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West Lake (Xi Hu)
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West Lake (Xi Hu)

See all things to do
See all things to do
West Lake (Xi Hu)
4.5
7,535 reviews
#3 of 386 things to do in Hangzhou
Scenic Walking Areas
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12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Monday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Tuesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Wednesday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Thursday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Friday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Saturday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Sunday
12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
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About
Considered one of the most beautiful sights in Hangzhou, this scenic lake is sheltered on three sides by hills, with open flat land to the northeast where downtown Hangzhou is located.
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Admission tickets
from $64.62
All you need to step foot in the door.
Full view
Top ways to experience West Lake (Xi Hu)
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The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
1,235 within 3 miles
Costa Coffee(Xileng)
22
0.4 mi$$ - $$$ • Cafe
Häagen-Dazs (PingHu QiuYue)
8
0.4 mi$$ - $$$ • Dessert
Starbucks (XiHu TianDi)
52
0.7 mi$$ - $$$ • Quick Bites • Cafe
Slim 's New york steak &burger(Nanshan)
77
0.7 mi$$ - $$$ • American • Steakhouse • Bar
Macau Doulao (NanShan)
5
0.7 miSeafood
LingLong XiaoZhen (NanShan Road)
17
0.7 mi$$ - $$$ • Asian • Taiwanese
XiaoZhu Coffee
2
0.7 miCafe
QianWang MeiLu
1
0.7 miChinese • Cantonese
BERNINI Art Cafè & Restaurant
25
0.7 mi$$ - $$$ • Italian • European
Iw coffee house XiHu BoWuGuan 1Hao Dian
1
0.7 miCafe
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Attractions
211 within 6 miles
Gu Shan (Solitary Hill)
450
0.5 miHistoric Walking Areas
Ping Hu Qiu Yue
419
0.7 miVisitor Centers • Parks
Three Pools Mirroring the Moon
135
0.5 miPoints of Interest & Landmarks
Su Causeway
300
0.9 miMarinas
Zhejiang Provincial Museum
49
0.5 miSpeciality Museums
Lingyin Temple
1,462
1.3 miHistoric Sites • Religious Sites
Bai Causeway
157
0.7 miMarinas
Zhongshan Park
31
0.5 miParks
Ruandu Huanbi Scenic Resort
2
0.4 miIslands
Prince Bay Park
317
1.2 miParks
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See what other travelers are saying
  • Sean Liu
    Taiwan1,421 contributions
    A very serene and tranquil place to spend for a whole day here
    West Lake is famous for its tranquility and landscape views from every corner. There were multiple lists of "The Ten Views of West Lake", you can choose whatever list you like to pursue the views or just enjoy a few of them. We arrived in the morning, and walk along West Lake counterclockwise, starting from its east. It is recommended to plan a whole day if you want to walk along the lake to enjoy these amazing views along the way. The electric minivan is also available to take you if you don't feel like walking that much. The price ranges from RMB10~40 based on the distance you want to travel. Be sure to walk on Su Causeway to recall the past about the contribution of Su Shi, who contributed to the erection of this causeway and the prosperity of Hangzhou. Inscribed as a World Heritage site in 2011, West Lake is definitely a place to visit.
    Visited January 2020
    Written February 10, 2020
  • Karin H
    Shenzhen, China820 contributions
    Always a highlight
    The West Lake is always a highlight to visit when in Hangzhou. Not only a trip my boat to the small islands, is nice, also the walk around. It can be super crowded on Sundays and holidays, I recommend a very early morning run around the lake or a night walk.
    Visited May 2020
    Traveled solo
    Written May 31, 2020
  • Deanosaur89
    Edmonton, Canada1,994 contributions
    Spent Lots of Time in the Area
    The area is quite built up now with many shops and boats going across the lake. It will take a good hour to hour and a half to walk one of the causeways and it costs 70 RMB to take the boat to the island where you can see the three stupas (featured on the 1 yuan note). The area remains quite peaceful and calm with nice pagodas and walks too. We spent around 6 hours near and on the lake and if it were warmer I'm sure we would have spent more time.
    Visited December 2020
    Traveled as a couple
    Written December 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
7,535 reviews
Excellent
4,692
Very good
2,249
Average
514
Poor
59
Terrible
20
asthecrowsfly2
Melbourne, Australia219 contributions
Simple serenity
Aug 2019
We visited the West Lake via a cruise in August 2019. This was a lovely and relaxing way to take in the scenery. The boat we were on had a very loud group of locals who were also on tour. They unfortunately made it very difficult to hear the historical and cultural significance of the West Lake, but we enjoyed our time nonetheless. There is plenty of opportunity to take photos and enjoy the serenity of this beautiful location.
Written June 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jydeoo
Lagos, Nigeria2,311 contributions
Top Destination
Oct 2019
