Wooden cruise boats shuttle visitors from a number of points on the banks of West Lake to the Mid-Lake Pavilion and Xiaoying Island, which has a fine central pavilion and ‘nine-turn’ causeway. From the island you can look over at the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon, a string of three small towers in the water, each of which has five holes that release shafts of candlelight on the night of the Mooncake Festival in autumn.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
0.83 MILES
The very definition of classical beauty in China, West Lake is utterly mesmerising: pagoda-topped hills rise over willow-lined waters as boats drift…
2.63 MILES
Hangzhou’s most famous Buddhist temple, Lingyin Temple was originally built in AD 326, but has been destroyed and rebuilt no fewer than 16 times. During…
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2.32 MILES
The lush, green scenery around this tea village up in the hills southwest of West Lake makes for a wonderful break from the bustle of Hangzhou. Visitors…
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0.7 MILES
The serene yet monastically active Chan (Zen) Jingci Temple was built in AD 954 and has been fully restored. The splendid first hall contains the massive,…
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3.06 MILES
The 60m-high octagonal Six Harmonies Pagoda, dating from AD 1165 in its current form but first built in AD 960, is a stout pagoda that once served as a…
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1.13 MILES
At the southern end of Zhongshan Zhonglu is this touristy, crowded and bustling pedestrian street, with makeshift puppet theatres, teahouses, and gift and…
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Huqing Yutang Chinese Medicine Museum
1.41 MILES
The Huqing Yutang Chinese Medicine Museum has a dispensary and clinic adjoined to the museum. Established by the Qing dynasty merchant Hu Xueyan in 1874,…
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0.91 MILES
This vast museum is devoted to all things silk, covering fashion, craftsmanship and the historic Silk Road in great depth. Extensive galleries showcase…
Nearby Hangzhou attractions
1. Three Pools Mirroring the Moon
0.12 MILES
From Xiaoying Island, you can look over at Three Pools Mirroring the Moon, three small towers in the water on the southern side of the island; each has…
0.52 MILES
A Ming dynasty Chinese pavilion sits on this small islet in the West Lake. Many of the cruise boats pass close by it, but it's not accessible to tourists.
0.55 MILES
Topped with a golden spire, the eye-catching Leifeng Pagoda can be climbed for fine views of the lake. The original pagoda, built in AD 977, collapsed in…
0.7 MILES
The serene yet monastically active Chan (Zen) Jingci Temple was built in AD 954 and has been fully restored. The splendid first hall contains the massive,…
0.83 MILES
The very definition of classical beauty in China, West Lake is utterly mesmerising: pagoda-topped hills rise over willow-lined waters as boats drift…
0.85 MILES
This exquisite and serene park just south of the Su Causeway off West Lake offers quiet walks among lush woodland, ponds, lakes, rose gardens and lawns…
0.91 MILES
Connected to West Lake’s northern shores by the Bai Causeway is Gushan Island ( 孤山, Gū Shān), the lake’s largest island and the site of the modest…