Shanghai is a modern metropolis, famous for its never-ending construction and towering skyscrapers. Yet, just 180 kilometers away, lies Hangzhou, the capital of the Zhejiang province. Culturally rich and renowned for it’s picturesque beauty, Hangzhou makes for the perfect relaxing day trip away from the hustle and bustle.
Getting there
The best and fastest way to get the Hangzhou is by train. The D train, “Dong Che Zhu” departs from the South Shanghai railway station and arrives at the Hangzhou station within 1 hour and 40 minutes. The N and T trains are slightly slower, arriving within 2 to 2 ½ hours, and the K trains are even slower. It’s best to plan your return and buy your return ticket ahead of time, as the last finishes its run early in the evening. After arriving at the Hangzhou train station, it’s a quick cab ride into the city.
What to see
Hangzhou is famous for the beautiful West Lake. It is associated with Chinese romantic poetry and was well loved over the span of multiple dynasties. Chinese tourists flock here to walk around the tree lined 15 kilometer circumference. There are ten traditional scenic spots along the lake, along with ponds, springs, temples and tombs. At one of the main entrances, you can sit down for drinks at Costa coffee and a number of other nice restaurants before starting on your walk. Bicycles can be rented for 10 RMB per hour (with a 200 yuan deposit) and can be returned to any bike location. Boat rides along te lake are also offered for a fee. You will not have time to see all of the lake in one day, but you can easily spend a few hours there.
The West Lake is also famous for its tea, Xihu Longjing Cha (West Lake Dragonwell tea). It is best to drink it with the water from the West Lake spring. There are numerous tea houses where you can try it and if you have enough time, you can plan ahead and visit a long jing farm plantation.
If time permits, a visit to the National Silk Museum would round off a day of cultural sightseeing and relaxing.
Top 3 Hotels in Shanghai:
- Junan Design Hotel standard double from € 43/£ 38/$ 58
- Guhua Garden Hotel standard double from € 23/£ 21/$ 32
- Ruitai Jing’an Hotel double room from € 48/£ 43/$ 65
Photo of Hangzhou lake by madiko83
One response to “How to take a day trip from Shanghai to Hangzhou”
Report an inappropriate commentMarch 11th, 2010 at 10:20 am
I live in hangzhou, and now is the time to visit. The weather is clearing up a bit and they will start to pick the new tea this month – there will be thousands of people in the fields carting tea back to hand pressed and dried the old fashioned way – in an electric looking wok. When they start picking I will grab some photos and post.
Research your tea prices before shelling out – this new tea often goes to auction for really silly sums.
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