5 Days in Hangzhou (杭州) — West Lake, Lingyin Temple, Longjing & Wuzhen Day Trip

TL;DR

Best season: March–May (spring blossoms) or September–October (mild autumn). Avoid the National Day holiday (Oct 1–7), when hotel prices triple and crowds peak.
Total budget: Roughly ¥2,500–4,500 per person for 5 days, excluding international flights. Budget: ~¥2,500 (hostels, street food, metro). Mid-range: ~¥3,500 (3–4 star hotel, sit-down meals, Wuzhen day trip). Comfort: ~¥4,500+ (4–5 star, private car, tea-house experiences).
Pace: Moderate. 4 full days in Hangzhou plus 1 day trip to Wuzhen (乌镇). Suitable for first-time visitors and repeat travellers who want culture + scenery without rushing.
Currency note: Yuan (CNY/¥). Hangzhou is largely cashless — WeChat Pay or Alipay covers almost everything; foreign cards still limited outside hotels.

Day 1 — West Lake 西湖 Classics (South-North Loop)

Morning: Hubin & Leifeng Pagoda

Start at Hubin Metro Station (Line 1, near ¥3–5 taxi from most central hotels). Walk east shore of West Lake 西湖 to Hubin Park 湖滨公园 (free, opens 24h).

Leifeng Pagoda 雷峰塔: rebuilt 2002, ¥40 entry, opens 8:00. Climb for 360° lake views (~30 min).
From Leifeng, taxi ~¥20 to Long Bridge Park 长桥公园 for the willow-lined causeway.

Afternoon: Su Causeway & Boat Ride

Walk or cycle (shared bikes ~¥1.5/15 min) along Su Causeway 苏堤 (2.6 km, free, ~45 min one way).
West Lake boat ride: official docks at Hubin, Huagang, or Three Pools. ¥70 for the standard 1-hour route including Three Pools Mirroring the Moon 三潭印月 island.

Evening: Hefang Ancient Street 河坊街

Metro Line 1 to Dingan Road 定安路 (5-min walk to street entrance).
Hefang Street 河坊街: pedestrianised Qing-dynasty street, free entry, shops open until 22:00. Try Dingsheng Cake 定胜糕 (~¥8) at the south gate.
Dinner: Zhi Wei Guan 知味观 (Hefang branch) — ¥80–150 per person. Hangzhou classics: West Lake Vinegar Fish, Dongpo Pork.

Day 2 — Lingyin Temple & Flying Peak

Morning: Lingyin Temple 灵隐寺

Bus 7 or 324 from Huanglong or Lingyin Road metro stops; ~¥2 fare. Allow 40 min from central Hangzhou.
Lingyin Temple 灵隐寺 complex: ¥75 entry (cash or QR via WeChat mini-program "Lingyin Temple").
Open 7:00–18:15. Visit Grand Hall 大雄宝殿, then the Hall of Medicine Buddha 药师殿. Allow 2 hours.

Afternoon: Flying Peak & Tea Plantation

Flying Peak 飞来峰: ¥45, included in most combo tickets. 300+ Tang-era stone Buddhist carvings.
Short taxi (~¥15) to Longjing Tea Village 龙井村 in Shi Feng 狮峰 area.
Walk terraced fields, drink fresh tea at village farmhouses (~¥80–150/pot for Longjing pre-qingming).

Evening: Hubin Night Lights

Return to West Lake Hubin for the Music Fountain 音乐喷泉 (free, shows at 19:00 and 20:00, 30 min). Walk along Beishan Road 北山路 for night views of Leifeng across the water.

Day 3 — Wuzhen Water Town Day Trip (乌镇)

Morning: Transit to Wuzhen

Wuzhen Bus Station 乌镇汽车站 is served by buses from Hangzhou Jiubao Bus Station 九堡客运中心 (Line 1 metro to Jiubao, then bus; ~1h 15 min, ~¥35). Verify schedules on the official "巴巴快巴" app.
For a faster option, Hangzhou East Station 杭州东站 → Tongxiang 同里站 on the high-speed train (~25 min, ¥30–45), then taxi 30 min (~¥80) to the water town.

Wuzhen East Scenic Zone 乌镇东栅

Wuzhen East 东栅: ¥110 entry, opens 9:00. Smaller, more traditional, ~3 hours.
Highlights: Mao Dun's Former Residence 茅盾故居, Wuzhen Post Office 乌镇邮政局 (still operating), Jinzi Riverside 染店桥.

