area
- Sub-provincial city	16,847 km2 (6,504.7 sq mi)
Population
- Sub-provincial city	6,776,400
- Density	402.2/km2 (1,041.8/sq mi)
- Urban	3,407,600
Time zone	China Standard (UTC+8)
Postal code	310000
GDP	¥509.9 billion (2009)
GDP per capita	¥74,924 (2009)
License Plate Prefix	浙A
City Flower	Sweet Osmanthus
City Tree	Camphor laurel (Cinnamomum camphora)
Regional Dialect	Hangzhou dialect
Website	http://www.hangzhou.gov.cn/

Hangzhou (help·info) (Chinese: 杭州; pinyin: Hángzhōu; Wade-Giles: Hangchow; Postal map spelling: Hangchow) is a sub-provincial city located in the Yangtze River Delta in the People's Republic of China, and the capital of Zhejiang (浙江) province. Located 180 kilometres (112 mi) southwest of Shanghai, as of 2004 the entire Hangzhou Region ("shì", 杭州市) or Prefecture-level city had a registered population of 6.4 million people.^[1] The urban agglomeration of the Hangzhou metropolitan area (杭州市区) has a resident population of 3.9319 million as of 2003, of which 2.6367 million are permanent residents. There are 1.91 million residents in the six urban core districts.

As one of the most renowned and prosperous cities of China for much of the last 1,000 years, Hangzhou is also well-known for its beautiful natural scenery, with the West Lake (Xī Hú, 西湖) as the most well-known location.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Early history 1.2 Southern Song 1.3 Ming and after 2 Geography and climate 3 Administrative divisions 4 Economy 5 Tourism 6 Notable people 7 Culture 8 Transportation 9 Colleges, universities and high schools 9.1 High schools 10 Chinese sayings 11 International relations 11.1 Twin towns — sister cities 12 See also 13 Further reading 14 References 15 External links

History

Early history

The celebrated Neolithic culture of Hemudu inhabited Yuyao, an area (now a city) 100 kilometers south-east of Hangzhou, as far back as seven thousand years ago when rice was first cultivated in southeastern China. The area immediately surrounding the modern city of Hangzhou was inhabited five thousand years ago by the Liangzhu culture, so named for the small town of Liangzhu not far to the northwest of Hangzhou where the ancient jade carving civilization was first discovered.

The city of Hangzhou was founded about 2,200 years ago during the Qin Dynasty, but the city wall was not constructed until the Sui Dynasty (591). It is listed as one of the Seven Ancient Capitals of China.

Hangzhou is at the southern end of China's Grand Canal which extends to Beijing. The canal evolved over centuries but reached its full length by 609.

It was the capital of the Wuyue Kingdom from 907 to 978 during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. Named Xifu at the time, it was one of the three great centers of culture in southern China during the tenth century, along with Nanjing and Chengdu. Leaders of Wuyue were noted patrons of the arts, and especially of Buddhism and associated temple architecture and artwork. It also became a cosmopolitan center, drawing scholars from throughout China and conducting diplomacy not only with neighboring Chinese states, but also with Japan, Korea, and the Khitan Liao Dynasty.

In 1089, while the poet Su Shi (Su Dongpo) was the city's governor, he used 200,000 workers to construct a 2.8 km long causeway across the West Lake, which Qing Emperor Qianlong considered particularly attractive in the early morning of the spring time. The lake was once a lagoon tens of thousands of years ago. Silt then blocked the way to the sea and the lake was formed. A drill in the lake-bed in 1975 found the sediment of the sea, which confirmed its origin. Artificial preservation prevented the lake from evolving into a marshland. The Su Causeway built by Su Shi, and the Bai Causeway built by Bai Juyi, a Tang Dynasty poet who was once the governor of Hangzhou, were both built out of mud dredged from the bottom of the lake. The lake is surrounded by hills on the northern and western sides. The Baochu Pagoda sits on the Baoshi Hill to the north of the lake.

Southern Song

Hangzhou was chosen as the new capital of the Southern Song Dynasty when they regrouped after their defeat at the hands of the Jin in 1123.^[2] It remained the capital from the early 12th century until the Mongol invasion of 1276, and was known as Lin'an (臨安). It served as the seat of the imperial government, a center of trade and entertainment, and the nexus of the main branches of the civil service. During that time, the city was a sort of gravitational center of Chinese civilization: what used to be considered "central China" in the north was taken by the Jin, an ethnic minority dynasty ruled by Jurchens.

Numerous philosophers, politicians, and men of literature, including some of the most celebrated poets in Chinese history such as Su Shi (苏轼), Lu You (陆游), and Xin Qiji (辛弃疾) came here to live and die. Hangzhou is also the birthplace and final resting place of the scientist Shen Kuo (1031-1095 AD), his tomb being located in the Yuhang district.

During the Southern Song Dynasty, commercial expansion, an influx of refugees from the conquered north, and the growth of the official and military establishments, led to a corresponding population increase and the city developed well outside its 9th century ramparts. According to the Encyclopædia Britannica, Hangzhou had a population of over 2 million at that time, while historian Jacques Gernet has estimated that the population of Hangzhou numbered well over one million by 1276. (Official Chinese census figures from the year 1270 listed some 186,330 families in residence and probably failed to count non-residents and soldiers.) It is believed that Hangzhou was the largest city in the world from 1180 to 1315 and from 1348 to 1358.^[3][4]

Because of the large population and densely-crowded (often multi-story) wooden buildings, Hangzhou was particularly vulnerable to fires. Major conflagrations destroyed large sections of the city in 1132, 1137, 1208, 1229, 1237, and 1275 while smaller fires occurred nearly every year. The 1237 fire alone was recorded to have destroyed 30,000 dwellings. To combat this threat, the government established an elaborate system for fighting fires, erected watchtowers, devised a system of lantern and flag signals to identify the source of the flames and direct the response, and charged more than 3,000 soldiers with the task of putting out fires.

The city of Hangzhou was besieged and captured by the advancing Mongol armies of Kublai Khan in 1276, three years before the final collapse of the empire.^[5] The capital of the new Yuan Dynasty was established in the city of Dadu (Beijing).

The Venetian Marco Polo supposedly visited Hangzhou in the late 13th century. His book refers to the city as "beyond dispute the finest and the noblest in the world." He called the city Kinsay (or Kinsai) which simply means "capital" in Chinese (actually Polo used a Persianized version of the word). Although he exaggerated that the city was over one hundred miles in diameter and had 12,000 stone bridges, he still presented elegant prose about the country: "The number and wealth of the merchants, and the amount of goods that passed through their hands, was so enormous that no man could form a just estimate thereof."

The renowned 14th century Moroccan explorer Ibn Battuta said it was "the biggest city I have ever seen on the face of the earth."

Ming and after

The city remained an important port until the middle of the Ming Dynasty era when its harbor slowly silted up.

As late as the latter part of the 16th and early 17th centuries, the city was an important center of Chinese Jewry, and may have been the original home of the better-known Kaifeng Jewish community^{[citation needed]}

In 1856 and 1860, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom occupied Hangzhou and caused heavy damage to the city.

Hangzhou was ruled by Republic of China government under the Kuomintang from 1928 to 1949. On May 3, 1949, the People's Liberation Army entered Hangzhou and the city came under Communist control. After Deng Xiaoping's reformist policies began in 1978, Hangzhou took advantage of being situated in the Yangtze River Delta to bolster its development. It is now one of China's most prosperous major cities.

Geography and climate

Hangzhou is located in northern Zhejiang province, eastern China, at the southern end of the Grand Canal of China, on the plain of the mid-lower reaches of the Yangtze River (Cháng Jiāng). The prefecture-level region of Hangzhou extends west to the border with the hilly-country Anhui Province, and east to the flat-land near Hangzhou Bay. The city center is built around the eastern and northern sides of the West Lake, just north of the Qiantang River.

Hangzhou's climate is Humid Subtropical (Koppen classification Cfa) with four distinctive seasons, characterised by long, very hot, humid summers and short, cool to cold, cloudy and dry winters (with occasional snow). The average annual temperature in Hangzhou is 16.2°C. Hangzhou receives an average annual rainfall of 1450 mm. Hangzhou is affected by the Plum Rains of the Asian Monsoon in June. In late summer (August to September), Hangzhou, along with other cities in Zhejiang province, suffer typhoon storms, but typhoons seldom strike it directly. Generally they make land along the southern coast of Zhejiang, and affect Hangzhou with strong winds and stormy rains.^[6]

Climate data for Hangzhou (1971-2000)

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	8.0 (46)	9.4 (49)	13.7 (57)	20.6 (69)	25.5 (78)	28.6 (83)	33.0 (91)	32.4 (90)	27.5 (82)	22.7 (73)	16.8 (62)	11.1 (52)	20.8 (69)
Average low °C (°F)	1.5 (35)	2.7 (37)	6.4 (44)	12.1 (54)	17.0 (63)	21.1 (70)	24.9 (77)	24.5 (76)	20.3 (69)	15.0 (59)	8.9 (48)	3.4 (38)	13.2 (56)
Precipitation mm (inches)	73.2 (2.88)	84.2 (3.31)	138.2 (5.44)	126.6 (4.98)	146.6 (5.77)	231.1 (9.1)	159.4 (6.28)	155.8 (6.13)	145.2 (5.72)	87.0 (3.43)	60.1 (2.37)	47.1 (1.85)	1,454.6 (57.27)
Sunshine hours	107.2	99.1	109.5	140.6	163.3	141.9	216.1	209.5	147.2	148.3	137.6	136.2	1,756.7
% Humidity	75	75	78	76	76	81	78	79	81	77	74	72	77
Source: 中国气象局 国家气象信息中心 2009-08-22

Administrative divisions

Hangzhou Region or prefecture-level city contains the Hangzhou metropolitan area (eight districts), 3 metropolitan counties, and 2 ordinary counties. The central six urban districts occupy 682 km² (263.4 mi²) and have 1,910,000 people. The two suburban districts occupy 2,642 km² (1020 mi²) and have 1,950,000 people.

