Hangzhou

Highlights

• West Lake (UNESCO World Heritage)
• Lingyin Temple and Buddhist grottoes
• Longjing tea plantations
• Grand Canal (ancient waterway)
• Hefang Street historic quarter
• China National Silk Museum

Getting Around

Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (HGH) serves domestic routes and a handful of international Asian connections. The fastest connection from Shanghai is the high-speed G-train, which covers the 175 km in as little as 45 minutes from Hongqiao Station. From Beijing, the high-speed journey takes about 4.5 hours. A new metro line connects the airport to the city centre and the high-speed rail station at Hangzhou East.

Food

Hangzhou cuisine belongs to the Zhejiang school — lighter than Sichuan, sweeter than Beijing, and famous for its use of fresh water ingredients. Dongpo pork (meltingly soft braised pork belly named after the Song poet Su Dongpo) is the city's signature dish, best eaten at Louwailou restaurant on the lake shore. Beggar's chicken (a whole bird wrapped in lotus leaves and clay-baked for hours) and West Lake fish in vinegar sauce are equally essential. The Longjing tea village south of the lake offers the chance to drink freshly picked Dragon Well green tea in a farmer's courtyard.

Stay

Staying near the West Lake northern shore puts you closest to the classic lake views, Bai Causeway, and Lingyin Temple bus connections — the Xihu area has both luxury lakeside hotels and mid-range business hotels one street back. For a livelier base with metro access, the Wulin Square and Yan'an Road corridor is the commercial centre. Budget guesthouses cluster around Hubin Road and the Hefang Street pedestrian area.

Budget