HANGZHOU · DAY TRIPS
Day trips from Hangzhou
Hangzhou sits at the southern end of the Grand Canal and has high-speed rail connections to Shanghai, Nanjing, and Ningbo. The surrounding Zhejiang countryside has canal towns, Buddhist mountains, and a tea-growing landscape that can be explored within an hour of the city.
Destinations within reach
Wuzhen Water Town
乌镇
- How to get there
- Direct coach from Hangzhou North Bus Station; or car
- What to see
- Preserved canal district with ancient dyeing workshops, silk weaving, and traditional wooden architecture.
- Why go
- The most complete canal-town experience in the region; best on a weekday morning.
Putuoshan Island
普陀山
- How to get there
- HSR to Ningbo, then bus to Shenjiamen Wharf, then ferry
- What to see
- Sacred Buddhist island; Guanyin temples and statues; forested trails; quiet beaches.
- Why go
- A genuine pilgrimage island with natural beauty; worth an overnight stay if time permits.
Anji
安吉
- How to get there
- Coach from Hangzhou Bus Terminal or car
- What to see
- Bamboo sea landscape (part of the filming location for Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon); white tea farms; scenic hiking.
- Why go
- The bamboo forest is among the most photogenic landscapes in eastern China.
Shaoxing
绍兴
- How to get there
- G/D trains from Hangzhou East; very frequent
- What to see
- Lu Xun's former residence; canal system with black-awning boats; rice wine (Shaoxing wine) distilleries and tasting rooms.
- Why go
- A genuinely lived-in canal city with cultural depth; Shaoxing wine is the foundation of much of Chinese cooking.
Moganshan
莫干山
- How to get there
- Bus from Hangzhou North Bus Station to Deqing, then taxi to mountain
- What to see
- Bamboo forests; early 20th-century colonial villas (now boutique hotels); hiking trails; cooler summer temperatures.
- Why go
- A fashionable weekend retreat for Shanghai and Hangzhou residents; the villa architecture is genuinely charming.
Xuanzhong Valley (Tianmu Mountain)
天目山
- How to get there
- Chartered car or coach to Lin'an city, then bus
- What to see
- Ancient forest reserve with old-growth trees; Buddhist monastery (Tianmushan Temple); clear mountain streams.
- Why go
- One of the best-preserved forest reserves in eastern China; good for spring wildflowers and autumn foliage.
Ningbo
宁波
- How to get there
- G trains from Hangzhou East; frequent
- What to see
- Tianyi Pavilion (oldest surviving private library in China); Laowaitan riverside heritage district; Ningbo Museum.
- Why go
- A major port city with a distinct food culture (Ningbo cuisine uses yellow rice wine and fresh seafood) and good museums.
Verified May 2026