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Friday 4 December 2015

ZHEJIANG- HANGZHOU WEST LAKE TREK

THE ZHEJIANG- HANGZHOU TREK

LOCATION: HANGZHOU, CHINA



Upon arrival at Hangzhou, check into an economical hotel. After setting down at the hotel, hire a bicycle and cycle around the West Lake. Take time to appreciate the ten classical sites around the lake, such as Su, Bai causeways, broken bridge etc.

On your second day, expore places like Laohe Hill, Qingting Hill, Jiangjun Hill, Beauty Peak, Baiyun Peak, Jiuhua Mountain. Laohe Hill is located near the Yuquan campus of Zhejiang University and can be  reached by taking one of these buses: No. K293, 82, K82, K89, K16, 21, K21, K101, 15, K15, 815, 527, or K527. Alight at the Yuquan campus bus stop. Distinctive signs are posted along the way, so you won't get lost. The whole journey will take about 6-9 hours.

Take a city tour on your last day in Hangzhou.

Hangzhou04 : 2 Days Hangzhou - Changhua - Western Grand Canyon - Longgang - Daming Mountain - Hangzhou
If you do not have your own transport, take a coach at the West Coach Station. The coach runs frequently at several minutes interval. It takes about 2½ hour to reach Changhua town from Hangzhou and the fare costs CNY15.00 per person. 

Upon arrival in Changhua, take another bus to the Western Grand Canyon. The fare is CNY5.00 and the journey takes another 1½ hour. Visit Tuolin Waterfall, Jianmen Pass and Laojiao Stream. Since the places of interests are far apart, it would be more convenient to travel in a group with others in a chartered van. This way, you can have the driver to drive you to the entrance and pick everyone up again at the exit and then transfer to the next site. It takes about 40 minutes' drive from Changhua to Longgang. 

Stay overnight at a local clean hotel. 

Head for Daming Mountain the next day. It is a majestic and splendid site but takes about 7 hours' to hike up the mountain on foot. You will appreciate all the natural wonders as you climb up the hill. It is a good idea to start hiking early, preferably before 10:00AM. Pack some high energy foods, like roast duck, chicken, ham and sausages that provide and maintain strength. Call 0571-63709588 for more information. 

There is no direct transport services between Daming Mountain and Hangzhou, so you need to return to Changhua first and then take the coach back to Hangzhou. Time is a little bit tight if you return to Hangzhou in one day, so make the best of your time.


Hangzhou05 :  3 Days Hangzhou - Bao'an - Longjing Village - Longxi Village - 28 Du - Jiangshan - Hangzhou
Bao'an town, a Jiangshan city of Zhejiang province, is the gateway to Xianxia Old Trail. It is 240 kilometers away from Hangzhou and will take 4 hours' drive.

After a good rest in Hangzhou city, take a coach at the South Coach Station on Qiutao road to reach Jiangshan city on the first day. The coach runs every hour from 07:30 hours to 18:00 hours daily. Upon arrival at Jiangshan, find a hotel for a good rest for the night.

On the second day,  take a bus from Jiangshan to Bao'an at the new bus station. It is about 52 kilometers from Jiangshan to Bao'an and the journey will take 1 hour 40 minutes. Xianxia Old Trail is one of the most complete preservations of the Huangchao uprising and hiking will commence from this point.

There are in total 4 stone passes. Hike to the First and Second Pass; visit Longjing and Longxi villages. It is also worthwhile going up the hill along the path and cross Xiaoganling to reach an old town called 28 Du. Its special location and the frequent wars made the town a clustering of dialects. As a matter of fact, there are in total 9 different dialects and more than 130 surnames. The town maintains the ancient architecture and life style. Enjoy the local flavors and stay at a local hotel.

On the following day, hike for 45 minutes and you will reach Fengling Pass, which looks like a bridge. Visit Fugai Rock and return to Hangzhou via Jiangshan.
Hangzhou06 :3 Days Hangzhou - Putuo Mountain - Shenjiamen - Peach Island - Hangzhou
If hiking Putuo Mountain is to your fancy, take a bus from Hangzhou to Shenjiamen at the Hangzhou East Coach Station. Call 0571-86964011 for more bus information.

There are 8 scheduled buses running from Hangzhou to Banshengdong port at Shenjiamen from the  coach station and the journey will take about 4½ hours. 
There are hourly ferry services to Putuo Mountain which takes only half an hour. Speed boat services are also available and takes only about 10 minutes. Call 0580-6091124 for further information.

Hike to Xitian Scenic Area, including Kwan-yin Ancient Cave, Pantuo Rock, Xinzi Rock and Puji Temple.

On the next day, continue visiting Nantian Gate, Purple Bamboo Forest and Nanhai Kwan-yin in the morning. Transfer back to Shejiamen by speed boat. Upon arrival, enjoy the night scenery of the fishing harbor.