It has direct jurisdiction over 8 districts (区 qu), 3 county-level cities (市 shi) and 2 Counties (县 xian):

Map	Subdivision	Hanzi
	Hangzhou City Proper
	■ Gongshu-qu	拱墅区
	■ Xiacheng-qu	下城区
	■ Shangcheng-qu	上城区
	■ Jianggan-qu	江干区
	■ Xihu-qu	西湖区
	Hangzhou Suburban and Rural
	■ Binjiang-qu	滨江区
	■ Yuhang-qu	余杭区
	■ Xiaoshan-qu	萧山区
	■ Lin'an-shi	临安市
	■ Fuyang-shi	富阳市
	■ Jiande-shi	建德市
	■ Tonglu-xian	桐庐县
	■ Chun'an-xian	淳安县

Economy

Hangzhou's economy has rapidly developed since its opening up in 1992. It is an industrial city with many diverse sectors such as in light industry, agriculture, textile, It is also considered a important manufacturing base and logistics hub for coastal China.^[7]

In 2001, the GDP of the whole city amounts to RMB 156.8 billion which ranks the second among all of the provincial capitals except for Guangzhou. The city has more than tripled GDP in the last eight years, with GDP increasing from RMB ¥156.8 billion in 2001 to RMB ¥509.9 billion in 2009 and GDP per capita increasing from USD 3,025 to USD 10,968.^[7]

The city has developed many new industries since, they include medicine, information technology, heavy equipment, automotive components, household electrical appliances, electronics, telecommunication, fine chemicals, chemical fibre and food processing.^[8]

Tourism

Hangzhou is renowned for its historic relics and natural beauty. It is often known as one of the most beautiful cities in China. It has been ranked as one of the ten most scenic cities in China.^[9] Although Hangzhou has been through many recent urban developments, it still retains its historical and cultural heritage. Today, tourism remains an important factor for Hangzhou's economy.^[10] One of Hangzhou's most popular sights is West Lake. The lake itself covers an area of 6 km² (600 hectares) and includes some of Hangzhou's most notable historic and scenic places. Adjacent to the lake is a scenic area covering over 50 square kilometres. The area includes historical pagodas, cultural sites, as well as the natural beauty of the lake and hills. There are two causeways across the lake.^[9]

Scenic places near West Lake:

• Jingci Temple (净慈寺) is located just south of West Lake.
• Lingyin Temple (灵隐寺 "Soul's Retreat") is located about 2 km west of West Lake. This is believed to be the oldest Buddhist temple in the city, which has gone through numerous destruction and reconstruction cycles.

• Baochu Pagoda (保俶塔) is located just north of West Lake on top of Precious Stone Hill (宝石山)
• Yue-Wang Temple (岳王庙, "King Yue's Temple") or Yue Fei Miao is on the north west shore of West Lake and was originally constructed in 1221 in memory of General Yue Fei, who lost his life due to political persecution.
• Leifeng Pagoda

Other places of interest:

• The world's largest tidal bore races up the Qiantang River through Hangzhou reaching up to 40 ft (12 m) in height.
• The Residence of Hu Xueyan 胡雪岩故居 located on Yuanbao Street was built in 1872 by Hu Xueyan, a native of Anhui, a very successful businessman. After restoration it was opened to the public in 2001
• Liuhe Pagoda or six harmonies pagoda is located on Yuelun Hill on the north bank of Qiantang River
• Confucius Temple
• Chenghuang Temple and Pagoda Scenic Area
• Dreaming of the Tiger Spring

• The Immaculate Conception Cathedral of Hangzhou is one of the oldest Catholic churches in China, dating back 400 years to the Ming dynasty.
• Fenghuang Temple (凤凰清真寺) is one of the oldest mosques in China, the current construction at the intersection of Xihu Road (西湖大道) and the Central Zhongshan Road (中山中路) dating back 700 years to the Yuan dynasty.
• Xixi National Wetland Park established with the aim of preserving the wetland ecological system, it covers an area of about 10km2. Fish ponds and reed beds have been restored and it is home to many types of birds. There is a temple and several historic rural houses.
• Hangzhou Botanical Garden
• Hangzhou Zoo
• Old China Street on He Fang Street (He Fang Jie), which offers various kinds of souvenirs and renowned Longjing tea
• Jade Springs (Yu Quan)
• West Lake Cultural Square is the tallest building in the city and houses the Zhejiang Natural History Museum and Zhejiang Museum of Science and Technology

Notable people

Chinese composer Yang Yunhan was born in Hangzhou in August 27, 1987. Rola Chen was born here also in 1987.

Culture

The native residents of Hangzhou, like those of Zhejiang and southern Jiangsu, speak a Wu dialect. However, the Wu dialect varies throughout the area where it is spoken, hence, Hangzhou's dialect differs from regions in southern Zhejiang and southern Jiangsu. In addition, Mandarin is also spoken.

Tea is an important part of Hangzhou's economy and culture. Hangzhou is best known for originating Longjing, a notable variety of green tea, the most notable type being Xi Hu Long Jing. Known as the best type of Long Jing tea, Xi Hu Long Jing is grown near Xi Hu in Hangzhou, hence its name.^[11]

Further, Hangzhou is known for its artistic creations, such as silk, umbrellas, and Chinese hand-held folding fans.

Hangzhou cuisine is the representative of Zhejiang Cuisine, one of China’s eight cuisines. And it wins reputation for freshness, tenderness, softness, smoothness of its dishes with mellow fragrance. A great poet of Song Dynasty once praised it as follows: there’s no food that can compare with the Hangzhou cuisine.

Dishes like West Lake Sour Fish, Dongpo Pork, Longjing Shrimp Meat, Jiaohua Young Chickens, Steam Rice Flower and Pork Wrapped by Lotus Leaves, Braised Bamboo Shoots and Lotus Root Powder are widely known and popular among both local people and tourists.

Transportation

Hangzhou is serviced by the Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, which has direct flights to Amsterdam (as of May 2010), Japan, Korea, Malaysia and Singapore regional routes to Hong Kong and Macau, as well as numerous domestic routes. Located just outside of the city in the Xiaoshan District, it is one of the major secondary international airports in China.

Hangzhou Railway Station (colloquially the "City Station" 城站) serves the city centre with direct trains departing for Shanghai, (journey time now 1hr18, 55 yuan) and most other major cities in China. The Hangzhou East Railway Station (colloquially "East Station" 东站), is closed for renovation until 2011. Services have been moved to Hangzhou South Station.

Trains leaving Hangzhou reach more than 20 cities directly, including Beijing (北京) (1650 km), Shanghai (上海) (200 km), and Xi'an (西安) (1550 km).

The construction of the Shanghai-Hangzhou Maglev Train Line has been debated for several years, and on 18 August 2008 Beijing Authorities gave the project the go-ahead, to start construction in 2010. Transrapid has been contracted to construct the line.

North, east, south and west long-distance bus stations offer regular large and small coach services to towns within Zhejiang province and surrounding provinces.

Public transport within Hangzhou city is primarily in the form of an extensive public bus and trolleybus network. As with many Chinese cities, bicycles and electric scooters are also very popular, with the city having dedicated bike lanes on most major roads. Hangzhou has an extensive public bike rental system.

Taxis are also very common. With its line of the newest Hyundai Elantras and Volkswagen Passats, and tight regulations (compulsory A/C, handicap service, lake-blue appearance etc.), the city's taxi service is rated amongst the top in the country.

The Hangzhou Metro is currently under construction, and is planned to have 8 lines upon completion. The first line has a target opening date of December 28, 2011.

Colleges, universities and high schools

See also List of universities in the People's Republic of China

• Zhejiang University (浙江大学) (founded in 1897)
• China Academy of Art (中国美术学院) (founded in 1928)
• Zhejiang University of Technology (浙江工业大学) (1953)
• Zhejiang Gongshang University (浙江工商大学)
• Hangzhou Dianzi University (杭州电子科技大学)
• Zhejiang Forestry University (浙江林学院)
• Zhejiang Sci-Tech University (浙江理工大学)
• Zhejiang University of Science and Technology (浙江科技学院)
• Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (浙江中医药大学)
• China Jiliang University (中国计量学院) (founded on Oct. 18, 1978)
• Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics (浙江财经学院)
• Hangzhou Normal University (杭州师范大学)
• Zhejiang University of Media and Communications (浙江传媒学院)
• City College,Zhejiang University (浙江大学城市学院)

Note: Institutions without full-time bachelor programs are not listed.

High schools

• Hangzhou High School (杭州高级中学)
• Hangzhou No.2 High School (杭州第二中学)
• Hangzhou Xuejun (Military Prep) High School (杭州学军中学)
• Hangzhou Foreign Language School (杭州外国语学校)
• Zhejiang Xiaoshan High School (浙江省萧山中学)
• Hangzhou NO.14 Middle School (杭州第十四中学)
• Hangzhou NO.15 Middle School (杭州第十五中学)

Chinese sayings

"Be born in Suzhou, live in Hangzhou, eat in Guangzhou, die in Liuzhou." (生在苏州, 活在杭州, 吃在广州, 死在柳州)

The meaning here lies in the fact that Suzhou was renowned for its beautiful and highly civilized and educated citizens, Hangzhou for its scenery, Guangzhou for its food, and Liuzhou for its nanmu wood coffins which supposedly halted the decay of the body.

"Heaven Above, Suzhou and Hangzhou below." (上有天堂，下有苏杭)

This phrase has a similar meaning to the English phrases "heaven on Earth" or "God's country".

