Hangzhou Travel Guide

General Introduction to Hangzhou

Hangzhou is famous for its natural scerary and historic heritages. As a famous tourist city in east coastal China, Hangzhou has become more and more popular in China for its unique sight and culture. The West lake is the most famous scerary in Hangzhou. Any one come to Hangzhou will go there and take a picture with this lake which is full with story and Chinese romance culture. Anyone come to Hangzhou can feel its rich Chinese culture and historic empression. Take a look at Hangzhou and feel more.

The celebrated Neolithic culture of Hemudu inhabited Yuyao, an area (now a city) 100 kilometers south-east of Hangzhou, as far back as seven thousand years ago when rice was first cultivated in southeastern China. The area immediately surrounding the modern city of Hangzhou was inhabited five thousand years ago by the Liangzhu culture, so named for the small town of Liangzhu not far to the northwest of Hangzhou where the ancient jade carving civilization was first discovered.

 

 

Hangzhou Weather and Climate

Hangzhou's climate is Humid Subtropical (Koppen classification Cfa) with four distinctive seasons, characterised by long, very hot, humid summers and short, cool to cold, cloudy and dry winters (with occasional snow). The average annual temperature in Hangzhou is 16.2°C. Hangzhou receives an average annual rainfall of 1450 mm. Hangzhou is affected by the Plum Rains of the Asian Monsoon in June. In late summer (August to September), Hangzhou, along with other cities in Zhejiang province, suffer typhoon storms, but typhoons seldom strike it directly. Generally they make land along the southern coast of Zhejiang, and affect Hangzhou with strong winds and stormy rains.

Top Ten Attactions in Hangzhou

Hangzhou is renowned for its historic relics and natural beauty. It is often known as one of the most beautiful cities in China. It has been ranked as one of the ten most scenic cities in China. Although Hangzhou has been through many recent urban developments, it still retains its historical and cultural heritage. Today, tourism remains an important factor for Hangzhou's economy. One of Hangzhou's most popular sights is West Lake. The lake itself covers an area of 6 km2 (600 hectares) and includes some of Hangzhou's most famous historic and scenic places. Adjacent to the lake is a scenic area covering over 50 square kilometres. The area includes historical pagodas, cultural sites, as well as the natural beauty of the lake and hills. There are two causeways across the lake.

 

 

Hangzhou Public Transport

Hangzhou is serviced by the Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, which has direct flights to Japan, Korea, Malaysia and Singapore, regional routes to Hong Kong and Macau, as well as numerous domestic routes. Located just outside of the city in the Xiaoshan District, it is one of the major secondary international airports in China.

 

Top Ten Hotels in Hangzhou

In Hangzhou you can easily find a nice hotel in and around the downtown areas. Being the capital of Zhejiang province, Hangzhou attracts thousands of tourists from home and abroad. Accommodations in Hangzhou is reknown for its unque sea sightseeing. Here are the hotels recommendation:

 

Famous Food in Hangzhou

Hangzhou cuisine is the representative of Zhejiang Cuisine, one of China’s eight cuisines. And it wins reputation for freshness, tenderness, softness, smoothness of its dishes with mellow fragrance. A great poet of Song Dynasty once praised it as follows: there’s no food that can compare with the Hangzhou cuisine.

 

Top Ten Restaurants in Hangzhou

Hangzhou dishes, being the most important part of Zhejiang cuisine, are noted for its elaborate preparations, sophisticated way of cooking and its most refreshing taste. It is not only delicious but extremely elegant in appearance also. The local specialties include Beggar's Chicken (an entire chicken cooked in a ball of mud), West Lake Fish in Sweet Sour Source (vinegar coated fish from the lake), Dongpo Pork (braised pork) and Fried Shrimps with Longjing Tea Leaves, and many others.

 

 

Hangzhou Nightlife and Top Ten Pubs and Bars

As a capital city of Zhejiang province, Hangzhou is rich in entertainments and cultural activity. Tourists can easily find a bars or a pubs or just a tea house to relax and enjoy the unique culture of the city. Here is a list of them:

 

 

Hangzhou Shopping Items

Hangzhou is well known for producing excellent silks, including satins. Throughout its long history, a variety of Hangzhou silks and satins have been sold throughout the world. The best place for purchasing silk in Hangzhou is at Hangzhou Silk City, the biggest silk wholesale and retail market in China with more than 600 silk enterprises dealing in a wide variety of pure silk fabrics, garments, handicraft articles, scarves, and ties.

 

 

Hangzhou Travel Tips

1. After arriving at Hangzhou Airport, please hire a cab driving to Hangzhou West Bus Station where you could catch a bus to reach Tunxi of downtown Huangshan City directly. The last bus leaves here at 18:00. The bus fare is CNY86/adult.

2. My suggestion is that you could take a bus from Hangzhou to visit Suzhou for 2 days. Then, back to Hangzhou and transfer to the bus to Huangshan. Alternatively, you could take a train to Shanghai from Suzhou in 40 minutes, and then take a bus to Huangshan. Stay another 2 days in Huangshan, please return to Hangzhou and spend the rest days here..

3. There is only one shuttle bus to Shanghai supplied by Air Asia to its passengers.

4. You can take the shuttle bus from Hanghzou Airport to the terminal station Wu Lin Men(CNY 20.00). then take taxi to the place , about CNY11-15 or U can choose public bus No.K102 (CNY2)to Zhejiang University Xixi campus , a little bit walking from the there..