Hangzhou in 2 Days: West Lake, Qingshan Green Lake, & Our Honest Take

Agoda:Hangzhou West Lake Hefang Street Floral-Banland.

Rate: 4/5

Cost: $57 CAD/night

We stayed at Hangzhou West Lake Hefang Street Floral-Banland.

The hotel itself was clean, comfortable, and well-reviewed. While the walking score is low, there are two subway stations nearby, which made getting around easy. Hefang Street sits right outside the hotel, but it wasn’t a highlight for us. The street felt repetitive and focused almost entirely on souvenir stalls.

We treated it as a convenient base rather than a destination.

Early the next morning, we headed out of the city.

This was the reason Hangzhou stayed on our itinerary.

I first saw Qingshan Green Lake online and honestly thought it looked fake. The lake is covered in duckweed, giving it a deep green, almost matcha-colored surface that looks unreal in photos.

Getting here took some trial and error. We initially ended up on the residential side of the lake and had to rebook a Didi using “Qingshanhu Scenic Area, Hangzhou” as the destination.

Once inside, we walked about 500 meters to the separate ticket office.

• Entrance fee: 40 RMB per person
• Hours: 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM

We arrived around 8:30 AM and had the place nearly to ourselves.

The lake looked exactly like the photos. Duckweed blanketed the water so completely that it looked like grass from above. Boardwalks ran directly over the lake, creating reflections that felt unreal.

You can rent a kayak for 220 RMB per hour for two people. We tried it, but if we returned, we would skip it. The views from above were far better.

One unexpected highlight was the deer roaming freely inside the park. You can buy deer cookies for 20 RMB and feed them. It was calm, quiet, and easily our favorite moment in Hangzhou.

This place alone was worth the trip.

Lingyin Temple is one of the most famous Buddhist temples in China, with over 1,700 years of history. It’s often listed as a must-see in Hangzhou.

What we didn’t expect was the effort required to get there.

Traffic came to a standstill. Our Didi ride stretched past an hour, and once we arrived, we were met with crowds and long lines. We unknowingly joined a gondola line and paid 60 RMB per person, only to realize later it led to a small temple and average viewpoint.

Lingyin Temple itself requires two separate tickets:

• Feilai Peak Scenic Area: 45 RMB
• Lingyin Temple: 30 RMB

Total: 75 RMB per person

The temple is large and historically significant, but between traffic, crowds, waiting, and layered entry fees, it took a heavy toll on our day. In hindsight, this stop felt optional.

Green Tea is one of the most famous restaurants in Hangzhou and sits directly inside the West Lake area.

We waited about 30 minutes for a table and were seated by a pond. The view was the best part of the meal.

The food was solid. The chicken stood out. Everything else was fine.

Worth trying if you’re nearby. Not worth planning your day around.

West Lake is the image most people associate with Hangzhou and it has been admired for centuries by poets, painters, and emperors. The entire area is massive. To put it into perspective, the West Lake scenic area is often compared to around 900 football fields, which explains why everything takes much longer than expected.

We learned this the hard way.

Walking from Green Tea Restaurant to Broken Bridge would have taken close to two hours on foot. Getting a Didi was nearly impossible. The area was completely congested and ride-hailing apps were useless. Our only realistic option was a taxi or bus, so we jumped on a bus, which still took about 45 minutes.

By the time we reached Broken Bridge, it was packed. This spot is one of the most famous parts of West Lake and is tied to the Legend of the White Snake, a well-known Chinese folktale. We grabbed a few quick shots, took in the atmosphere, and had to move on.

We were already very behind schedule and the sun was closing in. Our next goal was Leifeng Pagoda at sunset, so we had to make a quick exit from West Lake and move fast.

West Lake is beautiful and historic, but its sheer scale and crowds caught us off guard. Timing and planning matter here more than we expected.

Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/mTagLypkXbTSYYeR6

Leifeng Pagoda is one of Hangzhou’s most iconic landmarks and one of the most famous viewpoints over West Lake. The original pagoda dates back over a thousand years and is deeply tied to the Legend of the White Snake, one of China’s most well-known folktales. In the story, the pagoda becomes a symbol of love, separation, and sacrifice, which is why this site carries so much cultural meaning.

The pagoda standing today was rebuilt in the early 2000s after the original collapsed. It sits on a hill overlooking the lake and is especially popular at sunset, when the light reflects across West Lake and the entire area feels calm and cinematic.

We planned to be there for sunset. We did not make it.

As traffic around West Lake became more congested, Didi stopped allowing drop offs anywhere near the pagoda. The app forced us to select an alternative drop off point, and it was the only option available. Once we got out, we realized the walk to Leifeng Pagoda would have taken over two hours.

By that point, the sun was already gone.

Standing there, far from the hill and watching the sky fade, we knew there was no realistic way to make it in time. It was frustrating, especially knowing how meaningful this spot is, but it was also a reminder of how quickly time slips away in Hangzhou. Distances look manageable on a map, but once crowds and traffic hit, plans change fast.

After missing Leifeng Pagoda, our mood was already low. We were cold, tired, and running on fumes. Still, we needed some kind of redemption, so we pushed ourselves to make one last stop.

We grabbed a quick dinner and headed toward Qianjiang New City for the light show. When it runs, this area is known for its modern skyline lighting up along the river in synchronized patterns. It is often described as one of Hangzhou’s must see nighttime experiences.

Getting there was harder than expected.

New construction near Binjiang Park blocked our original route and we ended up getting lost. By the time we finally reached the viewing area, the 7:30 p.m. show had already finished.

At that point, we should have left. But Google showed another show at 8:30 p.m.

So we stayed.

Standing by the river. Cold wind cutting through us. Energy completely gone.

8:30 came and went. Nothing happened.

No lights. No music. No show.

Google was wrong. There was no second showing that night.

That moment left a bitter taste. Not just from the cold or the wait, but from the growing frustration. After hearing so many people rave about how magical Hangzhou was, this night felt like a letdown stacked on top of another. We walked away annoyed, disappointed, and questioning everything we had been told about the city.

It was not the ending we expected.

For us, Hangzhou was not worth it.

The congestion around West Lake completely took away from the experience. What should have been calm and scenic felt stressful. Traffic was heavy. Public transport was slow. Didi was unreliable. By the time we arrived at key spots, we were already behind schedule and mentally drained. Instead of soaking in the beauty, we were constantly rushing and problem-solving.

Qingshan Green Lake was the only place we truly enjoyed. It was open, peaceful, and easy to navigate. It felt like what we imagined Hangzhou would be. If someone is set on visiting Hangzhou, this is the one place we would recommend without hesitation.

Outside of that, the city left a sour impression. The logistics, crowds, and congestion outweighed the scenery for us. Hangzhou ended up being our least favorite city in China, and in hindsight, we wish we had used this time to explore another destination instead.

This was our honest experience. Others may love Hangzhou, but for our travel style and limited time, it did not work.