International relations

Twin towns — sister cities

Hangzhou is twinned with:

Sayama, Japan, since 1979-02-21 Boston, United States, since 1982-05-01 Baguio, Philippines, since 1982-08-13 Leeds, United Kingdom, since 1988-06-08 Fukui, Japan, since 1989-11-23 Yeosu, South Korea, since 1994-11-01 Nice, France, since 1998-03-30 Paramaribo, Suriname, since 1998-05-23 Budapest, Hungary, since 1999-08-09 Beit Shemesh, Israel, since 2000-03-12

Agadir, Morocco, since 2000-06-29 Curitiba, Brazil, since 2001-09-19 Kazan, Russia, since 2003-10-16 Cape Town, South Africa, since 2005-04-18 Oviedo, Spain, since 2006-05-12 Pisa, Italy, since 2008-10-17 Cancún, Mexico, since 2008-10-17 Indianapolis, United States, since 2008-12-05[12] Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, since 2009-03-05 Dresden, Germany, since 2009

See also

• Jiangnan
• List of cities in the People's Republic of China by population

Further reading

• Cotterell, Arthur. (2007). The Imperial Capitals of China - An Inside View of the Celestial Empire. London: Pimlico. pp. 304 pages.. ISBN 9781845950095. 
• Gernet, Jacques. (1962). Daily Life in China on the Eve of the Mongol Invasion, 1250-1276. Stanford: Stanford University Press. ISBN 0-8047-0720-0. 

References

• Economic profile for Hangzhou at HKTDC

External links

• Hangzhou travel guide from Wikitravel
• Hangzhou Government website
• Hangzhou West Lake description, photo gallery and maps

Preceded by Kaifeng

Capital of China (as Lin'an) 1127-1279

Succeeded by Dadu (present Beijing)

Zhejiang Province History • Politics • Economy Sub-provincial cities Hangzhou • Ningbo Prefecture-level cities Huzhou • Jiaxing • Jinhua • Lishui • Quzhou • Shaoxing • Taizhou • Wenzhou • Zhoushan See also: List of Zhejiang County-level divisions

Metropolitan cities of the People's Republic of China Municipality Beijing · Chongqing · Shanghai · Tianjin SARs cities Hong Kong · Macau Sub-provincial cities Changchun · Chengdu · Dalian · Guangzhou · Hangzhou · Jinan · Harbin · Nanjing · Ningbo · Qingdao · Shenyang · Shenzhen · Wuhan · Xi'an · Xiamen Provincial capitals (not included above) Changsha · Fuzhou · Guiyang · Haikou · Hefei · Kunming · Lanzhou · Nanchang · Shijiazhuang · Taiyuan · Xining · Zhengzhou Autonomous regional capitals Hohhot · Lhasa · Nanning · Ürümqi · Yinchuan SEZs cities (not included above) Beihai · Lianyungang · Nantong · Qinhuangdao · Shantou · Wenzhou · Yantai · Zhanjiang · Zhuhai

Most populous metropolises in the People's Republic of China Shanghai · Beijing · Guangzhou · Shenzhen · Tianjin · Chongqing · Dongguan · Nanjing · Wuhan · Hangzhou · Shenyang · Harbin · Chengdu · Hefei · Zhengzhou · Jinan · Qingdao · Xi'an · Dalian · Taiyuan · Shantou

Provincial capitals of the People's Republic of China Changchun, Jilin · Changsha, Hunan · Chengdu, Sichuan · Fuzhou, Fujian · Guangzhou, Guangdong · Guiyang, Guizhou · Haikou, Hainan · Hangzhou, Zhejiang · Harbin, Heilongjiang · Hefei, Anhui · Hohhot, Inner Mongolia · Jinan, Shandong · Kunming, Yunnan · Lanzhou, Gansu · Lhasa, Tibet · Nanchang, Jiangxi · Nanjing, Jiangsu · Nanning, Guangxi · Shenyang, Liaoning · Shijiazhuang, Hebei · Taiyuan, Shanxi · Ürümqi, Xinjiang · Wuhan, Hubei · Xi'an, Shaanxi · Xining, Qinghai · Yinchuan, Ningxia · Zhengzhou, Henan

From Wikitravel

Hangzhou (杭州 Hángzhōu; [1]) is in Zhejiang Province, China. It is one of the most important tourism cities in China, famous for its natural beauty and historical and cultural heritages. It is the political, economic and cultural center of the Zhejiang province as well.

Understand

Famed for its natural scenery, Hangzhou and its West Lake (西湖 Xī Hú) have been immortalized by countless poets and artists. The city was the capital of the Southern Song Dynasty from 1127 until the Mongol invasion of 1276, during that time the city's population is estimated to have been as high as one million, making it the largest city in the world. Even Marco Polo claimed to have passed through, calling it "beyond dispute the finest and the noblest in the world".

With the gradual silting up of its harbor, much of the city's trade and industry passed to nearby Shanghai, but the city still has a bustling population of 1.7 million and ranks as one of China's most popular tourist attractions.

Get in

By plane

Despite the name, Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (HGH) generally services domestic Chinese flights. There are frequent services to Beijing and Hong Kong, but using Shanghai's domestic Hongqiao or the international Pudong airports and connecting by bus or train is also a viable option. International flights are possible. International cities that have service to Hangzhou include Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Osaka, Bangkok, Seoul, and Singapore. The service to Bangkok may not currently be operating.

The airport is about 30km east of the city centre, taking 30 minutes - 1 hour by taxi. A taxi to or from the airport from the city centre is around ¥90; on the way back, you should ask if the driver is willing to take you that far before just jumping in the car with all your bags. No additional fee is payable for travel to/from the airport, the normal metered fare applies. A cheaper route would be to buy tickets for the shuttle service (¥15) to/from the Xiaoshan Bus ticket office on Tiyuchang Road next to the KFC just west of Wulin Square. The shuttle bus also stops at the main railway station en-route. Buses run every 30mins during the daytime and take about an hour; join the queue for your ticket at the booth just outside the exit before boarding the bus. The Shangri-La Hotel also has a shuttle service to/from the airport for ¥50, inquire within.

Alternatively, if flying into Pudong Airport in Shanghai, there are direct buses to Hangzhou. They leave from the 2nd floor parking lot across from Gate 15 of Pudong Airport, departing every 1.5 hours from 10:30AM until 7PM. It costs ¥100 (Summer 2008 price). These buses arrive at the Hangzhou Yellow Dragon Sports Center (football stadium), 3km to the west of the city centre.

By train

A train from Shanghai is the easiest way to get to Hangzhou. Frequent trains run from Shanghai Zhan (Main) Railway station and from the new Shanghai South Station, both on Metro line 1. Check the train schedule for the duration of the trip as some trains are considerably faster than others. In general, the train will take between 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours and 30 minutes, but "local" trains can take over 3 hours. New high-speed "D" trains can take 1 hour and 18 minutes and mostly depart from Shanghai South Station. Travel from Shanghai to Hangzhou by D train is 54 RMB in Second Class and 64 RMB in First Class. Also, it is better to arrive in Hangzhou at the main Hangzhou station, rather than the East Hangzhou Railway station as the main station is right in town.

In addition to Shanghai, Hangzhou Train Station serves trains from Guangzhou, Beijing, Chengdu, and everywhere in between. For destinations further away, such as Kunming and Urumqi, you would first want to go to Shanghai or some halfway-point train station. There is an East Train Station as well, but it is not in such a smart part of town. Trains returning from Shanghai often only stop here rather than at the main station.

By bus

Hangzhou has 4 bus stations (N, E, W, and S). Usually, the direction of your destination corresponds to the bus station's name, eg if you are going to Shanghai, you'll want the East Bus Station. If you are going to Huangshan, buses leave from the West Bus Station; Nanjing is served by a frequent service from the North Station, and so on.

For travel to or from Shanghai, the bus has become at times more convenient than the train, as it can be more comfortable if only hard seater train tickets exist, and the buses depart more frequently than trains. From Shanghai, buses depart from the north bus station (Hengfen Lu), the PuDong bus station (Bailianjing, PuDong Nan Lu), and from Xujiahui Bus Station, ticket cost ¥58 (October 2008 price). These buses arrive at the north bus station of Hanzhou.

There are also airport shuttle buses (100rmb per ticket). There are buses between Yellow Dragon Stadium and Pudong Airport (direct), Wulinmen Ticket Office and Hongqiao Airport (direct), and Wulinmen Ticket Office and Pudong Airport (with a stop en route at Hongqiao). Tickets can be purchased at the area with all the buses in front of the Yellow Dragon Stadium or at the Wulinmen Ticket office near the KFC on Tiyuchang Rd. by Wulin Square. To find the buses from Pudong, you have to go across the street from the international terminal to the large parking garage, then go to the 2nd level of the parking garage to find all the buses to various cities in Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

By boat

The overnight boat service between Hangzhou and Suzhou/Wuxi has been discontinued. You can still take a ferry along the Hangzhou-Beijing Grand Canal to the north of Hangzhou proper (see "water taxi" section below).

Get around

By bus

Hangzhou has an extensive bus network, but you must be able to read Chinese to ride the crowded buses with ease. However, almost any bus that has a Y before the bus number (Y2, Y5, etc) will be "youke" - tourist buses, and are guaranteed to take you to a tourist site for ¥3 - ¥5. Therefore, if you want to just ride Y buses around all day, you will save money and still see the sites without having to tell the taxi drivers where you want to go in Chinese.

Otherwise, a bus with just a number will cost you ¥1 or ¥1.5, and a bus with a "K" before the number (air conditioned) is ¥2, ¥3 or occasionally, ¥4. Night buses are usually ¥2.5 - these are indicated at the bus stop by having a blue background colour. If you don't understand Chinese, don't worry, since the fare is written at the bus stop next to the bus number, so you can prepare your coins in advance (better have the exact fare, no change is given). Payment is made into a box next to the driver as you board the bus. The amount to be paid will be written on this box, but almost invariably in Chinese characters, not numerals, which is why it's vital to check the fare at the bus stop first if you don't read Chinese. Most buses in Hangzhou don't have a conductor inside as they have in Shanghai, the exceptions being articulated trolley buses with rear- as well as front-entrances. On these trolley buses, its possible to get on and pay at the rear (sometimes less busy than the front).

For those arriving in Hangzhou by train, note that bus K7 goes from the Hangzhou Rail Station to the West Lake for ¥1.

For those with computer or mobile web access, Google Maps may be used to plan bus trips. Simply click choose the "Get Directions" option and enter the departure and destination addresses in Chinese, then choose "public transportation" to view the available bus routes. Alternatively, you may simply right-click to select where to start and end your route.

