2 Days in Hangzhou: First-Timer Plan
Two days is enough to see the honest highlights of Hangzhou: West Lake and Lingyin Temple. It’s not enough time for tea villages, the Grand Canal, or Xixi Wetland, so if those matter to you, look at the 3-day plan instead.
Before you fly: set up Alipay (link a foreign card while you still have a home phone number handy), install a VPN, since you can’t download one once you’re inside China, and if Lingyin Temple is on your list, book the timed-entry reservation online, since walk-ups aren’t accepted anymore.
Day 1: West Lake
Morning
Start at West Lake (Xi Hu) itself. Entry to the lake, its causeways, and Solitary Hill is free, no ticket needed. Walk or bike the Su Causeway, built in 1074 by the poet Su Dongpo, and the Bai Causeway, built roughly 250 years earlier, in 822, by the poet Bai Juyi; despite the similar names they were built by different people in different centuries.
Afternoon
Take the boat out to Three Pools Mirroring the Moon (¥55-70), the small island pictured on the ¥1 note. If you want one ticketed sight, add Leifeng Pagoda (¥40); it’s a 2002 reconstruction, not the original, which collapsed in 1924 after decades of brick theft, and it ties into the Legend of the White Snake.
Evening
Walk over to Hefang (Qinghefang) Street, a free, old pedestrian street lined with century-old shops, for dinner and a look at local snacks and souvenirs. If you want a sit-down meal of the local classics, Louwailou, founded in 1848 right by the lake, is the one long-standing name worth booking.
Where to eat
Dongpo Pork and Beggar’s Chicken are the two dishes to look for on any Hangzhou menu tonight; a full meal for two at a mid-range restaurant near the lake runs roughly ¥150-250.
Where to stay
The West Lake shoreline is the splurge choice (Four Seasons Hangzhou at West Lake, Grand Hyatt Hangzhou on Hubin Road); Wulin Square/downtown is a cheaper, well-connected alternative with easy metro access.
Day 2: Lingyin Temple and tea country
Morning
Head to Lingyin Temple and the Feilai Feng grottoes. Since 1 December 2025 both are free to enter, but you need a real-name, timed reservation booked 1-7 days ahead through the temple’s mini-program in Alipay or WeChat; daily numbers are capped, so don’t skip this step. Lingyin was founded in 328 CE and is one of China’s most important Chan Buddhist temples; Feilai Feng has more than 300 rock carvings, including a well-known laughing Maitreya.
Afternoon
From Lingyin it’s a short taxi or DiDi ride to the Longjing or Meijiawu tea villages. Both are free to wander, with tastings running ¥10-80 a cup. Longjing (Dragon Well) is Hangzhou’s signature green tea, grown in these hills; “West Lake Longjing” is a protected designation, and the Mingqian grade, picked before early April, is the most prized.
Evening
Head back toward the lake for a last look, or catch the nightly “Impression West Lake” show (directed by Zhang Yimou, ¥360-960) if you booked ahead.
Transportation
Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport (HGH) connects to the lake by metro (Line 19 plus Line 1) in about 50-60 minutes for roughly ¥6-10. Pay metro fares with an Alipay QR code at the gate. Taxis and DiDi cover the rest; bikes are banned on the Su and Bai causeways, so plan to walk those stretches.
Things to know
China sits at US State Department Level 2, driven mostly by exit-ban and arbitrary-detention risk that disproportionately affects businesspeople and people in legal disputes, not ordinary tourists; street crime is low, and for a short trip like this the practical risk is minimal. The language barrier is the more likely friction point: download a translation app before you go.
On visas, don’t assume “China is visa-free.” Roughly 50 countries get unilateral 30-day visa-free entry through 31 December 2026, but the US is not on that list. A separate 240-hour transit visa-free policy covers about 54 nationalities, including the US, UK, and Canada, but it requires a confirmed onward ticket to a third country; check the current rules on the official National Immigration Administration site before you book.
Tip
Two days moves fast, so pick one ticketed West Lake sight (the boat or Leifeng Pagoda, not both) and give Lingyin Temple the whole morning; the reservation system means you can’t just wander in.
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