A Stunning Day Trip to Hangzhou from Shanghai: Visiting Picturesque Westlake
A day trip to Hangzhou from Shanghai is a rewarding experience in China. In Hangzhou you’ll find a beautiful lake surrounded by landscaped gardens with romantic pavilions, arched bridges and ancient temples.
Stroll through the beautiful gardens, ride in a dragon boat on picturesque Westlake, wander down the cobbled laneways of the historical Old Town and shop for local sweets, treats and the famous Dragon Well Tea grown in the area.
Located in the Yangtze River Delta, Hangzhou is around 190 kilometres (170 miles) from Shanghai and only an hour by train. The city is easy to get to and oozes, historical charm, beauty and culture.
On my last visit to China, I spent a delightful day exploring Westlake (Xi Lake) and the Hangzhou Old Town. I was drawn in by the poetic place names and the prospect of visiting “Three Pools Mirroring the Moon” sounded so idyllic it captured my imagination and I couldn’t wait to visit.
Is a Day Trip to Hangzhou Worthwhile?
If you’re wondering if a day trip to Hangzhou from Shanghai is worthwhile, the answer is a definite YES! One day in Hangzhou is enough time to see the highlights and enjoy the lovely Westlake. You can travel easily by public transport and return to Shanghai in the evening.
One of China’s ancient cities, Hangzhou was the capital of China during the Southern Song Dynasty. Westlake and the Hangzhou Old Town are UNESCO World Heritage-listed and have an ancient history that dates back more than 2200 years.
Spend the day enjoying Westlake and the beautifully landscaped gardens, explore the islands and visit places with poetic names like “The Bay of Flowers”, “Pavilion of the Autumn Moon”, “Pavilion of the Cranes”, “Isle of the Hill of Solitude” and “Bridge of the Nine Arches”.
TIP: Catch an early train to see the morning Tai Chi and the local social activities beside the lake.
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Video: Picturesque Westlake in Hangzhou, China
How to Get to Hangzhou from Shanghai
The public transport connections for a day trip to Hangzhou from Shanghai are excellent and this made it possible for me to visit Westlake in the short time that I had available on my trip to China.
I caught a bullet train from Shanghai Hongqiao Railway Station to Hangzhou Railway Station and the trip took around an hour. I caught the Shanghai metro to Hongqiao station and bought my ticket at the ticket office.
More than 200 high-speed trains operate each day from early morning to late evening so a day trip from Shanghai to Hangzhou is very doable.
**Check the train timetable before you leave Shanghai
I was a bit unsure where to get off the train but I used my watch to time the trip and from Hangzhou East Railway Station I took a taxi to Westlake to start the day exploring.
How to Get Around Hangzhou
On my day trip from Shanghai to Hangzhou I took a taxi from the station to Westlake and I walked around the lake. and to the Old Town.
Hangzhou has buses and a metro but I got around mostly on foot. I didn’t have internet access when I was there so I couldn’t access Google Maps but it was relatively easy to find the lake and wander along the pathways.
I saw a small-scale people mover tractor train ferrying people through the park around Westlake and for a few Yuan, you can buy a ticket and jump on if you want to rest your legs. Westlake is huge and I walked a lot when I was visiting.
Best Things to Do with 1 Day in Hangzhou
Here are the best things to do with just 1 day in Hangzhou:
1. Explore Westlake
I started my one day trip to Hangzhou exploring the lush landscaped gardens that surround Westlake (called Xi lake on the map). The Lake was misty and atmospheric in the early morning and I wandered along shaded, winding pathways surrounded by green trees and beautiful gardens.
On Westlake, the following places are worth visiting:
- Pavillion of the Cranes
- Three Pools Mirroring the Moon
- Bridge of the Nine Arches (Nine-turn Bridge on the map)
- Su Causeway
- Leifeng Pagoda
- City God Pavillion
- Hangzhou Museum
When I was tired of walking, I sat and enjoyed the peaceful lake views through a veil of weeping willow leaves.
2. Watch the locals practice Tai Chi
A highlight of a day trip to Hangzhou is seeing and experienceing the local Chinese culture. Westlake is a popular spot for people to exercise and socialise in the morning. In the paved areas around the lake, I saw some wonderful Tai Chi with highly skilled practitioners who looked like they had been practising all their lives.
They wore silk martial arts pyjamas and performed the Tai Chi movements with swords and fans.
In another area around the lake, a group of older people were ballroom dancing and one couple was dressed to impress wearing brightly coloured clothes, hats and dark sunglasses and it was only just after 7 o’clock in the morning.
There were lots of people socialising and exercising and a group of men rollerblading.
My favourite was the man practising calligraphy. With large brushes, he painted poetry in water on the pavement and the beautiful Chinese characters took some time to dry. There were large areas of the footpath covered in wet Chinese calligraphy.
3. Take a Dragon Boat Ride
One of the highlights of a day trip to Hangzhou is riding in a Dragon Boat across the lake to Little Paradise Island to see “Three Pools Mirroring the Moon”. The traditional boats have a beautiful carved wooden roof and railings and tickets cost Y70. You can also hire a rowing boat to explore the islands on the lake.
Paradise Island has a lake with winding, shaded pathways leading to arched bridges and pavilions. The walkways and gardens are carefully designed to create special moments when you notice a perfect reflection in the still water.
TIP: If you want to experience peace and quiet I would recommend going early as it became quite crowded with Chinese visitors on the islands as the day progressed.
4. Visit Leifeng Pagoda for Stunning Views
The Liefeng Pagoda, to the south of Westlake is another lovely place to visit on a day trip to Hangzhou. Leifeng Pagoda dates back to AD 975 and is visible from across the lake. The ancient temple was rebuilt around 100 years ago and is one of the most popular places to visit in Hangzhou.