By taxi

Like most major world cities, Hangzhou has a large number of taxis which allow for quick and convenient travel within the city proper. Most of the city's taxis are turquoise-green in color and easily identifiable by the word "Taxi" printed in both English and Chinese on the vehicles. Taxis for hire are marked by the green (or sometimes yellow-orange) light-up signs above the dashboard on each car.

Hangzhou taxi drivers always use the meter as required by law. All routes under three kilometers are charged a flat rate of 10 RMB (May 2008), plus the temporary addition of a 1 RMB "fuel tax" increase mandated by the government in 2006, is now charged. There is a low "slow-speed" charge for when the taxi is waiting at lights, stopped in traffic. It is advisable to take a receipt each time use you a taxi, should you wish to contact the taxi company or driver at later time to dispute a fare, recover a lost article, etc.

Few, if any, of the city's taxi drivers speak English or other foreign languages. It is therefore important that you be able to point out your destination on a map, present the driver with the name of the destination (in written Chinese), or properly pronounce the name of the destination in spoken Mandarin Chinese. If you have a Chinese acquaintance whom you can reach by cell phone, you can allow him or her to speak to your driver through the phone to convey the desired information.

Hangzhou taxis are not allowed to carry more than four passengers, although you may be able to convince or bribe a driver to allow you to "hide" an extra passenger in the backseat. This can be worth if the trouble or expense if it saves your group from needing to take two taxis.

Taxis, like all public transportation, are difficult to come by during the tourist weeks (Chinese New Year, May Golden Week, and October National Week); also, taxis between 7:30 and 8:45AM and 4:30-7:00PM are difficult to flag, as they are always full or in the middle of a shift change. A taxi with an imminent shift change (around 4.30-5PM) will be showing a plate in the windscreen (Chinese characters of course) and will only take you if your route coincides with his (or hers, a good number of taxi drivers in Hangzhou are women). A good rule of thumb is that if you need a taxi, there won't be any, but if you don't need one, they will be driving extremely slowly in the right lane disrupting traffic and honking and flashing their brights at you. Being familiar with areas that taxis frequent or places where taxi passengers are likely to be dropped off at will aid you in finding a ride. Don't be visibly upset that your hailing position will be gazumped by a new arrival 20 metres up the road. The only rule is; it's the quick and the dead.

Taxi drivers will also negotiate for long distance trips, or full-day / half-day hiring. A trip to Pudong airport in Shanghai will be RMB600-1000 depending on time of day or night.

In outer centres of Hangzhou, small 5 seater vans are usually available at bus terminals for onward transfers. These operate quite independently and the normal taxi rules do not apply. They will take you anywhere at a negotiated price.

By subway

Line 1 is scheduled to be completed in 2010, and line 2 shortly thereafter; a total of 8 lines covering over 200km have been planned. The opening dates of the lines are "last", it means they can open earlier in case they pass the security checks quicker. For example, Nanjing's new subway system was opened ahead-of-time, after safety checks were passed, and the same happened in Shanghai.

By "water bus"

Ferry down the Grand Canal takes 30 minutes but only makes 5 trips per day, the first at 7:30AM and the last at 6PM. It starts at Wulin Gate/West Lake Culture Plaza and ends at Gongchen Bridge, with one stop at Xinyifang Grand Canal Culture Plaza. The boats stop first at Xinyifang, then to the newly-developed Canal Culture Square, where you can see the Canal Museum, see if there are any events in the square, and check out the new Xiaohe Steet- a series of "historical" alleys with shops and restaurants similar to Hangzhou's Hefang Street; the area's renovation was completed in 2008. Cost is ¥3.

While really worth taking the trip, Hangzhou now has plans to connect a series of canals and streams throughout the city with the Grand Canal, West Lake, Yuhang River, and Qiantang River, making for increased water transport and a Venetian feel when completed.

There are also passenger boats running along the Grand Canal from near the Qiantang River

Getting to the islands on West Lake, you get to choose between tourist trap Dragon or "Gaily-painted" pleasure boats (¥45 and ¥35). There are also medium-sized power boats (¥25), or for ¥160 you can hire a driver to paddle you around for about an hour. The boats are available in Hubin #X (1, 3, 6) parks and other obviously marked areas all over the lake.

By bike

While traffic in Hangzhou may seem chaotic to some foreigners, the city is comparably bike-friendly. All but small side roads have dedicated bike lanes, often divided from motor traffic by barricades or medians.

For stays in Hangzhou, making use of the city's extensive public bike system can be a cheap and convenient way to experience the city. These fire engine red public bikes are ubiquitous on the street of Hangzhou, and the rental stations that dispense them are generously spread across the core of the city and around West Lake, stretching all the way down to the river near the Six Harmonies Pagoda.

To use the bikes, one will need to purchase a stored value card at 20 Longxiang Qiao across from the Agricultural Bank of China. If you have trouble finding it, go to the Hyatt and ask for directions; they will point you down the correct street. To do this, one must present an ID (such as a passport) and pay 300 RMB, 200 of which is a deposit with the remaining 100 to cover rentals fees. Bikes may then be rented by tapping the card against one of the automated bike racks holding the bikes. A beep and the audible sound of the rack unlocking will indicate that the bike can be removed. One can use any of the available bike racks scattered about the city if he or she wishes to visit an attraction or get a new bike. The bike is free for the first hour, 1 RMB an hour for the two hours after that, and 3 RMB an hour thereafter. For example, if one rents a bike for six hours, he or she will return to the main bicycle "hub" and receive 289 of his RMB deposit back, which covers the 11 RMB worth of bike riding.

Bikes are returned by reinserting them into an empty bike rack and tapping one's card against the top of the rack. Another beep, a solid green light, and the sound of the rack locking will indicate when the bike has been received successfully. Bikes not returned by 8:00 p.m. each night must be taken back to the Longxiang Qiao location, so keep an eye on the clock during evening rides. After ten days from purchase of the card, it may be returned for an 89% refund.

Maps

Buy maps near the Train Station or Bus Station from street vendors or stalls when you arrive. Price is often marked on the maps themselves, if you are wondering how much to pay (under 10 RMB). Street-bought maps are usually written in simplified Chinese with no pinyin. You can find pinyin maps at foreign language bookstores. The main foreign language bookstore in Yan An Road has a reasonable selection of maps as well as travel books.

There is a useful 'what's on' magazine called More Hangzhou [2] that has a good pull-out map in Chinese and English. The magazine is free and can be found in many hotels and bars.

See

West Lake (西湖 Xī Hú)

Hangzhou's most famous scenic sight. Technically, there are "10 Scenes of the West Lake" and "10 New Scenes," but they are overrated, and often seasonal (Snowfall Over Broken Bridge, etc). Rather than make a checklist and walking back and forth looking for them, simply spend a clear day wandering the circumference of the lake and the causeways, take a ferry to the islands, and you will probably cover most of the sites anyway. The "West Lake" itself can be divided into countless smaller sites, from Mr. Guo's villa to "Orioles Singing in the Willows".

The "West Lake Scenic Area" itself is very large. This section only covers areas in the immediate vicinity of the lake. Other spots are covered in later sections.

• Lesser Yingzhou Isle (Three Pools Mirroring the Moon)— Built in the early 1600s, this is the largest island on the lake. When there is a full moon, candles inside the pagodas are lit, and in the candle light it appears as though you see the moonlight (if you are romantic enough to see it), hence the name.

• Mid-Lake Pavilion— Bulit in 1552, it is the oldest island in Hangzhou. There is a Chinese inscription on the Qing Dynasty-era stone arch in which the Qing Emperor wrote "Chong Er", or "Endless Love".

• Lord Ruan's Mound— This is a mound they made from piling up dirt after dredging the lake 200 years ago. However, it is not just a dirt mound. At night (summer), entertainment activities are occuring in the garden on the island.

• Hubin #X Park— Hubin Parks 1, 3, 6 and probably the numbers in between are the parks between Hubin Road and the West Lake. Relatively newly-designed as the West Lake Tunnel that goes underneath was being built in early 2004, these parks are good to sit for a bit, buy ice cream or a newspaper, and most importantly hire a boat from the cluster of boat docks at each park.

• Su Causeway— Almost 3km long, this causeway dates from the year 1189 and has a bunch of willows and peach trees. It is long north-south causeway that starts by the Shangri-La on Beishan Road and goes all the way down to Nanshan Road.

• Bai Causeway— Starting at the eastern end of Beishan Road, this cause way leads to Solitary Hill and cuts off the distances between, say, Hubin Road and the Shangri La.

• Solidary Hill And Zhongshan Park— Where Loud Wai Lou restaurant is located, this is the only natural island on the lake. At least 3 emperors constructed palaces are here. Besides an expensive restaurant, the popular area is the home of the Xiling Seal-Engravers' Society, and the seals, calligraphy, engraving-masters, and relics that go along with it.

• Yang Causeway— This is more than 3km long and one road west of the Su Causeway. It starts at the intersection of Beishan and Shuguang Road (which becomes Yang Causeway once you are south of this intersection); the causeway runs north-south. Yang Causeway includes Quyuan Garden (aka Qu Garden aka Qu Courtyard), which is the most popular spot to see tons of lotus blossoms (late spring > summer). The water area to the west of the top of Yang Causeway is Maojiabu Scenic area, with orchids blended into the water scenery. Another tourist spot on Yang Causeway is Mr. Guo's Villa, which was built in 1907 and is considered one of the most "classical" gardens in Hangzhou. At the southern end of the causeway, just before Nanshan Road, is a fish-viewing pond.

• King Qian's Memorial, (Qian Wang Ci)— 5 kings of the Wuyue Kingdom are buried here in this memorial on the south end of the lake off Nanshan Road.

• Wushan Square, (吴山广场 Wu Shan Guang Chang)— Wushan Square and Wushan Hill are a major town center in Hangzhou. The view from the top is excellent on a clear day, and there are also trails around the hills from behind the pagoda. The pagoda itself has been modernized with an elevator and nice open-air teahouse at the top, but the original bell is still intact and in use. This area also features easy access to Hefang Jie shopping street at the base of the hill, full of small pedestrian streets and shopping stalls. It is also extremely close to the West Lake itself.

