West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou

By Nick Kembel

What is West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou?

West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou is a UNESCO World Heritage Site encompassing West Lake (西湖) and the numerous temples, shrines, pavilions, traditional gardens, and other cultural sites in the hills around it.

The lake is located in Hangzhou (杭州), the capital city of Zhejiang province in eastern China. The province is adjacent to Shanghai, thus West Lake can easily be visited as a day trip from Shanghai. Hangzhou faces the lake’s eastern shore, while the culture-rich hills frame the other three sides. Two long causeways across the lake give pedestrians access to some of the best attractions and lake views.

China’s most famous green tea, Longjing, is grown in the hills west of the lake.

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Why is West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou a UNESCO World Heritage site?

West Lake has been a tourist attraction for over a millennium. According to the UNESCO entry, the lake “has inspired famous poets, scholars and artists since the 9th century.” When Marco Polo visited in the 14th century, he remarked that the city and its lake are “beyond dispute the finest and the noblest in the world.”

It is a UNESCO site primarily because of how it reflects Buddhist concepts in the landscape design. West Lake’s influence, not only in Chinese culture, but in surrounding countries cannot be overemphasized. The UNESCO entry further elaborates: “The West Lake has influenced garden design in the rest of China as well as Japan and Korea over the centuries and bears an exceptional testimony to the cultural tradition of improving landscapes to create a series of vistas reflecting an idealised fusion between humans and nature.”

What can you expect on a visit to West Lake?

Even though I visited on a Monday, there were masses of local visitors at the lake, especially elderly Chinese, who are particularly fond of such attractions.

For my visit, I walked along the northern shore of the lake, including the long Bai Causeway to Gushan Island. The walk took about 1.5 hours and included stunning lake views, numerous pavilions, and glimpses of a variety of temples and shrines in Baoshi Hill on the north side of the lake.

There were also numerous options for boat rides on the lake, from small paddleboats to large dragon-shaped yachts. There’s also an even longer causeway, the Su Causeway, which traverses the lake from north to south.

In the hills west of the lake, Longjing village is where China’s most famous green tea is grown. The tea was given imperial status when a Qing Dynasty emperor visited and declared it the best. 

For my visit to Longjing area, I had an amazing meal at Green Tea Restaurant, learned about tea in the China National Tea Museum next door, then went up to Longjing village itself to see the tea terraces, drink some tea, and buy some freshly roasted tea leaves to take home. 

I finished my day by watching the sunset and various lakeside pagodas light up from the west side of the lake. 

Is West Lake worth visiting?

West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou is certainly worth visiting, but there are a few things you should keep in mind.

Don’t expect the prettiest lake in the world. If you come from North America like I do, then West Lake can’t compare to most lakes there. Don’t get me wrong – the lake is still pretty – but it’s the cultural attractions that especially make it worth visiting.

Even on the clearest days, like when I visited, you can still expect a bit of haze or smog over the lake. Hangzhou is a huge city, after all. But like most cities in China, the air situation is improving, especially as most cars and scooters in the country are now electric.

Second, Hangzhou is extremely popular among domestic tourists, especially the elderly. No matter where you go around the lake, there will be a lot of them.

What sorts of travelers would like West Lake in Hangzhou?

Anyone looking to gain insight and appreciation of ancient Chinese culture will enjoy a visit to West Lake.

The lake does require a fair bit of walking, so it will also appeal to anyone who enjoys exploring on foot.

Last but not least, for tea fans like me, Longjing tea-growing area on the west side of the lake is like the Mecca of green tea. You have to visit it at least once in your life!

Tips for visiting West Lake

If you visit West Lake as a day trip from Shanghai, remember to book your high-speed rail (HSR) tickets two weeks in advance.

Book accommodations in Shanghai.

If possible, avoid going on weekends or national holidays, when HSR tickets sell out faster and the lake will be especially crowded.

Alternatively, stay a night or two in Hangzhou near the lake so you can take your time and see it all.

West Lake is quite large. While it is possible to walk around the whole thing, including the Su Causeway from the north to the south shore, that would be a full day of walking. For most visitors, one or two sides of the lake is enough.

If you prefer a tour, there are plenty available.

Personally, I found that walking along the north shore, which seems to have the highest concentration of attractions, was enough to fill my morning. Then I had a great afternoon exploring the tea region to the west, relying on Didi (China’s version of Uber) to get there and back to the city after.

I highly recommend finishing your day watching the sunset from the eastern shore, then having dinner on Qinghefang pedestrian street. If you get there before 5 PM, also check out Huqing Yutang Museum of Chinese Medicine, a large and highly atmospheric traditional Chinese medicine shop and museum.

Last but not least, if you visit in early April like I did, you’ll find a gorgeous display of cherry blossoms around the lake. Early May is also when Longjing tea is harvested, so I saw many workers picking the tea leaves in the fields. Just be careful to avoid the Tomb Sweeping Day long weekend, which is also in early April.

If gardens are your thing, think about adding a visit to Suzhou to see its UNESCO-listed classical gardens.

Where is West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou?

As the crow flies, West Lake is about 150 kilometers (93 miles) southwest of the Shanghai city center.

Many visitors do West Lake as a day trip from Shanghai, myself included. I arrived by HSR, by far the fastest and easiest way to get there. It got me to Hangzhou East Railway Station in one hour.

From the railway station, I hopped onto Hangzhou’s MRT Line 1, which has several stops along the lake’s eastern shore. I got off at Fengqi Road station at the lake’s northeastern corner for my walk across the northern shore of the lake.

For more information about the various sights and attractions at West Lake, see the Chinese government’s West Lake website.

Have you been to West Lake? If so, do you have any additional information or advice about this UNESCO World Heritage site? Please add your comments below!