My friend lived in Hangzhou many years, so when I went to visit Hangzhou on business, I asked her which is the best attraction to visit. Without hesitation, she named the West Lake, and recommended the Water and Light show that takes place in the evening.
And so it was that I went to the visit the West Lake and watched the dancing fountains show. Impressive, it was. No regrets, I have. Visit again, I will, I hope.
Written May 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Daniel
Hangzhou, China10 contributions
West Lake
Jan 2020
The picture on the one yuan bank note used to be the Great Wall of China. About 15 years ago, that was replaced with a picture of West Lake, (the three pools reflecting the moon).
West Lake is halfway surrounded by hills on the western side,
and has parks that almost fully surround it, some of which are very extensive. It is beautiful all year long, but afternoons in July & August are hot and humid. Local citizens who want to meet, and chat with, foreign tourists, go to West Lake's north-east corner on Sunday afternoons. They have been doing that for over 30 years.
Written February 14, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MattwalesNorthWales
Chengdu, China2,160 contributions
Stunningly beautiful
Apr 2021 • Couples
A huge, and beautiful lake that is the main reason for visiting here. Around the lake there are temples, pagodas, and gardens to feast your eyes upon and you must take advantage of the myriad of ferries that can take you to all points around the lake. As our time was limited we only had time to go to a small island which has lake within a lake which is especially good for viewing the reflection of the moon. Today it is more famous as the image found on the Chinese 1¥ note. A great day out if your time allows.
Written April 21, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SLE811
105 contributions
Nothing much to offer during winter
Jan 2020 • Family
Crowded even during winter. Not much of scenery during winter but I guess it must be beautiful during other seasons. Recommend to take the buggy and stop at each scenery attraction. For a round lake trip by buggy without stopping is about an hour.
Written January 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gabriela S
23 contributions
Beautiful
Jan 2020 • Friends
Beautiful during the day and at night. There’s a light show at night that is totally worth seeing. During the day you can along the lake, take a boat to see the scenery of the ¥1 bill, visit a pagoda, the broken bridge and eat at the restaurants around that area
Written March 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Traveller_Oldie
Charleston, SC281 contributions
Historical Significance
Dec 2019 • Family
Worth while visit. Make sure you go with a knowledgeable guide that can tell you the history and the stories (the White Snake lady is my favourite). Allow enough time to walk at least half-way round so that you can experience the people and the various bridges and islands.
Written January 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
VisitHangzhou
Hangzhou, China145 contributions
A must-see in Hangzhou, beautiful view and fun activities all year round
Sep 2021
West Lake is one of the most famous places in Hangzhou. Boating on the West Lake in the fall deserves to be put on the to-do list. A West Lake boat ride will show you the sights that provided centuries of poets with endless inspiration.
Written October 2, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ailton007
Seattle, WA921 contributions
Vast area and UNESCO site
Oct 2022
There is plenty of options what do to near West Lake. It is great for taking photos and I stayed until sunset. Took a boat and went to the "Three Pools Mirroring the Pond" Island. Note that not every boat class goes there so ask before booking (plenty of vendors at the lake) if this is on your agenda. You can easily spend a day at and around the lake, Leifeng pagoda and other temples nearby and great family activity as well.
Written November 13, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
annh0324
Florida213 contributions
Highlight is the Impressions show over the lake.
Sep 2023 • Business
The highlight of the lake is the Impressions show on the lake. Show includes lights, dancers on the water and musicians and singers. The show is a spectacular feast for the senses and even includes a gadget around your neck that lets off smells in sync with the show. Suggest you don’t miss it. It’s worth the cost
Written September 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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West Lake (Xi Hu) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about West Lake (Xi Hu)
West Lake (Xi Hu) is open:
  • Sun - Sat 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM
Buy tickets in advance on Tripadvisor. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.
West Lake (Xi Hu) admission prices can vary. Entrance tickets currently cost $64.62, while a popular guided tour starts around $59.49 per person. See all 146 West Lake (Xi Hu) tickets and tours on Tripadvisor
West Lake (Xi Hu) can be crowded, so we recommend booking e-tickets ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund. See all 146 West Lake (Xi Hu) tickets and tours on Tripadvisor

West Lake (Xi Hu) Information

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