Su Causeway
Long and tree-lined.
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China's most celebrated lake, a freshwater lake west of central Hangzhou covering about 6.4 square kilometres, ringed on three sides by green hills, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011. It has inspired poets and painters since the Tang dynasty, and under the Song, when the capital moved to Hangzhou, it became an emblem of Chinese beauty; Marco Polo introduced it to Europeans, and it appears on the back of the one-yuan banknote. Four tree-lined causeways cross the lake, the best known being the Su and Bai causeways, and it holds three man-made islands and Gushan, its only natural island, with gardens, museums and pagodas around the shore; visitors explore on foot, by bike or by boat. Walking around the lake is free all day, while boat trips are ticketed, including the Three Pools island boat at about CNY 55–70, per visitor guides. Early morning and sunset are best; it gets very crowded on national holidays, and there are halal restaurants near the Phoenix Mosque.
Long and tree-lined.
The natural island.
On the lake.
West of central Hangzhou
Three Pools Mirroring the MoonOne of West Lake's most famous scenes, three small stone pagodas standing in the5 minutes walk4.6
Leifeng PagodaA five-storey, eight-sided pagoda on Sunset Hill on the south shore of West Lake7 minutes walk4.5
China National Silk MuseumThe world's largest silk museum, near the south shore of West Lake, opened in 1919 minutes walk4.3Yes, walking around it is free all day; boat trips are ticketed, including the Three Pools island boat at about CNY 55–70, per visitor guides.