Hangzhou: Nanny-Level Travel Guide with Expense List
This super comprehensive guide 📖, compiled after 5 trips to Hangzhou, is a labor of love! It includes everything from itinerary planning to a detailed breakdown of expenses, so I recommend saving it!
🗺️ Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Hangzhou in the morning and drop off your luggage at the hotel. Then, stroll around West Lake, enjoying the Broken Bridge in Lingering Snow, Bai Causeway, and Su Causeway. Have Hangzhou cuisine for lunch by West Lake. In the afternoon, take a West Lake cruise, visit Three Pools Mirroring the Moon, and then go to Leifeng Pagoda for a panoramic view of West Lake. In the evening, head to Hefang Street for snacks.
Day 2: In the morning, go to Lingyin Temple to experience Buddhist culture, pray, and enjoy a vegetarian meal. In the afternoon, visit Feilai Peak to see the stone carvings. If you have time, you can go to Faxi Temple, and in the evening, visit Southern Song Imperial Street.
Day 3: Spend the whole day in Song Dynasty Town, watching exciting performances, experiencing the customs of the Song Dynasty, and tasting various local snacks.
💖 Experience
Strolling around West Lake is like stepping into a landscape painting. The breeze is gentle, and the lake shimmers, making it extremely pleasant. Lingyin Temple gives a sense of tranquility and solemnity, bringing inner peace. The time-travel experience in Song Dynasty Town is very interesting, allowing you to immerse yourself in the hustle and bustle of the Song Dynasty.
🎒 What to Pack
Documents: ID card, discount documents that you might need (such as a student ID, etc.)
Clothing: Pack appropriate clothes according to the season. Hangzhou has high humidity, so bring light and breathable clothes and mosquito repellent in the summer, and keep warm in the winter.
Shoes: Comfortable sneakers or casual shoes for long walks.
Other: Umbrella (Hangzhou has a lot of rain), sunscreen, sunglasses, portable charger, toiletries, common medicines, etc.
📅 Notes
Book in advance: It is best to book tickets for popular attractions and hotels in advance to avoid delays.
Weather forecast: Check the weather forecast before departure and be prepared for different weather conditions.
Food hygiene: Choose clean and hygienic stalls when trying snacks to avoid stomach discomfort.
Scenic area rules: Observe relevant regulations and travel with respect in temples and other scenic areas.
💰 Expense List
Transportation: If you take the high-speed train from surrounding cities, the round trip will cost approx. CNY 300–800. If you fly, the price varies greatly depending on the departure location and time, ranging from a few hundred to several thousand CNY.
Accommodation: Budget hotels cost CNY 150–300 per night; comfortable hotels cost CNY 300–600; and luxury hotels cost CNY 600 or more.
Tickets: West Lake is free; Leifeng Pagoda is CNY 40/person; Lingyin Temple and Feilai Peak combo ticket is approx. CNY 75/person; Song Dynasty Town ticket is approx. CNY 280–320/person.
Food: Snacks cost an average of CNY 10–50/serving, and a regular meal costs an average of CNY 50–200/person, with a daily food budget of approx. CNY 200–300.
Other: Shopping, spending money, etc. depend on personal spending habits, ranging from approx. CNY 200–1,000.
Overall, a 3-day trip to Hangzhou costs approx. CNY 1,500–2,500 for a budget trip, approx. CNY 3,000–5,000 for a comfortable trip, and CNY 5,000 or more for a luxury trip. You can choose the appropriate way to travel according to your budget~
Went to agent to exchange for physical ticket to enter Leifeng Tower (also given Yuefei Temple ticket which is to be used to enter the temple) Leifeng Tower gives a very good view of West Lake as well as the surrounding areas including “Three Pools Mirroring the Moon”. Yuefei Temple is where one gets to learn about the patriot Yuefei which we learned in history books when we were young.
My first time climbing the Leifeng Pagoda, I visited. The pagoda has five floors. Each floor offers a historical tour of the pagoda, which you can listen to by scanning a QR code. Each floor offers a different view. From the top, I can enjoy a panoramic view of West Lake, a breathtaking blue sky and white clouds. I can also listen to the bells of the Jingci Temple across the way, marking the evening bells of Nanping, one of the Ten Scenic Spots of West Lake.
Tour Route and Highlights - First Floor: Featuring a glass floor overlooking the underground palace, you can experience the vicissitudes of history. - Second Floor: Exquisite Dongyang wood carvings depicting the story of "The Legend of the White Snake," with exquisite craftsmanship, vividly depict the classic plot of the legend. - Fourth Floor: A panoramic view of the Ten Scenic Spots of West Lake, depicting the beauty of West Lake through the unique Ou Sculpture art form. - Fifth Floor: Directly accessible by elevator, this floor offers panoramic views of West Lake, including the stunning "One Lake, Two Pagodas" structure, as well as the golden dome and 2,002 Buddhist shrines.
