Shanghai- Hangzhou West Lake One-Day Bus Tour

We’ll then drive via highway to the city of Hangzhou. Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang Province in East China, is one of the more modern and prosperous cities in China. It sits at the southern end of the Grand Canal and is one of China's seven ancient national capitals. Hangzhou's "heavenly" beauty attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists to its exquisite West Lake (Xi Hu) area each year to enjoy the placid lake, beautiful gardens, reflecting pools, lavish temples and lakeside teahouses. (driving time of 2 hours)

When we arrive in Hangzhou we’ll first visit the Lingyin Temple, which is near West Lake. Lingyin Temple is one of the ten most famous ancient Buddhist temples in China. It also houses various Buddhist literature and treasures situated in front of the Temple, and is famous for its more than 470 stone carvings of Buddhist figures, which dated from the 10th to 14th centuries. (1.5 hours)

We’ll next start to explore the features of West Lake at the Red Carp Pond. The Red Carp Pond is the heart of Viewing Fish at Flower Harbor Park (Huagang Guanyu), one of the ten places of interests at West Lake. Countless carps live and play in Red Carp Pond, fascinating thousands of visitors each year. For centuries, like the West Lake itself, the Red Carp Pond has afforded beauty and cultural respite to emperors and poets alike who expressed their admiration through poems, calligraphy, and drawings. (30 min)

 Then we’ll take a break for lunch at a local restaurant near West Lake. We can try some Zhejiang cuisine, the culinary style of the region. The fresh, tender, soft, and smooth dishes accompanied by its mellow fragrance have won for itself widespread reputation in the culinary world. 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. (30 min)

After lunch, we’ll get a better look of the beauty of West Lake, we’ll take a cruise. Cruising on West Lake, you are sure to revel in its charm. West Lake, like a landscape painting, will cause you to marvel at its beauty and will perhaps make you feel as though you have stepped into a land of magic and fantasy. The scenery around West Lake is unique according to the different seasons. In spring, the grasses are tall and nightingales fly in the air. The graceful lotuses in summer, smooth lake in autumn and plum blossom in winter are all unique elements which give visitors a real sense of the beauty of the area. (1 hr)

We’ll next drive back to Shanghai, but on the way we’ll stop for a bit of shopping of some traditional crafts and knick-knacks. Like many places in China, it’s suggested to bargain hard with the retailer. If you need some help your guide can give you a hand! (30 min for shopping, 2 hr of driving)