It is a good idea to visit Peach Island on the last day. There are both ferry and speed boat services between Shenjiamen and Peach Island. It takes only 20 minutes by speed boat to reach Peace Island. It is better to purchase a return ticket beforehand. Please remember that the last ferry and the speed boat services is at 17:00 hour and 15:00 hour respectively.

Visit the Shediao Entertainment Center, Dafo Rock Scenic Area and Peach Valley Scenic Area. Return to Shenjiamen and take a coach back to Hangzhou. Your pleasant hiking tour ends here. 

Trekking in Other Destinations of Zhejiang: Jinhua, Lin'an, Ninghai, Shaoxing, Wenzhou  

Other Important Information:
  • Chinese: 西湖 Xī Hú /sshee hoo/ (xi is 'west'; hu is 'lake')
  • Location: Southwest of downtown Hangzhou, 180 km southwest of Shanghai
  • Area: 6.5 square kilometers (2½ square miles)
  • Highlights: The Ten Scenic Sites of West Lake, boat cruises, biking, scenic walks, Impression West Lake night show
  • Recommended visit: 2 days
West Lake was selected as one of the "12 superb sunset spots around the world" by CNN. Walking around West Lake is free, so amble around al leisure to appreciate the beautiful scenery. The best places to photograph sunset views are Broken Bridge, Su Causeway, and Yanggong Causeway.

Highlights You Shouldn't Miss

Su Causeway and Bai Causeway — best in spring

lotusLotus in the Breeze at Crooked Courtyard, one of the ten scenes of West Lake
Su Causeway features in one of the best-known "Ten West Lake Sights". It is a long causeway with willows and other plants on both sides.

Viewing Fish and Lotus Fronds at Flower Pond

At the southern end of Su Causeway, it has been made into a charming park with many varieties of trees and flowers, featuring a peony garden which blooms in April, and the famous goldfish pond.
There are ten famous scenes of West Lake. Every scene has its own iconic features. Read more about other highlights of West Lake.

Impression West Lake — the night show on the lake

Impression West Lake is an outdoor live performance. Performed in the evening, with lights, music, and dancing on its West Lake stage, it tells a beautiful love story of five acts: "Encounter", "Fall in Love", "Say Goodbye", "Memory", and "Impression". The show is available from March to December.
Tickets: 250 yuan (40 USD) – 600 yuan (100 USD)
Best times: spring and fall
April to October: 7:45–8:45
March, November, December: 7:15–8:15
  • If the weather is good and demand is high, there may be a second performance from 9:45 to 10:45.

Music Fountain Show

There is a music fountain at Lakeside Third Park Dock, West Lake. The fountain area is 126 meters long, erupting into life twice in the day and four times in the early evening.
  • Begins: 10:00 am, 3:30 pm, 7:30 pm, 8:00 pm, 8:30 pm, 9:00 pm
  • Lasting: 15 minutes in daytime, 10 minutes at night

How to Get to West Lake

Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport – West Lake: about 30 km

travel guideOur guide introduce guest about West Lake on the way.
Book private transport (recommended): We advise you to book a transfer service with a driver and travel guide. So that you don't have to worry about getting lost and can learn about West Lake on your way to the site.
Take a taxi by yourself (less recommended): If you don't want to book a transfer service or tour, you can take a taxi from the airport. It's about 1 hour's drive. Most drivers don't speak English, so you may should prepare the name of where you want to go on West Lake in Chinese.
Take airport bus (not recommended): If you want to save money and can use a Hangzhou bus map, you can take the airport bus. It's about 2 hours' drive, including the bus waiting time. First take the airport bus to Hangzhou Railway Station, and then take bus Y2 to Jingsi (净寺).

Is it possible to have a one day trip to West Lake from Shanghai?

The answer is YES! Travelling between Hangzhou, Suzhou, and Shanghai now is very convenient because of the bullet train system. You can travel from one to another in about 1 hour. 

Nearby Attractions

lingyin templeLingyin Temple
Lingyin Temple : 'Temple of the Soul's Retreat' is a quiet and sheltered sanctuary. It is one of the largest and most-visited Buddhist temples in China, and holds the largest statue of the Buddha Sakyamuni in the lotus position.
Qinghefang Pedestrian Street : The shops are mainly oriented for tourists, and they sell curios, paintings, souvenirs, craft products, and other works of art. There are also restaurants featuring foreign food for tourists, and some teahouses and shops with long histories.
Six Harmonies Pagoda : It offers a fine view of Qiantang River, famous for the world's largest tidal bores, which are extremely spectacular during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Meijiawu Tea Plantation : It is one of the Four Famous Sites for Longjing Tea (Dragon Well — "China's Top Tea"), featuring a tea farm and village with rich tea culture and tourist development. It attracts over a million tourists every year.

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