Jingci Temple, a small camera position for taking photos of Leifeng Pagoda by the West Lake 😆When visiting West Lake, many people must check in at Leifeng Pagoda, but as a famous attraction here, there are always a lot of people. If you want to avoid the crowds and quietly watch and check in at Leifeng Pagoda, then Jingci Temple across the road is definitely worth a visit👍🏻 Tickets🎫: 10r, buy at the ticket window or use the self-service ticket machine to scan the code on your phone, it is very convenient to swipe the receipt directly at the entrance 🍃On the east bank of West Lake, next to Leifeng Pagoda, at the foot of Nanping Mountain, although it is not as famous as Lingyin Temple and Faxi Temple, it is one of the ancient millennium temples in Hangzhou with a profound cultural heritage 📸Of course, there are many good camera positions for taking photos in the temple. The most classic one should be the top hall of Jingci Temple. Stand behind the Buddha statue and use a telephoto lens to shoot the frame-like Leifeng Pagoda. 🤯But don't get too excited. The main hall is under 👷🏻♂️recently, so I can't go in to take pictures. I only found out when I climbed to the top floor on a 🌞hot day. 🧐But it doesn't matter, because the other camera positions are also beautiful! 1️⃣You can see the Jingci Temple bell tower as soon as you enter the door. Stand on the second-floor stairs and shoot out the window. The window reflects the green shade of the trees, which encircles the Leifeng Pagoda. A new picture frame Leifeng Pagoda is born! 2️⃣It is also the main hall on the top floor, but outside the door, you can take pictures of the magnificent scenery of the temple roof rubble, books, and Leifeng Pagoda 3️⃣Walk a little forward from the top floor to the railing, and the characters can stand in the open space below, so that you can take pictures of the Leifeng Pagoda in the distance and the golden roof of the temple with the word "Fa" in the same frame 4️⃣On the way to the left side of the main hall, you can look back and see the Leifeng Pagoda. The camera position with the yellow wall background in the same frame is also very beautiful 5️⃣This is a photo I found outside the Leifeng Pagoda scenic area, next to the bus stop You can take pictures of the beautiful Amitabha Buddha wall from the railings, and you can take pictures of the Leifeng Pagoda surrounded by trees when you look up. 🌟In addition, some other buildings in the temple are also worth taking pictures. I went to the top floor hall two days ago. There is an art exhibition. It is so hot. Climbing to the top floor, the indoor exhibition with air conditioning is really too considerate❗❗ 😁 You can buy tickets to ring the bell in the bell tower, 10r per time, and immerse yourself in the "Nanping Evening Bell". There are many pigeons in the courtyard 🕊️ They are not afraid of people at all, chasing people haha ~ In addition, there are vegetarian options ~
Leifeng Pagoda in Hangzhou: Located on Nanshan Road, Xihu District, Hangzhou, it was first built in the 10th century by Qian Chu, the King of Wuyue. Its original name was the Royal Concubine Pagoda. Because it was built on Leifeng Mountain, it is also called Leifeng Pagoda. The pagoda was destroyed and rebuilt many times in history until modern times. In 1924, the old pagoda collapsed, leaving only the pagoda foundation. In 2000, the local government rebuilt the Leifeng Pagoda on the original site, and it was completed and opened to the public in 2002. The new pagoda is a 5-story octagonal pagoda with a height of 71 meters. It is the first colored bronze pagoda in China. The pagoda is richly decorated, especially the woodcut series based on the Legend of the White Snake, which is delicate and vivid, and the characters are lifelike and fascinating.
If you visit West Lake in the Year of the Snake, you must not miss Leifeng Pagoda. "Leifeng Sunset" is one of the ten scenic spots of West Lake. The poem "Zhongfeng (Leifeng)" by Lin Bu, a poet of the Northern Song Dynasty, reads: "Zhongfeng is divided by a path, winding up to the dark clouds. The sunset is seen in the front village, and the autumn waves are heard across the bank. The tall pines are ancient and green, and the sparse bamboos are faintly fragrant. I love the howling of Su Men, and I miss the virtuous and unique." Later, Ma Yuan and others from the Southern Song Dynasty court painting academy painted ten landscape paintings of West Lake with their own signatures. Among them, Chen Qingbo painted a landscape painting of Leifeng Pagoda, inscribed "Leifeng Sunset", also known as "Leifeng Sunset". Whenever the setting sun shines in the west, the shadow of the pagoda is across the sky, and the pavilions are golden and green. This landscape is consistent with the inscription, and it has become one of the ten famous scenic spots of West Lake, "Leifeng Sunset", which has been passed down for thousands of years. In the second year of Taipingxingguo in the Northern Song Dynasty (977), Qian Chu, the king of Wuyue, built a seven-story tower to enshrine the Buddha's hair relics and pray for peace and prosperity. It was named the Imperial Concubine Tower. Later, it was named Leifeng Tower because it was located on Leifeng Mountain (Xizhao Mountain). In the early Qing Dynasty, it was still an ochre brick tower. Emperor Kangxi inscribed "Leifeng Xizhao" during his southern tour. On September 25, 1924, the Leifeng Tower collapsed due to excessive brick theft and the vibration caused by the piling of houses in Wangzhuang near the tower site. On October 25, 2002, the reconstruction of Leifeng Tower was completed and officially opened to the public. Attached are beautiful photos of Leifeng Tower from different periods and angles.
This attraction is not tiring at all. There are escalators outside the tower and elevators inside the tower. It is very comfortable and does not strain your legs at all. It is also very cost-effective. The first floor is the remains of the original tower, and the second floor is some exhibits and explanation videos. After watching these, you can take the elevator to see the scenery on all sides. You can have a panoramic view of the West Lake from a high altitude. I think it is a must-visit attraction in Hangzhou. It has history and scenery and is very cost-effective. In addition, the transportation is also convenient. One of the four stops for the battery car in the West Lake Scenic Area is right at the entrance of Leifeng Pagoda.
Leifeng Tower can't be missed! It is on the shore of West Hunan, and the surrounding scenery is super beautiful. Entering Leifeng Tower, there is an elevator inside, and it is no problem not to climb the stairs. On the top of the tower, the beautiful scenery of the West Lake is panoramic, the lake is sparkling, the mountains in the distance are continuous, and the Santan Yinyue and Sudi Baidi are also clearly visible. Each floor of the tower has different displays, such as wood carvings, poetry, murals, so that you can understand the story of the white snake and the history of Leifeng Tower. It is very unforgettable to come down!