• Six Harmonies Pagoda, (六和塔 Liùhé Tǎ)— Down by the Qiantang River, about a 15 minute cab ride from the lake in light traffic, but it is a pretty road to drive down through all the tunnels and tea fields. Besides the pagoda itself, which is arguably the most prominent of all the temples and pagodas in Hangzhou, there is an adjacent park with hundreds of realistic replicas of the world's most famous pagodas, complete with mini-sized trees in front of the pagoda models.

• Lingyin Temple, (灵隐寺 Língyǐn Sì)— Meaning "heart of the soul's retreat", this temple west of the West Lake is an active Buddhist temple at the bottom of a hill. Nearby you can take a chairlift to the top of the hill where there is another temple (walking up is also an easy set of stairs below the chairlift). This is one of the 3 oldest and most famous temples in China. There are hundreds of Buddhist stone statues carved into the cliffs in the "Peak Flying from Afar" section next door.

• Leifeng Pagoda— Located on the shores of the southeast side of the lake and originally built in the year 977, all that remains of the original pagoda is the crumbling foundation, viewable from outside the glass case that it is housed in (Pagoda Remains Memorial Museum at the bottom floor of the pagoda). With escalators, elevators, and a totally new pagoda places on top of the foundation, there is not much to see within the pagoda itself; it was most recently rebuilt in 2000. However, the view of the city skyline is one of the best from here, and some of the smaller seating areas around the perimeter of the pagoda have a nice breeze and view of the structure. One of the 10 Scenes of the West Lake is "Leifeng Pagoda in Evening Glow", but this is best viewed from a distance (across the lake) just after sunset. Keep in mind that the entry fee for the Leifeng Pagoda is very expensive (¥40/person, Oct 2008) and it's not original, just rebuilt, so if your budget is not that huge, consider to not enter the Pagoda. You can still take pictures in front of it.

• Baochu Pagoda, (保俶塔 Bǎochù Tǎ) and the surrounding temples on this hill on the north side of the lake. You cannot climb the pagoda, but the view and surrounding Baoshi Hill are awesome.

• Jingci Temple— Off Nanshan Road, built in 954, the Jingci Temple has a huge 10-ton bell inside. Located on Nanping Road, they ring the bell 108 times here to ring in Chinese New Year. It is also rung every evening for much fewer times. Jingci Temple is the site of the legend of the miraculous well, which can be seen on the grounds of the temple.

• Jade Emperor Hill, (玉皇山公园 Yuhuang Shan Gong Yuan)— One of the least-visited sites in Hangzhou despite its somewhat central location. The main temple on top of the hill is currently under reconstruction (Aug 2008), but still offers a wonderful view of the city and lake below, and has a restaurant next door. There is another temple partway up the hill. The area can provide a quiet escape and a nice hike, as well as the chance to visit one of the few Daoist sites in the area (most other local temples are Buddhist). It is located directly south of Leifeng Pagoda. The main entrance isn't far from the Silk Museum. If you are playing along with the "10 Scenes of the West Lake" scavenger hunt still, the one that applies to the top of this hill is "clouds flying over Jade Emperor Hill".

• Longjing (Dragon Well) Tea Fields, (龙井茶园 Long Jing Cha Yuan), and other tea fields further west. These are best visited during the harvest period, usually from the first week of March till after May Holiday, when everyone is out in the field picking tea and the tea that you can purchase is of the best quality (tea crops from later in the year have had their leaves damaged by the rain).

• Guo's Villa, (Guo Zhuang), is the best existing traditional private garden in Hangzhou. It is one of the garden masterpieces of Jiangnan (the lower region of the Yangtze River) thanks to its incomparable surroundings and the smartly managed garden space. The garden develops as you enter further into it with regular switches between tight, closed spaces and sudden, open ones. The key feature, or spirit, is water. Cleaverly juxtaposing shade and light, curved and straight, yin and yang, the garden of Guo Zhuang is a wonderful embodiment of the Chinese wisdom of Tao and the Way of Nature. The teahouse, Liang Yi Xuan (Belevedere of Both Good) sits in a prime viewing spot within the garden between two superb water "yards", one large and the other small. While there are plenty of "old villas" in China to visit-- and many are similar-- this one is also on the shore of the West Lake. The 10 yuan entry fee keeps many people away, and you can have some tea (40 yuan) on the lakeside pavilions of the villa while avoiding the tourists.

• Hangzhou Botanical Gardens, (植物园 Zhi Wu Yuan), and flower nursery as well nearby. If you can't make it to Suzhou, these gardens aren't bad, especially in the spring and during the brief period when the leaves change in the fall. There is also a peacock farm, some nice ponds, and basically a wide range of plants and ecosystems to walk through. The redwood tree that Nixon donated during his visit has since died (in 2001).

• Xixi National Wetlands Park. Opened in May 2005, this wetlands park is in the extreme west part of the city past the west bus station. One of the easiest ways to get there would be to take a bus from Huanglong Soccer Stadium. While it may be somewhat out of the way and the road signs have the English translation as an uninviting "Xixi Swamp", this area is not to be missed, as currently the tourists are not too many, and it is a great way to see birds and other wildlife. The birds are especially beautiful and varied.

• Dreaming of the Tiger Spring, (虎跑梦泉 Hǔpǎomèngquán), is a spring as well as a scenic and historic destination. The area includes wooded pathways, streams, bamboo groves, tea houses, historic structures, as well as the spring itself and other sights. Admission is ¥15. Tea brewed with the high-quality Tiger Spring water may be purchased for about ¥20 a glass.

• Hangzhou Zoo, (杭州动物园 Hángzhōu Dòngwùyuán). It has pandas and more and is located just south of the lake. Animals treatment here is poor. Besides a few animals which have good cages (mostly water-animals) it has terrible conditions for the panda, most bears and other larger animals like the elephants. Still, they made improvements compared to a few years ago, and it seems it's mostly the missing support of larger investments that seems to hinder further development in a better zoo. The entrance fee includes a circus-style animal show with tigers, lions, bears and elephants that is particularly entertaining for children (if a little depressing for adults).

On the northern side of Baochu hill near the soccer stadium is Huanglong Cave (For "Scenes of The West Lake", this cave covers "Yellow Dragon Cave Dressed in Green").

• Early morning bikeride. Start on the north side of the lake, and head west towards Zhejiang University, then down Lingyin Road past the Botanical Gardens and into Longjing Village. Keep heading West and south through the tea villages, bamboo forest, and scenic valleys to the river and cut over towards Six Harmonies Pagoda. Go back to the south end of the lake via the road right next to Six Harmonies, past the zoo, through the tunnels.

• Walk around the lake. It will take you about 5 hours of slow walking. The lake is not very big and there are two shortcuts (causeways) through it. You can also hire small non-motor powered boats (¥120/hour for personal boat with driver, or use the ferry services) to take you around the lake and to the two islands, which feature some interesting sites.

• Go Hiking in the Mountains. Truly Hangzhou has the most accessible and interesting hiking environments within walking distance of any city. Purchase a topographic map, not difficult to find. Suggestion 1. Start with the the climb up to the Baochu Pagoda from Beishan Road, the trail passes the pagoda and continues on with a rock scramble and great views to a series of stone paths that follow the ridge. Keep going and relax, you can't get lost because this mountain is surrounded by main roads. There are temples, shrines and caves along the way with a sprinkling of tea houses. Stay with the high ground where you can and you should come out near the corner of Shuguang Rd and Beishan Rd. in an easy 2 hours, with plenty of opportunities for side explorations. You can walk back or return by bus (be brave, as long as the bus is going inbound it will take you somewhere central. The fare will be Y1-3 and services are frequent) or cab. Suggestion 2. Start at Wushan Square, at the southern end of Yan'an Rd, and walk south through the developed park land. Stay high, and pass the war memorial, stunning stone sculptures, down the large stairway to Wansongling Rd. Cross the road, turn left and 100 metres later enter the forest past a memorial garden. From here the stone paths lead inexorably south to Fenghuang Hill and then south west finally to Yuhuang Hill, the summit of which contains a large temple complex and boasts marvellous views over West lake and the Qiantang River. Descend to the west, but beware the tricky circular road, to Hupao Road and take a bus back from the Hangzhou zoo bus stop. It will take a slow 4 hours. You will at times be geographically challenged, but soon you will get the drift of it, and be better prepared to tackle the huge mountain, forest and tea village areas to the south west of the lake. The complete circuit from Xixi Rd to Wushan Square via Northern Peak, Shi Peak, Wuyun Hill, Jiuxi, HZ Zoo, Yuhuang, Fenghuang Hill will take a party of regular fitness, with stops, 10-12 hours. Then for a hike with a difference, hike out to Meijiawu and stay at a guest house, returning the following day via a different route.

• Visit the temples and pagodas. The most popular ones are Baochu pagoda, which is the tower-like one on a hill on the north side of the lake. This hill is a great hike, with excellent views of the lake and city, several smaller temples of a variety of religions, and Huanglong Cave on the northern slope of the hill. 6 Harmonies Pagoda, located on the river, is the largest and most imposing. A fun hike after the pagoda leads from the shores of the river, behind the pagoda, and into the Longjing tea fields near the tea museum. Lingyin Temple, on the west side of the lake, is also a large complex with a surprisingly devout crowd of worshipers. This area also has many excellent hikes, as well as a cable car to the top of Beifeng Hill (with another temple at the top). Finally, Leifeng Pagoda has recently been rebuilt and has escalators and elevators, while all that remains of the foundation is on display on the main level. Despite its lack of ancient Chinese beauty, the benches and gazebo-like structures surrounding the area make for a nice place to sit in the breeze, and it also has an excellent view looking in the opposite direction as the Baochu area.

• Go for a Run. The lakeside surrounds of gardens, parks, views and items of interest make a great backdrop to a run. Join the "Even If It Rains" running group of locals and laowei at 7.30PM on Tuesday nights from the Maya Bar (across the road from the stadium in Shuguang Rd, at the traffic lights where Shuguang Rd. bends). Socialise after; it's a welcoming group. On Sundays the local chapter of the Hash House Harriers organises a run from different locations; the time and start point is published at www.hangzhou-hhh.org and visitors are welcome. On October 18th 2009 is the Vasque Goretex mountain race of approx 35km through the mountains, tea fields and lakeside. In November is held the Hangzhou marathon, half marathon and lesser distances.