At the top of the Pagoda, there are 360° views over Westlake, the Wulin Mountains and the city of Hangzhou. Inside the pagoda, the viewing platforms were quite crowded. You can queue for the lift but I decided to dodge the crowds and took the stairs to the top (cost Y40).
To get there you can walk around the lake or take the transport through the park. I took a traditional boat from Paradise Island but it was still a half-hour walk to the pagoda from the jetty.
5. Hangzhou Old Town: Shop & Eat at Hefang Street
In the late afternoon or evening head to Hangzhou Old Town where the busy marketplace in Hefang Street is in full swing. Shopping on the pedestrian market street is one of the best things to do on a day trip to Hangzhou and the market comes alive at night.
Hefang Street in the Hangzhou Old Town is also known as Qinghefang Street (Hefang Jie on the map) and dates back more than 800 years to the Southern Song Dynasty. It’s now a pedestrian shopping street that offers a taste of life in China hundreds of years ago, with cobbled streets and laneways lined with beautifully preserved traditional shops and houses.
Some buildings date back to the 14th century and the Ming dynasty while others are a bit later from the Qing dynasty in the 15th century. Many Chinese visitors dress in traditional clothing and this adds to the historic atmosphere of the Old Town.
There are traditional Chinese herb shops, silversmiths, artisans & artists. You can watch the craftsmen at work and see people making sweets and silk clothing and playing Chinese musical instruments.
I walked to Hefang Street from Westlake and it’s the perfect place to stop for a meal. Eat at a restaurant or enjoy snacking on street food as I did.
7. Sample Dragon Well Tea
In the Old Town on Hefang Street, the shop owners come out onto the street to tempt passersby with their wares and I was offered some Dragon Well Tea. I went into the shop to enjoy an (almost) traditional Chinese tea ceremony.
Dragon Well Tea is grown locally in Longjing Village near Westlake China. “Longjing” translates to “Dragon Well” and the tea is famous for its quality and delicate flavour. It’s refreshing to drink and makes a great souvenir.
The marketplace is very popular with Chinese visitors who like to dress up in traditional Chinese clothing to pose for photographs. It’s lots of fun to wander around and enjoy the street food and the bustling atmosphere of the ancient marketplace. But you can expect to find a lot of Chinese tourists here.
At the end of my day trip to Hangzhou, I caught a taxi back to the station for an evening train back to Shanghai. From Hefang Street I walked to the main road to pick up a taxi as the pedestrian street is closed to traffic.
Other Things to Do in & Around Hangzhou
I only had 1 day in Hangzhou and would have liked more time to explore Westlake and the surrounding countryside. Here are some more things to do in Hangzhou.
- Visit the Lingyin temple. This ancient Buddhist shrine dates back to the 4th Century and can be found west of the Lake in the Wulin Mountains.
- Visit Longjing Village and enjoy hiking in the scenic Tea Terraces where the famous Dragon Well tea is grown. Longjin Village is located outside Hangzhou in the hills southwest of the lake.
- Take the cable car to the Lingshun Temple, also known as the Temple of Wealth. The Ling Shun temple dates back to the Jin Dynasty and sits at the top of Beigaofeng Mountain in Hangzhou. There’s also a walking trail to the charming 1700-year-old Temple at the top of the mountain.
- Hangzhou Tea Museum, is dedicated to the history and culture of fine tea in China.
Is Hangzhou Safe for female travellers?
As a solo female traveller, I felt comfortable walking alone in Hangzhou and exploring Westlake. There were tourist police patrolling the city and the lake area of Hangzhou felt like a safe and orderly place.
When to go
A day trip to Hangzhou from Shanghai is possible year-round destination but the best time to visit is in the Spring (March to May) when the gardens are in bloom and in Autumn (September to November) with November being the best month to enjoy the Autumn colours and clear weather.
I was there in October in spring and it was a lovely time of year for a day trip to Hangzhou.
Summer is also a popular time to visit but can be hot and humid.
Avoid the Chinese National Holiday in the first week of October, the Chinese Spring Festival and Labour Day if you don’t like crowds and book transport and accommodation well in advance if you’re travelling at peak times.
Where to Stay in Hangzhou
Budget: I can recommend the Hangzhou Hofang Guesthouse. I stayedin a private room in the Old Town & loved the traditional ambience and the location close to the marketplace and within walking distance of Westlake. The staff were helpful and spoke English well.
The guesthouse had charming traditional Chinese architecture with dark carved woodwork and rooms opening onto a pretty courtyard. I enjoyed staying here.
Luxury: For a more luxurious option, try the Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale Hangzhou. It has a great location and gets excellent reviews.
Final Thoughts: A day trip to Hangzhou from Shanghai
I loved visiting picturesque Westlake from Shanghai and I had a delightful one day in Hangzhou exploring Westlake and the Old Town marketplace on Hefang Street, but I suggest allowing more time if you can. Only an hour from Shanghai by train, a day trip to Hangzhou is worthwhile but there’s enough beauty and culture there to spend several days.
1 day in Hangzhou is enough time to get a taste of the beautiful gardens and temples surrounding charming Westlake but it’s not enough time to explore outside the city.
If you only have time for a day trip from Shanghai, make sure you take an early train so you don’t miss the morning Tai Chi and socialising around Westlake. Seeing the traditional Chinese culture was a highlight for me.
I had a wonderful day in Hangzhou but wish I’d had more time to see the ancient Lingying and Lingshun temples, the Wulin Mountains and the scenic Tea Terraces of Longjin Village.
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