Wuzhen West Scenic Zone 乌镇西栅

Cross by free shuttle (~10 min).
Wuzhen West 西栅: ¥150 entry, opens 9:00–22:00. Allows overnight stays in canal-side inns.
Highlights: Dyeing workshop 染坊, White Lotus Temple 白莲塔, evening lantern reflection on canals.

Evening Return

Last buses back to Hangzhou leave Wuzhen Bus Station around 19:00–20:00. Verify current schedule at the station. If staying overnight, Wuzhen West Water Town Inn rooms start ~¥600.

Day 4 — Grand Canal & Cultural Hangzhou

Morning: Grand Canal 京杭大运河

Metro Line 1 to Ding'an Road, transfer to Line 5 to Grand Canal Station 运河站.
Qinghefang Old Street 清河坊: free, traditional shops and museums. Allow 2 hours.
Walk the Qingchun Bridge 青春桥 and the southern canal locks.

Afternoon: China National Tea Museum 中国茶叶博物馆

Bus 27 from downtown; Longjing Road 龙井路 branch: free entry.
Tea ceremony demonstration at 14:00 (¥30 includes tasting).

Evening: Wulin Square 武林广场

Metro Line 1. Dinner: Green Tea Restaurant 绿茶餐厅 (Hangzhou origin, popular branch here), ¥60–90 per person.
Night view of Hangzhou Tower 杭州大厦 and the LED screen.

Day 5 — Nine Creeks & Departure

Morning: Nine Creeks Meandering Through a Misty Forest 九溪十八涧

Metro Line 4 to Shuiqingmucha 水澄桥 or bus 4/39/308 to Jiuxi 九溪 stop.
Free entry. 4.5 km hike along tea terraces and nine streams. Easy grade, ~1.5 hours one way.
End at Longjing Village for a final tea tasting.

Afternoon: Final West Lake Views

Taxi (~¥30) back to Yue Fei Temple 岳王庙 area. Visit if time allows (¥25).
Otherwise, return to Hubin for last-minute souvenirs: silk scarves (~¥150+), Longjing tea (~¥200+/50g).

Evening Departure

Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport 杭州萧山国际机场 (HGH): 30–45 min by metro Line 1 + Line 19 (~¥8–10) from central Hangzhou. Allow 2+ hours for check-in.

Practical Tips

Where to Stay

Mid-range (¥400–700/night): Around Hubin 湖滨 or Wulin Square 武林广场 — walkable to West Lake, metro on the doorstep. Examples: The West Lake International Youth Hostel, Crystal Orange Hotel Hubin branch.
Comfort (¥800–1,500/night): Aman Fayun 法云 near Lingyin for boutique luxury, or Westlake View Hotel for lake-facing rooms.
Book 4–6 weeks ahead for spring/autumn weekends.

Transit

Hangzhou Metro: 8 lines, runs ~6:00–23:00. Single fares ¥2–9. Download the "Hangzhou Metro" mini-program in WeChat or Alipay.
Didi 滴滴 ride-hail works in Hangzhou with a Chinese phone number or international roaming. Expect ¥15–50 for most cross-city rides.
Public bikes: Hangzhou Public Bicycle (red) — ¥1/60 min with deposit via Alipay.

Food Highlights

Dongpo Pork 东坡肉: try at Louwailou 外婆家 (~¥40/piece).
West Lake Vinegar Fish 西湖醋鱼: classic at Zhi Wei Guan (¥80–120).
Bian'er Chao Shou 汆儿馄饨 (wontons): at Xie Xie Mian 谢蟹面 street stalls, ¥10–20.
Longjing Shrimp 龙井虾仁: tea-infried river shrimp, ¥60–100 per plate.

Money & Connectivity

Currency: Chinese Yuan ¥. Roughly ¥7.2 = US$1 (verify current rate).
VPN: Download and test before arrival — needed for Google, Instagram, WhatsApp.
SIM card: China Mobile or China Unicom tourist SIM (~¥100/week with 30GB). Available at airport counters.
Cash: Carry ¥200–500 backup; some smaller shops and Lingyin Temple still prefer it.

What to Skip

Xixi Wetland 西溪湿地 if short on time — pleasant but a full half-day. Save for a return trip.
Songcheng 杭州宋城 theme park — touristy, expensive (¥320+), only if you love staged cultural shows.

Booking & Tickets

Lingyin Temple, Wuzhen, Leifeng Pagoda all bookable on Trip.com or via the official WeChat mini-programs 1–3 days ahead. Off-peak you can buy on the day.

Source note: Prices and schedules reflect pre-2026 norms. Confirm train times on 12306.cn and bus schedules on 巴巴快巴 (Baba Kua Ba) app before travel.

5-Day Hangzhou Itinerary