• Spend an afternoon at a tea house. A highlight of visiting Hangzhou is getting out to Manjuelong Village, (South of the lake on top of the hill) Longjin Village or Meijiawu Village, (west and further west of the Lake, respectively) to drink your tea. These villages have had a make-over in the last 2 or 3 years and while can be busy at weekends they are still great places to while away an afternoon watching the tea being picked. The tea houses all serve very local food - pickled vegetables, chicken broth etc - but often there is no menu; rather the owner will suggest what you should eat. Make sure you get a price for the dishes before you tuck in.

• Shopping -- see the "Buy" section for more info.

• The West Lake Golf Club near Six Harmonies Pagoda and Songcheng was designed by Jack Nicklaus.

• Boating along the Hangzhou-Beijing Canal is becoming more popular.

• Go to a book shop. Hangzhou has several book shops, Xinhua bookstore on Jiefang road near the JieBai department store is the oldest bookshop. Boku bookstore at the intersection of WenEr road and HanCheng north road. It's a book lovers paradise.

• Learn Tai Chi Chuan. Tai chi chuan is popular in China and as part of Chinese culture it has been highly evaluated by the whole world. But the problem is if you are from another country then the language would be a big gap. One tai chi instructor for you is James Xu. He is experienced in teaching foreigners tai chi (in English) and has his own web site at [3].

• Visit Moganshan

• Zhejiang University, Yuquan Campus [4]. This university is the product of combining four formerly individual universities: Zhejiang University, Hangzhou University, Zhejiang Agricultural University and Zhejiang Medical University. The university offers 110 undergraduate, 264 masters and 181 doctoral degree areas. Tuition is extremely affordable from a Western perspective. Courses in Chinese language and culture are ¥18,000 (~$2,250 USD) a year, ¥9,000 a term, or ¥800 (~$100 USD) a week and are taught mostly in Chinese (with occasional English).

• Zhejing University of Science and Technology (ZUST). ZUST is one of the most beautiful universities in Hangzhou. It is located in the Xiaoheshan high education district. You can visit the university by taking bus K193, K310, J12. If English-speaking people want to teach in Hangzhou, ZUST would be a good choice.

• Silk Market on Tiyuchang Road. You can also get silk at other places in the city, but most of it will just be the fabric.

• Night market off Yan'an Road near Pinghai Road (right near Wushan) every night. Here you can find Mao memorabilia, jewelery, paper fans, pipes, luggage, handicrafts and other items that most Chinese cities have. Pirated DVDs and counterfeit handbags are for sale as well. You can also find a lot of those silk-screen printed paintings/embroidery things that the silk market also has. Bargain very hard - Many stalls sell the same stuff, so be prepared to walk away. Be careful buying "antiques" because they are probably new, and pearls. Often the pearl culturing process has been very short, and in fact the "pearl" is a plastic marble with only the thinnest of cultured skin.

• Electronics Markets - Running west-east in north-west Hangzhou on Wensan Road are several indoor, multistory electronics shopping centers offering all manner of electronics including desktop computers, laptops, computer software (licensed and un-licensed), cellphones, mp3 players, and hundreds of peripherals and storage media. Pirated DVDs and computer games are offered as well, and if you are obviously a foreigner, vendors will shout "DVD! DVD!" at you to urge you to browse their selection.

• Bird and Flower Markets - Several in town, Gucui Rd and Wener West Rd in the west, another on Jichang Rd in north, the interesting one is next to Wushan Square, downtown. On 3 or 4 floors, this market is stuffed with pets and plants. Also sections selling Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), with dried snake and seahorse, huge dried mushrooms and other strange things.

• Tea - Dragon Well/Longjing tea is famous throughout China and worth getting if you like green tea. If you are staying with a Chinese host somewhere else in China after Hangzhou, bringing them a small box (or two) of higher-end Longjing Tea would make a great gift; however, bear in mind that these usually cost around ¥300/box (more at tourist stands). The Longjing village and tea fields area of Hangzhou (southwest of West Lake) are where Longjing tea is grown. Besides being worth a visit for the scenic sights alone, tea can be purchased here as well - fresh from the harvesters' bags if so desired. Many places across the city also sell tea, such as informal vendors and small shops easily identifiable by the boxes displayed inside or store names such as "西湖龙井茶" (West Lake Dragon Well Tea), as well as grocery stores and supermarket chains. Because of the fame of Longjing tea, fake and low-grade varieties exist. If you have no experience buying tea, purchase from a reputable-looking establishment or ask the advise of a knowledgeable native.

• Clothes - Hangzhou has literally hundreds of clothes and shoes stores. The largest concentration of these are on Yan'an Rd and especially Wulin Rd, making a straight line of clothes shops stacked on top of each other between Wushan and Wulin Squares. Another popular clothing spot is "Song Mu Chang" (松木场) just north of the lake on Shuguang Road. All of these places require bargaining and often have a lot of fake ripoff clothes. For the real thing, try the department stores (ie Hangzhou Tower across between Yan'an and Nanshan Roads). You can certainly find cheaper clothes stores scattered throughout the city as you get farther from the lake if you really like to buy clothes.

• Landscape paintings - There are several places to buy Chinese landscape paintings in the city, especially near Wushan Square and around the south/east side of the lake.

• Carrefour has a supermarket in the downtown area east of West Lake (on South Yan'an Lu). In addition its large selection of groceries, it carries a wider variety of Western foods such as cheeses and breads than most other grocery stores in the city. This is also a good place to purchase western liquor. French Gin is as ltttle as RMB55 per litre, Captain Morgan rum about RMB75 and Cointreau RMB135. How these prices are about half of duty free escapes this contributor.

• Trust-Mart (好又多) is a superstore chain Westerners may recognize as being similar to Wal-Mart. Located in the shopping center near the Yellow Dragon Sports Stadium north of West Lake and the Baochu Pagoda area, the store has a large grocery section that boasts fresh meats, seafood, and produce as well as the normal selection of packaged food.

• Bicycles of all prices and qualities are available from bike shops scattered across Hangzhou. Bargaining is necessary at all but large chain stores, and generally one gets what he or she pays for (the cheapest bikes will begin to rust and break quickly). The indoor Electric Bike Market near the corner of Wener and Xueyuan Lu offers a huge assortment of electric bikes/scooters and batteries, and Trust-Mart (see above) also has a reasonable selection of bicycles and a small selection of electric bikes/scooters. Any bike, regardless of the value, will be stolen if left unattended and unsecured. Be sure to buy at least one lock (two for expensive scooters and bikes) to protect your purchase. Scooters may also require a locking frame to guard the battery from theft. A cycling club based in Hangzhou.[5]

Eat

Hangzhou is one of the premier places to eat in China, and its food consists more of pork and seafood rather than the beef and lamb of the north and west. If you do not like Hangzhou food, you can find plenty of Sichuan, Shaanxi, and Xinjiang restaurants throughout the city. Typical Hangzhou specialties include dongpo rou, an extremely fatty chunk of pork in a syrupy sauce, and cuyu, which is fish with a vinegar sauce.

Budget

For budget restaurants, even near the lake, just head into an alley and get some food from a small restaurant or street-side stand. You should judge for yourself how sanitary the food is, but Hangzhou is generally fairly civilized in this respect relative to other Chinese cities. These restaurants are all quite similar.

If you like dumplings and have just come down the north side of Baochu hill (past the cave and in view of the soccer stadium), one option is to continue across Shuguang Road and up Hangda Road (0.5 blocks east and 1 block north) to Tianmushan Road. At the corner of Tianmushan and Hangda Roads are 2 decent dumpling restaurants with English menus available (one is upstairs from the other). They have many of varieties of dumplings, including all-vegetable. From 6 yuan to 18 yuan for a plateful.

Mid-range

Hangzhou has many KFCs, several McDonalds, and an increasing number of Pizza Huts throughout town, especially near the lake. If you like Pizza Hut style pizza, but don't want to pay Pizza Hut prices, there's a much cheaper Pizza Hut 'clone' on You Dian Road, corner of Hubin Road, right near the lake.

Other restaurants that are good and aren't as tourist-trappy can as Lou Wai Lou are located near the West Lake, usually to the East past Hubin Road in the Yan'an Road area.

For Xinjiang, try Jade Dragon Xinjiang Special Restaurant (龙翠阁新疆特色餐厅) inside the Handnice Hotel (Originally of Tiandu Hotel on Zhongshan Bei Road) at the east side of Hangzhou Yellow Dragon Sports Stadium. Some say the Xinjiang restaurant on the 5th floor of Sanrui Tower (三瑞大厦) on Qingchun Road is better and more authentic, and on the east side of town, Xinjiang Pamir Muslim Restaurant (新疆帕米尔餐厅) has many Xinjiang people dining there.

• Chuan Wei Guan - For Hot Pot, this city-wide chain (5 restaurants throughout town) is best, and this hotpot place also has several good Sichuan dishes.

• Grandma's Kitchen (外婆家) has at least 5 locations in Hangzhou, including one on Yugu Road near the soccer stadium and Zhejiang University. It has efficient service, a comprehensive picture menu, and is popular among just about everyone. However, not all locations offer the same selection or the same prices. One of the best is on Ma Cheng Road, between Tian Mu Shan and Wen San Roads, near to the Boku bookstore. It's usually busy, so come early for lunch if you don't want to queue.

• Zhang Sheng Ji (张生记), 33 East Qingchun Road. Out of the way but is also huge and now has branches all over China.

Splurge

Chinese

• Lou Wai Lou (楼外楼), right on the lake on an island off Beishan Road. The most famous restaurant in Hangzhou and in existense for over 150 years. Lou Wai Lou also has a second establishment called "Shan Wai Shan" right on the Botanical Gardens. “West Lake sweet & sour fish” is a speciality of this place, and another dish to try is the Beggar’s Chicken, wrapped in fresh lotus leaves and baked on fire. The chicken meat is soft and tender and falls easily off the bones. The restaurant is full every night so a reservation is highly recommended.

