Experience the Wonders of 'Heaven on Earth' in Hangzhou

In Hangzhou, travelers can explore, dine, and indulge in leisure activities to their heart's content. Every need is catered to, leaving unforgettable impressions.

Discover the Charms of Hangzhou

The region of Jiangnan has long been celebrated in Chinese poetry and painting. Ancient Chinese adage goes: 'Heaven above, Hangzhou below' to praise the stunning beauty of this picturesque and romantic land.

Transportation and Accommodation Suggestions

To reach Hangzhou, Vietnamese tourists typically depart from Shanghai by car or train. There are two options: regular and high-speed trains, with the shortest travel time being about an hour. Among these, high-speed trains are the most convenient and cost-effective, offering frequent services throughout the day.

Hangzhou, being a tourist city, offers plenty of options for clean and comfortable double rooms in the city center, ranging from 500,000 to one million dong, right near West Lake. Zhong Shan Zhong Road is a popular choice for many tourists. This pedestrian street, with its ancient cobblestones, exudes tranquility despite the numerous shops, and is conveniently close to Hangzhou Station.

With its vast expanse and numerous attractions, it's advisable to stay here for at least 2 days.

Activities Recommendation in Hangzhou

Explore West Lake by Bike

West Lake is not only the focal point of Hangzhou but also the 'pearl' of Jiangnan region, and even the entire feudal China. Most famous tourist spots in Hangzhou are situated around West Lake. There are nearly 10 must-visit attractions here alone.

To explore all these scenic spots, if not joining a tour, tourists often rent electric bikes. Each bike can accommodate about 5-7 people for a tour around the lake. However, if you're up for some exercise, cycling is the top choice to explore West Lake. There are various types of bikes available at different prices, with the lowest starting at around 100,000 dong for 4 hours.

With a circumference of about 15 km, you can easily spend an afternoon leisurely cycling around the lake. By this means, you can relax amidst the lush greenery, passing through small stone bridges in the twilight – an experience not found on typical tourist tours.

Climb Thunder Peak Tower

Thunder Peak Tower is one of the scenic spots by West Lake. Standing at 5 stories tall, octagonal in shape, it has a long history and collapsed several decades ago. The current tower is built on its original foundation.

Visitors purchase tickets to ascend to the highest floor of the tower and enjoy an unrestricted view of West Lake. In fact, even if you don't have enough time to visit all the main attractions around the lake, it's still worth taking the time to climb Thunder Peak Tower.

Admire the Sunset on Doan Bridge, Truong Bridge

Similar to Thunder Peak Tower, Doan Bridge and Truong Bridge are also unmissable highlights of West Lake. In Chinese culture, West Lake is likened to a convergence of culture and history, with numerous legends and myths holding significant meaning to the national culture formed from this place.

If Doan Kieu Bridge is where Hua Tien met Bach Nương Tử in the legend of Thanh Xa – Bach Xa, Truong Bridge recalls the famous love story of Luong Son Ba – Chuc Anh Dai.

Sitting by the lake in the radiant sunset, beside the swaying willows, and lotus flowers spreading their cool green petals, you truly understand why the Chinese folklore says: 'Born in Tô Châu, live in Hàng Châu, eat in Quảng Châu, and die in Liễu Châu.' This is truly a city worth living in and perfect for relaxation.

Visit Linh An Pagoda

Linh An Pagoda is not far from West Lake, only about 15 minutes by taxi, with a convenient bus route to the foot of the pagoda. The pagoda, built nearly 2,000 years ago and renovated many times, is very spacious and beautiful, with a constant flow of tourists visiting even on weekdays.

Visitors purchase tickets at the entrance and are given a detailed and understandable guide. However, it should be noted that each section of the pagoda is separately ticketed, and entrance tickets do not include access to the other parts of the pagoda.

Try Dong Pha Meat

Dong Pha Meat is not only famous but also truly delights even the most discerning diners from various culinary backgrounds worldwide. It's the epitome of 'authentic' Chinese braised pork in Vietnam.

The glossy reddish-brown meat, perfectly balanced fat, cut into neat squares, tied with fresh spring onions, served in a clay pot emitting fragrant smoke that few can resist. The harmonious sweet-salty flavor in perfect proportion requires no embellishment, best enjoyed with plain rice, sometimes accompanied by a side of blanched vegetables.

You can savor this dish at all restaurants in Hangzhou, big or small, as no visitor leaves without trying it.

Enjoy Longjing Tea

China is renowned for tea, and none more so than the exquisite Longjing tea. The Longjing tea village is quite close to West Lake; tourists interested in visiting can take a bus, taxi, or join a tour.

Longjing tea was highly favored by successive imperial dynasties. Emperor Kangxi even dubbed this type of tea 'royal tea,' symbolizing the monarch. The preparation of Longjing tea is intricate, ensuring its exceptional taste and quality.

However, tea is classified into 7 grades: premium tea, special tea, grades 1 to 5 tea. Those not familiar with tea will find it difficult to buy the good grades, often opting for pre-packaged or regular tea instead.

Buy Silk

Hangzhou silk has been renowned since ancient times, not only domestically but also in many neighboring countries like Vietnam. Previously, the top-grade Hangzhou silk was reserved for royalty, crafted to perfection in material and exquisite in design.

However, like other products, it's challenging for tourists who are not experts to buy high-grade silk, often ending up with regular quality or even mixed silk. Therefore, it's advisable to purchase silk at a reasonable price to avoid risks. The patterns, motifs, and colors of Hangzhou silk are truly 'legendary'.

Watch the 'Tong Thanh Ancient Love' Show

The Tong Thanh tourist area is quite far from West Lake; usually, you'll spend about 425,000 dong for the round trip. This is an artificial tourist spot, recreating the ancient atmosphere of the Song dynasty with teahouses, eateries, ancient-style houses, and many staff in period costumes, immersing visitors in the past.

The 'Tong Thanh Ancient Love' show boasts a famous slogan: 'Give me a day/I'll give you a thousand years,' implying the historical reenactment of the Jiangnan region through magnificent stage effects, deeply moving the audience. It's one of the special performances directed by Truong Nghe Mưu to promote tourism in this country.

Tickets are quite expensive, around one million dong, lasting for over an hour, but definitely worth the investment.

According to Ngoisao

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Reference: Mytour Travel Guide