During this May Day holiday, I finally visited West Lake in Hangzhou, and it was such a great experience—even with the crowds, I had a wonderful time. I followed the advice to get up early, and got to Longxiangqiao Station on Metro Line 1 before 7 a.m. The streets were still quiet, and I started my trip from the Broken Bridge.
I walked along the White Causeway first, with willows and peach trees on both sides, looking so beautiful in the morning light. Then I went to Su Causeway, took my time strolling and enjoying the lake view. Later, I took a lake cruise to Santanyinyue, which is the spot on the one-yuan banknote—it was even more stunning in real life. In the afternoon, I went to Yanggong Causeway to avoid the peak crowds; it was much quieter there, with peaceful lakes and greenery.
For lunch, I ate at Zhiweiguan near the lake. I tried Longjing shrimp, West Lake vinegar fish and Pian'erchuan noodles—all authentic Hangzhou dishes, and they tasted amazing. In the evening, I climbed Leifeng Pagoda, watched the sunset over the lake, and the view was breathtaking. Before leaving, I went to Hefang Street to buy some snacks like Congbao Hui and Dingsheng Gao.
A few tips from my experience: book the cruise and Leifeng Pagoda tickets in advance, wear comfortable shoes because you’ll walk a
lot, and bring sunscreen and a water bottle. Traveling early or late in the day really helps avoid the worst crowds. Overall, it was a perfect trip, and I fell in love with the beauty of West Lake.
by Active_Passion1152
4 Comments
This actually seems like a perfect short trip plan
wow the greenery is so pretty! i’ve always wanted to see West Lake, did you find it super crowded for May Day or was it manageable? 🍃✨
Seeing #1-#3, I was like….wow so peaceful, and the comes #4 with all the people….😆 Don’t get me wrong. It’s still a beautiful place to visit
Some of the picture looks really peaceful. I love nature so much, I’ll add this to my travel list lol