• Oriental Favorites Restaurant, Beishan Road (just past the Broken Bridge). A good replacement for Lou Wai Lou and has an equally good view with slightly cheaper prices (but it's still expensive).

• Hubin 28, Hyatt Hotel, 28 Hubin Road. One of the top Chinese restaurants in Hangzhou. Hubin 28 serves good food from all over China in a restaurant designed with a mixture of modern fittings and traditional furniture. It has received good reviews in many foodie magazines in Hong Kong. Dinner will cost more than RMB200 per person.

Japanese

There are lots of Japanese restaurants, many of which offer the "all you can eat and drink" deal for between 120 and 200 renminbi, which is a good deal when you consider sake and plum wine are included, and is a good way to start off a weekend night.

• Fu Gang, Tiyuchang Road (near Wulin Square). Hangzhou's most famous Japanese restaurant, although it does not offer an all-you-can-eat deal. It does have a sushi train and set meals though and the sushi is fresh and tasty.

• Mu Zhi Lan, Nanshan Rd (next to the Bernini coffee shop) is one of the best, especially location-wise. The all-you-can-eat deal is around Y180, but the seating and views are excellent, as is the food.

• Honglin Teppanyaki, 2/F Modern International Plaza, Yugu Road and Tianmushan Road. This newish Teppanyaki restaurant is clean and spacious, with large table around hotplates able to seat 10-20 people at a go. There is a one-price-gets-everything deal, including sake and beer.

South-East Asian

• Banana Leaf, Changsheng Rd (2 junctions north of the Hyatt on the east side of the lake). South-East Asian. Reservations are recommended on weekends. Although there is a pleasant atmosphere and good quality food, many customers find that the food is untraditional.

• Curry Bistro, Wangtang Rd (just south of Wenyi Road, near the Wumei shopping center) is a small family run restaurant specialising in Hong Kong and Thai food.

Western

• Caribbean BBQ, Yan'an Road (near Wushan Square). It is not very authentic, but is a buffet-style restaurant that will probably at least leave you with a full stomach.

• Peppino, Shangri-La Hotel. Expensive but does have an authentic brick oven, great bread, and huge calzones.

• L96 Guangxian Cafe, Pingfeng Rd, (east of Zhongshan Zhong Rd), is a small restaurant in modern atmosphere serving well-prepared Italian food and home-made ice-creams

• Café at the Hyatt, Hyatt Hotel, 28 Hubin Road. Opened January 2005, the buffet here has everything you could ever want for about Y148++ lunch and Y198++ dinner with no drinks.

• Va Bene, West Lake Tiandi (西湖天地), serves good, but pricey, Italian food in comfortable setting. Good wine list and good service. The little sister restaurant downstairs, 'Pizza Pazza' has many of the same dishes in a more deli-style restaurant for a little less money.

• Provence, 1 Baishaquan Road, is the only Western owned independent restaurant in Hangzhou, serving fresh French and Mediterranean food. Good selection of wines, liquors and cocktails available. Weekend all day brunch.

• Bernini Restaurant, Nanshan Road, A real Italian restaurant in china, Italian management, where you can taste the real flavors of traditional Italian cuisine of high quality. New local, comfortable , with live music.

Indian

• Haveli, 77 Nanshan Rd . Most bakwaas restaurant, I have ever seen.. !!! Also, not cheap. Indoor and outdoor dining.
• Indian Kitchen, 63 Nanshan Road, All you can eat/all you can drink buffet on Saturday & Sunday nights. ¥78, excellent service and tasty food.

Drink

The drink of choice in Hangzhou is tea, as the local Longjing (龙井, also Lung Ching, literally "Dragon Well") is the most famous green tea in China. Longjing is divided into seven grades, the two top being Superior (旗枪 qiqiang) and Special (雀舌 queshe), and the rest numbered from 1 down to 5. Prices for the very best stuff are extremely high— in 2005, a mere 100g plucked from Qing Dynasty emperor Qian Long's personal trees sold for over US$17,000 — but a few cups in a local teahouse shouldn't cost you more than a few dozen yuan.

Traditionally, tea from Longjing is best served with spring water from Hupao (虎跑, "Tiger Run"), which is located next to the West Lake. You might have to purchase the tea from the tea shop in Hupao, instead of bringing your own. It's about 20 yuan per cup, but you get a thermal full of hot water with the purchase.

For bars, Nanshan Road all night every night should keep any visitor occupied. An up-and-coming part of town is on Shuguang Road has several old and new bars that are a little less hectic than those of Nanshan Road, including local expat hangout Maya Bar, packed-out local You To, rock music bar Travellers, and many more. Shuguang Road runs north from the north-west corner of the Lake. The Huanglong soccer stadium is full of dance / performance bars around the perimeter of the building.

• JZ Club, 6 Liuying Road (Nanshan Road), is one of the most sophisticated bars in Hangzhou, with live jazz performances every night and a range of beers, cocktails and wines.

• Cool Bar on West Lake Ave by Wushan Square has Budweiser for as low as Y5/bottle (the Wushan Square area also has several other bars).

• Maya Bar, 94 Baishaquan Rd and Shuguang Rd, is a popular expat watering hole with large servings of drinks and a simple bar menu.

• 1944, Shuguang Rd. Good atmosphere with cheap beer and quiet live music.

• You To, Shuguang Rd. One of the most successful bars in Hangzhou, run by a man who has made several bars popular. You To is busy every day with a local drinking crowd. Loud live music, busy atmosphere, and cheerful, friendly staff.

• 7 Club, Shuguang Road. located behind the flower shop opposite Yellow Dragon Hotel, is small local pub popular with expats a foreign students alike. Normally contains a quieter atmosphere and specializes in hard-to-find imported bottle beers.

• Shamrock Irish Pub, Jiefang Rd and Jianguo Rd. More a sports bar, but without the TVs. Good pub food on the menu some live music on weeknights.

• Medusa, Gucui Rd. An informal hip-hop club managed by expats. Good for a young expat crowd and cheap drinks served in a fun atmosphere. Great place to meet other travellers.

• Casablanca, on the Westlake. Pub run by an American, its a good friendly place to hang out and feel at home.

• Reggae Bar, an old Hangzhou favourite recently (June 2009) moved from Shuguang Road to Xueyuan Road, just north of Wensan Road. Big happy bar with lots of reggae music, a strong Jamaican motif and experienced staff.

Cafes

Cafes in Hangzhou normally fit a Hangzhou norm and do not always resemble a cafe in the West. Places like Liangan and UBC serve Western food, which is pretty inedible to a Western palette. Coffee is expensive and usually made over a candle, more for novelty than for good coffee. Some of the more 'international' style cafes are listed here.

• Linglong Town, located on Nanshan Road to the west of most of the bars. Has large smoothies that are excellent for hot days. The restaurant also has many types of tea and good-tasting Taiwanese fare.

• Jamaica Coffee, in West Lake Tiandi, is owned by a Spanish company and has high quality coffee and tea and some snacks.

• Fotoyard, Nanshan Rd and Qianwangci, is managed by a bunch of photographers who are better at photos that managing a cafe, but the pizza is good, the coffee by Illy.

• Starbucks, Wulin Square / Hangda Rd / Yanan Rd / West Lake Tiandi / Hyatt Hotel / Hu Shu Nan Rd / Hu Bin Rd / and others.

• Chamate, Wulin Square / Yellow Dragon Stadium / West Lake Tiandi (south), is a Taiwanese version of Starbucks where tea replaces coffee as the beverage of choice. An excellent place to sample a wide variety of green and oolong teas from the comprehensive picture menu. Each tea is served in its own characteristic style teapot along with plentiful hot (mineral) water. If the tea isn't enough, shaved ice red bean dessert, stinky tofu and Wi-Fi access are all available too.

Nightclubs

There are several large popular clubs in Hangzhou that cater to a generally un-sophisticated house music crowd, although they often have famous DJs visiting. Tables are hard to come by later on at night, and usually you cannot book. Tipping the server may help you find a table. Drinks may take a while to come, so perhaps ordering a bottle of liquor and mixers for the table would reduce the amount of time waiting for drinks. Clubs are generally safe, but bouncers are in-effective so stay away from trouble.

• Max Club, southern end of Yanan Road is full every day with a younger crowd.

• SOS, Huanglong Road and Tianmushan Road. The big boy of Hangzhou, and is truly massive, with advanced sound and light, and is always full. SOS has fewer regulars, and more out-of-town clubbers.

• G+, in the Wahaha Building on Qingchun Road. The more sophisticated of the big clubs, catering to slightly better heeled 20-30's crowd.

• Coco, Wangtang Road and Wensan West Road. Smaller club on the West side that attracts many expats. Music is more alternative for Hangzhou, and usually there are foreign DJs.

• Hangzhou International Youth Hostel, Nanshan Road (right on the east side of the lake and just off "bar street", next to Qing Temple). Run by Hosteling International and has a friendly staff. Y40 w/membership, Y45 without membership, per night, 6 people to a room (you can get doubles as well for about Y200, including a lakeview double for Y250). All rooms and toilet/shower are extremely clean. Despite being literally a few paces from the clubs of Nanshan Road, this hostel is set back far enough to be relatively noise free and features a comfortable courtyard/patio with a pond. The lobby also has a boring bar and an all-right breakfast.

• West Lake Youth House, No 62-3 Nanshan Rd (At the southern end of West Lake). Excellent rooms, friendly staff. Y50 dorm, Y200 double. Phone 0086 571 87027027, Fax 0571 88030237. [6]

• Hangzhou Garden Youth Hostel opened in 2006 on ZhaoGong Causeway near the Hangzhou Botanic Gardens on the western shore of West Lake. It is part of Hostelling International and consists of a beautifully restored historic courtyard building. Dorm rooms have very clean, upmarket ensuite bathrooms with 24 hr hot water. The hostel is very convenient for walking and sightseeing around West Lake but its biggest drawback is the distance to restaurants and nightlife. It is a 15 minute walk to the bar/tea house/restaurant strip on Shuguang Road.

