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Three days is the sweet spot for Hangzhou — enough time to see the highlights at a relaxed pace, plus one day trip or deep-dive experience.
Day 1: West Lake Deep Dive
07:00 — Sunrise walk on Broken Bridge (free, 30 min)
08:00 — Breakfast at lakeside baozi stall (¥8)
09:00 — Bai Causeway → Hubin Park → music fountain area (free, 1 hour)
10:00 — Boat ride to Xiaoyingzhou Island (¥55, 1.5 hours)
12:00 — Lunch at Louwailou on Gushan Island (¥80–150/person)
14:00 — Huagang Park ( Viewing Fish, free, 30 min)
14:30 — Su Causeway south → Leifeng Pagoda (¥40, 1 hour)
16:00 — Jingci Temple (¥10, 30 min)
17:00 — Sunset from Leifeng Pagoda viewpoint
18:30 — Dinner at Hefang Street food crawl (¥30–50/person)
20:00 — Impression West Lake show (¥260–580, 70 min) or night walk
Day 2: Tea Culture and Temples
08:00 — Bus 27 to Longjing Village
08:30 — Tea tasting with village family (free, 1.5 hours)
10:00 — Dragon Well spring + tea terrace walk (free, 30 min)
10:30 — Hike Nine Creeks trail (free, 90 min to Jiuxi)
12:30 — Lunch at Jiuxi area restaurant (¥30–50/person)
14:00 — China National Tea Museum (free, 1.5 hours)
16:00 — Lingyin Temple + Feilai Feng carvings (¥75, 2 hours)
18:30 — Dinner at Grandma's Kitchen (¥40–60/person)
Day 3: Choose Your Adventure
Option A: Xixi Wetland (Nature)
09:00 — Xixi Wetland Park entry (¥80)
09:30 — Boat ride through waterways (¥60, 1 hour)
11:00 — Walk the wetland trails and traditional villages
12:30 — Lunch at wetland restaurant (¥50–80/person)
14:00 — Grand Canal walk → Gongchen Bridge (free)
16:00 — Shopping at In77 Mall or Wulin area
18:30 — Farewell dinner at Shengli River Food Street
Option B: Day Trip to Wuzhen Water Town
08:00 — Bus to Wuzhen from East Bus Station (¥25, 80 min)
09:30 — Explore East Scenic Zone (traditional workshops, dye house)
12:00 — Lunch by the canal (Wuzhen lamb, ¥40–60/person)
13:30 — Walk West Scenic Zone (indigo workshop, wedding museum)
16:00 — Return bus to Hangzhou
18:00 — Farewell dinner at a nice Hangzhou restaurant
Budget Estimate (3 Days)
Book This Trip
Hotels: Compare prices on Booking.com
Tours: Book guided day trips on Klook | Viator Hangzhou tours
Wuzhen day trip: Book on GetYourGuide
Trains: Book high-speed rail on Trip.com
Travel insurance: Get a quote on SafetyWing
| Category | Budget | Mid-Range | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hotel (2 nights) | ¥400–800 | ¥1,000–1,600 | ¥2,400+ |
| Food (3 days) | ¥150–240 | ¥300–600 | ¥750+ |
| Attractions | ¥260 | ¥400 | ¥800+ |
| Transport | ¥80–150 | ¥150–300 | ¥300+ |
| Total | ¥890–1,450 | ¥1,850–2,900 | ¥4,250+ |
FAQ
Is 3 days enough?
Yes, for Hangzhou itself. Add a 4th day if you want a day trip to Suzhou or a water town.
Which day trip is best?
Wuzhen for classic water town scenery, Xixi Wetland for nature without leaving the city.