Short answer
Three days is the right length for Hangzhou. Day one is the West Lake circuit, day two is Lingyin Temple and the Longjing tea hills, day three is the Grand Canal, Xixi Wetland or a water town. West Lake itself is free and open at all hours, which is why it carries the trip.
Two things need booking. Lingyin Temple and Feilai Feng have been free since December 2025, but entry is reservation-only, with real-name timed slots released through the official mini program days in advance. Leifeng Pagoda is around ¥40 and worth booking online. Turn up without a slot and you will be turned away.
Walk the lake early and late, not at midday: the causeways empty before 08:00 and fill around 10:00 with coach groups. Keep the middle of the day for the tea hills, the canal or a museum, then return to the water for sunset.
Before you start: the two booking rules that shape the plan
| Sight | Ticket | Booking | When to fix it |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Lake | Free | None, open all hours | No planning needed |
| Lingyin Temple and Feilai Feng | Free since December 2025 | Mandatory real-name timed reservation | Book several days ahead; slots release daily |
| Leifeng Pagoda | Around ¥40 adult, ¥20 students and seniors | Online booking advised in peak season | Book the day before |
| Three Pools Mirroring the Moon boat | Around ¥55 including the island | At the pier, no advance booking | Same day |
| Xixi National Wetland Park | Around ¥80 | Buy on arrival or online | Same day |
Day 1: the West Lake circuit
Start on the east shore, where the metro delivers you: Line 1 to Longxiangqiao, then a short walk to the water. 07:30 is the best hour of the trip.
| Time | What | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 07:30 | East shore, Broken Bridge to Bai Causeway | Quiet, soft light, locals doing tai chi |
| 09:30 | Boat to Three Pools Mirroring the Moon | Around ¥55 with the island; the classic lake view |
| 11:30 | Lunch near Wushan Square | Noodle and dumpling shops; get away from the pier crowd |
| 13:30 | Su Causeway on foot or by scenic cart | The cart covers distance fast and is worth the few yuan |
| 16:00 | Leifeng Pagoda | Around ¥40; the top floor is the best lake panorama |
| 18:00 | Sunset on the south shore, then Hefang Street | Pedestrian street, free, busy but worth one lap |
The lake is bigger than it looks on a map: a full loop runs past 15 km, so pick two or three stretches instead of the whole circuit. The West Lake guide breaks the shoreline into walkable pieces.
Day 2: Lingyin Temple and the tea hills
Book the earliest Lingyin slot you can get. A 07:30 to 09:00 arrival means you see the Feilai Feng carvings and the temple halls with space around you; by 10:30 the main hall is shoulder to shoulder.
Feilai Feng, a limestone peak covered in hundreds of Buddhist carvings, comes first because the path passes it. The temple is a working monastery, so keep voices down and step aside for worshippers.
From there, continue west into the tea hills. Longjing Village, Meijiawu and Longwu are working tea settlements with terraces, drying pans and family tea houses. Expect an offer of tasting and a question about buying; a polite no costs nothing. Budget an hour for the bus ride up and come back before dark. The tea plantation guide covers which village suits which visit.
Day 3: canal, wetland or water town
Three reasonable ways to spend the last day, in order of effort.
- Grand Canal and Gongchen Bridge. Hangzhou is the southern terminus of the Beijing-Hangzhou canal; the stretch around Gongchen Bridge is free for walking, with warehouses, museums and riverside parks. The cruise is ticketed, the walk is not.
- Xixi National Wetland Park. Around ¥80, west of the city, mostly water and reeds. The calmest half day in Hangzhou, and a good fallback when the lake is crowded.
- A water town. Wuzhen and the smaller towns southeast of the city are one to two hours each way, so they need the whole day.
Evening options
Night on the lake is its own thing: the shore is lit, the causeways stay open and the crowd thins after 20:00. Hefang Street and the Wushan Square area are busy until late and cost nothing to walk.
The canal runs evening cruises, and Hangzhou has ticketed stage shows built around the West Lake legend; casts and prices change by season, so check the official channel rather than a resale listing. Cheaper: a tea house near the lake serving tea by the cup until closing.
Costs at a glance
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| West Lake, Hefang Street, Grand Canal walk | Free |
| Lingyin Temple and Feilai Feng | Free with a reservation |
| Leifeng Pagoda | Around ¥40 |
| Three Pools Mirroring the Moon boat | Around ¥55 |
| Xixi Wetland | Around ¥80 |
| Metro ride | A few yuan per trip |
| Meal at a local noodle or dumpling shop | Low double digits |
If you only have two days
Cut the tea hills, not the lake. Day one stays the West Lake circuit; day two becomes Lingyin early, the west shore on foot, Leifeng Pagoda at sunset and Hefang Street in the evening. Drop Xixi and the canal rather than squeezing them.
The 2-day Hangzhou itinerary reshapes the same sights, and the Hangzhou travel guide covers arrival, payments and where to base yourself.
Common mistakes
- Showing up at Lingyin without a reservation. Since December 2025 there is no walk-up entry at all.
- Starting at the lake at 11:00. You get the crowds and the flat light together.
- Trying to walk the entire shoreline in one day. It runs past 15 km before detours.
- Leaving the passport behind. Timed reservations are tied to the document used to book.
- Buying tea from the first shop offered. Tastings are free; prices vary widely between villages.
Frequently asked questions
Is West Lake free?
Yes. There is no gate and no entrance fee, and the shoreline stays open at all hours. You pay only for boats, the pagoda and scenic shuttle buses.
Does Lingyin Temple need a reservation?
Yes. Since December 2025 entry is free with a mandatory real-name timed reservation booked through the official mini program, with slots released daily and bookable several days ahead. Without a slot there is no entry.
How much is Leifeng Pagoda?
Around ¥40 for adults and ¥20 for students and seniors, with discounted child entry. Book online the day before in peak season to avoid the ticket queue.
What is the best time of day for West Lake?
Before 08:00 and after 20:00. The causeways are quiet and the light is better; the 10:00 to 16:00 window belongs to tour groups, especially at Broken Bridge and the Su Causeway.
Is Hangzhou worth three days, or is one enough?
Three days covers the lake properly, the temple and tea hills, and one more area. One day buys a stretch of shoreline and little else, which is what most Shanghai day-trippers settle for.
How do I pay for things in Hangzhou?
Alipay and WeChat Pay QR codes cover almost everything, from metro turnstiles to tea shops. Keep a little cash for the odd stall without a phone payment.
Can I do this itinerary without speaking Chinese?
Yes. Metro signage is bilingual, ticket counters take phone payments, and the Lingyin booking mini program has an English interface. The tricky moments are small buses into the tea hills, where a screenshot of your destination in Chinese solves most of it.
Related reading
Compiled from official scenic-area ticketing and reservation pages, metro and rail documentation and visitor trip reports, cross-checked 29 September 2026. Reservation rules, prices and hours change with season and policy — the December 2025 Lingyin free-entry policy is recent, so the official mini program for your travel date is authoritative.