• My Inn Hotel, (我的客栈), opened in 2007 on #264 of QiuTao Rd, ShangCheng District of Hangzhou, near the South Bus Station or ChangDuQiCheNanZhang, （长度汽车南站). Nice place to stay in Hangzhou at Y99 per night, provides comfortable rooms without TV though, although has a computer in rooms with internet at Y20 (optional). Bathrooms are clean, there is a convenience store in the lobby, and laundry, kitchen and business facilities in the building. Phone 4008280082, plenty of bus routes can be taken at the hotel front street. Address in Chinese: 杭州市上城区秋涛路264号（长度汽车南站对面）

• Pod Inn, (布丁酒店), several locations in Hangzhou, including two near West Lake. Similar in concept to My Inn with small, two person rooms starting at Y95 a night and larger rooms at higher price points. [7]

Mid-range

You can find mid-range hotels all over the city, most of which will take foreigners. Try to bargain for a room. Ask how much they want for one night's stay, then say "what if I stay for 3 nights?" or something to that extent and it will become cheaper.

• Redstar Culture Hotel, 280 South Jianguo Road, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China, ☎ +86-571-87703888, [8]. A four star hotel located in Shangcheng District. It lies next to the Hangzhou Railway Station Square. While staying at this hotel, you might want to visit some of the famous tourist spots in China namely Hangzhou Botanical Garden, Jade Springs, and Qiantang River. Maximize your reservation by attending a gala at its 900-capacity theater and enjoy a sumptous meal on their Chinese restaurant that offers Jiangsu, Sichuan, and Zhejiang cuisines. Secure rooms online at Redstar Culture Hotel's official website [9] and get instant confirmation.  edit

• Enjoyor Hotel 65 Qingchun Road, Shangcheng District, Reservations Telephone: 86-21-61226688 Ext. 7800. This hotel offers Hangzhou accommodation in the city's bustling Shangcheng District. 168 rooms, all well-equipped with modern amenities, are available for all guests. This Hangzhou hotel also offers rejuvenating hydropathy treatments, a variety of dining options, and helpful services to fulfill your every whim. Online reservations are accepted at Enjoyor Hotel's official website [10].

• SouthLine Hotel (Nanxian Dajiudian), tel. +86-571-8777-3939, e-mail southline@vip.163.com. A small but clean, well-located and reasonably well-appointed mid-range hotel one-half block off the lake and right next to the Zhejiang Art Academy on Nanshan Rd. Prices range from US$40 per night to over $100. The friendly staff speaks some (although limited) English.

• Jinhui Hotel (金汇大酒店), 7 Moganshan Road. A large hotel far enough away from the main sites to be a bit cheaper, but close enough to be a quick bike ride/taxi ride or even a 20-30 minute walk to the city side of the lake (all on the same street, just walk due south past the provincial government). One benefit of this hotel is that an English-speaking CYTS office is on the 3rd floor.

• Hangzhou Overseas Chinese Hotel ((杭州华侨饭店) Address: Hu Bin Road 15, Hangzhou 310006, Phone: 86-571-87685555. At the beginning of this pedestrian lakeside area, right next the Hyatt. If you get a lakeside room you have the same views and location as the Hyatt for one-quarter the price. Skip breakfast as it is all-Chinese, not very clean and full of other guests smoking their way through their meals. Otherwise, the rooms are clean and everything can be reached by foot. Also, taxi pass continuosly in front of the hotel day and night, meaning that you never need to call for one. High-speed internet available on the 4th and 5th floor only.

• Hangzhou Sunny Huansha Hotel Address: 17 Huansha Road, Shangcheng District. A 3-star hotel offering 100 aptly furnished rooms with smart amenities such as desktop computer with free internet access. Primarily a business hotel, it has a well equipped business center and multifunctional hall that can accommodate up to 200 guests.

• SSAW Hotel Hubin [11] 221 Jiefang Road, Shangcheng District. This 4-star hotel near Hubin Walk Street and Nanshan Leisure Avenue features elegantly appointed rooms, conference facilities, restaurant and bar, fitness center, and concierge and tour desks. It is approximately 30 minutes away from Xiaoshan Airport.

• European Style Holiday Hotel [12] is a four-star hotel in Zhejiang, China. It sits right by the banks of the West Lake, near the railway station. Its location in Shangcheng District is 25 km from the Xiaoshan International Airport. Hangzhou is also a renowned shopping and tourist destination. Address: No. 18 West Lake Street, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. Phone Number: 86-571-28937288, Fax Number: 86-571-28930799

• Friendship Hotel Hangzhou [13] is a four-star hotel in Zhejiang, China. Located on Pinghai Road, Hangzhou’s central business district. Amenities include rooms with West Lake or city views, multicultural restaurants, versatile function halls, and meeting rooms. Address: No. 53 Pinghai Road, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang China. Secured reservations are instantly confirmed online.

• Braim International Hotel [14] offers 5-star accommodation in Hangzhou. It enjoys an enviable location near the World Exhibition Center and West Lake. The hotel offers 297 rooms, restaurant and café, outdoor pool, and conference facilities. Address: 195 Jiaogong Road, Xihu District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China 310012. Phone Number: 86-21-61226688 Ext. 7800.

• Braim Seasons Hotel Hangzhou [15] is a 4-star accommodations provider in downtown Hangzhou. Located at the junction of Zhonghe and Jiefang Roads, the hotel is accessible from the city’s business, commercial, and entertainment districts. Amenities include spacious rooms with free internet access, business center, and restaurant. Address: 166 Zhonghe Middle Road, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China 310003. Email: tprsvns@hubs1.net.
• Hangzhou Sunny Hotel 108 Jie Fang Road, Shangcheng District, Reservations contact: 86-21-61226688 Ext. 7800. This Hangzhou hotel is the perfect sanctuary for businessmen looking for luxurious accommodation in Hangzhou, China. It has more than 320 rooms, 7 restaurants, and a host of facilities to let you relax and enjoy. The official website of Hangzhou Sunny Hotel [16] accepts direct online reservations.

• Shangri-La, 78 Beishan Road Hangzhou 310007. While the Hyatt may have better service, especially for business travellers, the Shangri-La has an ideal location, lush green grounds, and is essentially a self-contained luxury village; a great place for a holiday.

• Ramada (Haihua Binguan), Qingchun Road (near the West Lake). Located between Wulin Road and the West Lake, although lake-view rooms are somewhat limited and not very intimate.

• Hyatt Regency Hangzhou, 28 Hu Bin Road (right on the eastern shore of the lake), ☎ +86 571 8779 1234 (hangz.reservation@hyattintl.com), [17]. 5 star hotel with 390 Rooms & Suites. The hotel is part of a multi use complex including an upmarket department store.  edit

• Wang Hu/Lakeside Hotel, Hubin Road, cnr Qingchun Rd. Has a great location and a fabulous international buffet breakfast.

• Huachen-Tang Palace (25 Pinghai Road). Four star hotel that is only 5 minutes walk to the West Lake and with a fabulous international buffet breakfast. Excellent value for money.

• Xin Ding Garden Hotel Adress: 135 Yanan Road, Hangzhou, Shangcheng District, Zhejiang, China. Email: tprsvns@hubs1.net. Located in the hub of scenic Hangzhou near West Lake, this 5-star hotel offers 118 well-appointed rooms, business facilities, savory local and international cuisine, and free high-speed internet access.

• Lakeview Hotel, Address: 2 West Huancheng Road, Xihu District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. Email: tprsvns@hubs1.net. Set in the midst of the vibrant Hangzhou locale, this 4-star hotel enjoys a scenic view of the West Lake and is only a 10-minute bus ride away from the Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport. It has 359 elegantly furnished rooms and a wealth of leisure, dining and event facilities.

• Zhejiang Xizi Hotel Address: 37 Nanshan Road, Xihu District, Hangzhou, China. Tel. No. 86-21-61226688 Ext. 7800. A luxury hotel located near the historic Leifeng Pagoda in the West Lake area. Magnificent views, excellent facilities, and impeccable service await guests.

• Huachen International Hotel Hangzhou Four-star hotel on the corner of major shopping strips Pinghai and Yanan Roads, and on the east side of West Lake. Delicious Western and Chinese buffets all day, and luxurious business amenities.

• Victoria Regal Hotel Zhejiang Address: 89 Yan An Road, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. Email: tprsvns@hubs1.net. Centrally located 5-star hotel in Hangzhou offering 200 gorgeous rooms with handsome interiors and luxurious amenities. Leisure and business facilities include the Ban Dao Buffet Center and the Viscount Grand Ballroom.

• Culture Plaza Hotel Zhejiang Address: 38 Wen Er Road, Hangzhou, Zhejiang District, China Email: tprsvns@hubs1.net. Located north of the scenic West Lake, this 4-star hotel is only 35km away from the Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport. It has 174 rooms with 4-star appointments such as high-speed internet access and IDD phone. Facilities include the Super Book Market and the sprawling Wenhua Meeting Room.

• Zhejiang Grand Hotel 595 Yanan Road, Xiacheng District, Reservations contact: 86-21-61226688 Ext. 7800 [http://www.zhejianggrandhotel.com. Offers accommodation in Hangzhou with 307 rooms that offer no-frills comfort. It also has 9 function rooms ready to host your events. An entertainment club and spa are only some of the recreational facilities that will keep you excited and pampered in this Hangzhou hotel. Online reservations are accepted through the website.

• Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, 3 East Qingchun Road, named for the Hong Kong media mogul who funded its construction, SRRSH is one of the best hospitals in the city. VIP medical service can be purchased for 100 RMB, which includes an English-speaking nurse attendant and expedited service. Phone +86-571-86006613.[18]

• Shanghai — Less than two hours away by train.
• Suzhou — Around two hours away by bus. Buses leaves several times per hour from the bus station at northeast of city (Y68).
• Tianmushan — For a weekend timeout.

This is a guide article. It has a variety of good, quality information including hotels, restaurants, attractions, arrival and departure info. Plunge forward and help us make it a star!

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

English

Wikipedia

Proper noun

Singular Hangzhou

Plural -

Hangzhou

1. A large city in China, capital of Zhejiang province.

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