Best Time to Visit Hangzhou, What to Eat and Getting Around (2026)

Short answer: visit Hangzhou in March-May (new tea, blossoms) or October-November (cool and drier); July-August average highs top 32°C. High-speed trains from Shanghai take about 1 hour to Hangzhou East. Plan 2-3 days and try West Lake vinegar fish and Dongpo pork.

The Chinese say, "Above there is heaven, below there are Suzhou and Hangzhou." With West Lake, the Longjing tea hills and a slower pace, Hangzhou is the natural pause after Shanghai. I'm a Vietnamese-speaking guide based in Beijing; here is what I tell my guests, with figures from the WMO and Hangzhou's official portal.

Hangzhou at a glance

Question	Answer
Best time to visit	March-May and October-November
Avoid	June, the wettest month (185 mm); hot July-August
How many days	2-3 days
From Shanghai	High-speed train, about 1 hour, to Hangzhou East
Must-eat	West Lake vinegar fish, Dongpo pork, Longjing shrimp
App to install	International Alipay, with the Tourism Code

When is the best time to visit Hangzhou?

March-May and October-November are best: spring brings new tea and blossoms around West Lake, and late autumn is cooler and much drier. According to the WMO, October and November average only 89 mm and 58 mm of rain, against 171 mm in September.

Season	Average low to high	Average rain per month	Verdict
Spring (Mar-May)	6.0 to 25.1°C	115-159 mm	Lovely, new tea, fairly wet
Summer (Jun-Aug)	21.0 to 33.1°C	129-185 mm	June is the wettest month; July-August are hot
Autumn (Sep-Nov)	8.7 to 27.4°C	58-171 mm	September still wet; October-November are best
Winter (Dec-Feb)	1.0 to 10.8°C	48-88 mm	Cold and quiet

Monthly climate averages, Hangzhou station, from the WMO.

My tip: walk West Lake early, while mist still hangs over the water; it is beautiful and quiet. Avoid major Chinese public holidays, when the lake is packed; dates are in the best time to visit China.

What to eat in Hangzhou?

Hangzhou food is delicate and mild, easy for elderly parents and children. Order these:

• West Lake vinegar fish: fresh fish in a sweet-and-sour vinegar sauce.
• Dongpo pork: meltingly tender braised pork belly.
• Longjing shrimp: shelled shrimp stir-fried with green tea leaves.
• Beggar's chicken: a whole chicken baked in a clay shell.
• Longjing green tea: China's most famous green tea.

Buy Longjing tea in the tea village itself to be sure of its quality.

How to get around Hangzhou?

Arrive by high-speed train, then use the metro, buses and your feet around West Lake:

• From Shanghai: high-speed trains between Shanghai Hongqiao and Hangzhou East take about 1 hour. In the 2024 timetable, for example, train G7302 left Hangzhou East at 6:47 am and reached Hongqiao at 7:47 am.
• Hangzhou East station: most bullet trains stop here, and it is one of the biggest stations in China; metro Lines 1 and 4 serve it. Hangzhou has several railway stations, so check the station name on your ticket and allow enough time to get there.
• In the city: the metro and buses cover plenty of ground; around West Lake, walking, cycling or a boat is the best way to see the scenery.
• Alipay Tourism Code: foreign visitors who register their real name in the international version of Alipay can use one QR code for buses, the metro, attractions, hotels and shopping. At attractions on the system, you just scan to enter, without showing your passport or queuing for tickets.
• Longjing tea hills and Wuzhen (about ninety minutes away): a private car gives you more freedom.

How to book trains with a passport is covered in booking China high-speed trains; set up Alipay before you fly with Alipay and WeChat Pay.

What to see in Hangzhou

• West Lake: the heart of Hangzhou, with Leifeng Pagoda, willow-lined causeways and small boats; a sunset boat ride is lovely.
• Lingyin Temple: an ancient temple in the forest, with Buddhas carved into the rock.
• Longjing tea hills: tea tasting in the village, with the story of how leaves are picked and pan-fired.
• Hefang Street: crafts and Hangzhou silk.
• The Grand Canal: an ancient man-made waterway and World Heritage site.
• Wuzhen: a canal town of waterways, wooden houses and stone bridges, magical at night.

How many days in Hangzhou is enough?

2-3 days are enough:

1. Day 1: West Lake from early morning, Lingyin Temple in the afternoon, Hefang Street in the evening.
2. Day 2: the Longjing tea hills, then a sunset boat ride on West Lake.
3. Day 3 (optional): Wuzhen water town.

Hangzhou pairs well with Shanghai and Suzhou; see the Beijing, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Suzhou 7-day itinerary and the Shanghai guide.

Do you need a guide in Hangzhou?

West Lake is easy on your own. A guide helps when you want to visit the tea villages, understand the cultural stories, or travel with elderly parents who need a private car.

I'm a private guide based in Beijing and speak Vietnamese, English and Mandarin. I travel with groups of 1-8 guests across China and can plan the whole trip, with airport pickup, a private driver, a Chinese SIM and an interpreter. I quote per trip: see my services or request a quote.

Sources

• Monthly climate averages: WMO
• Alipay Tourism Code for inbound visitors (21 May 2026): ehangzhou.gov.cn
• Hangzhou East station: ehangzhou.gov.cn
• Hangzhou-Shanghai timetable and multiple stations: ehangzhou.gov.cn