185km (115 miles) SW of Shanghai
Seven centuries ago, Marco Polo pronounced Hangzhou "the finest, most splendid city in the world . . . where so many pleasures may be found that one fancies oneself to be in Paradise." Hangzhou's claim to paradise has always been centered on its famous West Lake (Xi Hu), surrounded on three sides by verdant hills. The islets and temples, pavilions and gardens, causeways and arched bridges of this small lake (about 5km/3 miles across and 14km/9 miles around) have constituted the supreme example of lakeside beauty in China ever since the Tang Dynasty when Hangzhou came into its own with the completion of the Grand Canal (Da Yunhe) in 609. Hangzhou reached its zenith during the Southern Song Dynasty (A.D. 1127-1279), when it served as China's capital. In 2003, much to the horror of purists, Xi Hu was enlarged in the western section with an additional causeway along its new western shoreline. New sights, shops, and restaurants were added to the eastern and southern shores. But the news is not all bad. Away from the commercial eastern edges of the lake, and especially in the surrounding hills and countryside, it's still possible to find pockets of peace and quiet. An overnight visit will allow you to appreciate more fully Hangzhou's fabled beauty.
Essentials
Like Suzhou, Hangzhou is perfectly tourist-friendly and is possible to see on your own. At press time, plans had just been announced for the building of a magnetic levitation train from Shanghai to Hangzhou, which, when completed in 2010, will reduce the train traveling time from 2 1/2 hours to around 40 minutes. In the meantime, however, you can book a taxi for the day through your Shanghai hotel (Hangzhou is a 2-3 hr. ride via the Hu Hang Expwy.) or venture there completely on your own by train (2 1/2 hr.).
From the main Shanghai Train Station (Shanghai Huoche Zhan), Train N509 leaves Shanghai at 7:38am and arrives at 10:20am. Soft-seat train tickets cost around ¥50 ($6) plus a typical ¥20 ($2.50) service charge if booked through hotel tour desks. Return train no. T178 departs Hangzhou at 6:47pm and arrives in Shanghai at 8:44pm. At press time, there were also 5 Hangzhou-bound trains leaving throughout the day from the newly opened Shanghai South Railway Station (Shanghai Nan Zhan, tel. 021/6317-9090) in the southern part of town (reachable by Metro Lines 1 and 3). Train N521 departs the South Station at 8:15am while return train N528 arrives back at South Station at 8:48pm. Traveling time each way between the South Station and Hangzhou is approximately 2 hours. The Hangzhou Train Station (Hangzhou Huoche Zhan; tel. 0571/5672-0222 or 0571/8782-9983) is in the eastern part of town. The no. 7 or no. K7 bus connects the station to downtown and the Shangri-La Hotel for ¥1 to ¥2 (12¢-25¢).
If you want to see Hangzhou on a group tour, the Jin Jiang Optional Tours Center, Changle Lu 191 (tel. 021/6445-9525), offers a somewhat rushed 1-day group bus tour with an English-speaking guide and lunch, departing at around 8am every day except Monday and Wednesday, and returning in the late afternoon. The price is ¥500 ($60) for adults, ¥250 ($30) for children 2 to 7, and free for children under 2. This tour can be extended to include overnight accommodations and a train back to Shanghai for an extra ¥350 ($42) for adults, ¥175 ($21) for children 2 to 11, and free for children under 2. The same tour operator can also arrange a private 1- or 2-day tour (on any day) with a guide, air-conditioned car, lunch, and door-to-door service for significantly more. If you're staying at the Shangri-La Hotel in Hangzhou, their business center can also organize half- or full-day city tours.
Hangzhou has an airport (tel. 0571/8666-1234) about a 30-minute drive from downtown, with connections to Hong Kong, Macau, Beijing, and other major Chinese cities, but not Shanghai. A taxi into town costs around ¥130 ($16) while an air-conditioned bus (¥15/$2.50) runs to the train station and the Marco Polo Hotel (nearest stop to the Shangri-La Hotel).
There are also overnight boats sailing the Grand Canal between Hangzhou and Suzhou, with departures leaving from the Hangzhou Wulin Men Matou at 5:30pm and arriving in Suzhou around 7am. For information and bookings, call tel. 0571/8515-3185.
