Hangzhou West Lake and Tea Plantation Half Day Tour

Visit the stunning city of Hangzhou during this scenic day trip, with private pickup from your hotel or train station. Perfect for travelers short on time, it covers all of the highlights in a single excursion. Glide across serene, UNESCO-listed West Lake on an iconic boat ride, learn the ins and outs of tea cultivating and tasting at Meijiawu Tea Village, and shop for antique embroidery along the centuries-old Southern Song Imperial Street. If you'd like, enjoy a homecooked lunch at a local farmer's home (at your own expense) \
~An in-depth, half-day tour of Hangzhou, with private hotel or train station pickup

~Cover the city’s top highlights in a single visit, perfect for travelers short on time

~Get the best views of traditional pagodas and arched bridges on a scenic boat ride

~Learn how tea is picked and processed, and get a taste of China’s finest brews



Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product

Stop At: West Lake (Xi Hu), West Lake Scenic, Xihu District, Hangzhou 310000 China

Among the world’s top-rated lakes, Hangzhou’s wondrous West Lake is one of the best. The real attraction of West Lake, however, lies not on the surface but in its abundant wealth of legend, myth, and enigma accumulated over various dynasties.

Throughout China, there is no other lake that has caught the imagination of so many poets, scholars, painters, sculptors, calligraphers and even emperors over so long a time. Blessed with enchanting natural scenery and an enduring cultural legacy immortalized by a multitude of poems, calligraphy masterpieces, paintings and sculptures, West Lake’s boundless charm is not only a visual spectacle but also an experience felt by the heart.

To depict its surreal beauty, Su Dongpo wrote in his poetry:
“ The shimmering ripples delight the eye on sunny days.
The Dim hills present a rare view in rainy haze.
West Lake compares to Xi Zi at her best.
She is gorgeous richly clothed or plainly dressed.”

This poetry does full justice to West Lake’s beauty. Resplendent with temples, museums, islands, villas, tea houses, memorial halls, pools, arched bridges, pagodas, monasteries, and casual walkways lined with classic willow trees, the culture-laden West Lake, a consummate performer, is destined to bewitch, mesmerize and overwhelm every visitor taking in its beauty.

The legendry origin of this beloved lake has various versions. One of the most famous sayings holds that a dazzling pearl fell from heaven and morphed into an instantaneous paradise in Hangzhou. A popular poem sheds light on its mystical origin, and it goes like this:
“The West Lake, a dazzling pearl
Falling from the sky,
The Flying Dragon and Dancing Phoenix
Forever standing by.”

Geologists, however, put forward a less romantic view. They state that West Lake was once a lagoon near the mouth of the Qiantang River. What we see today is the action of lasting dredging efforts over the past millennium.

There are many classic tales of love and woe set at West Lake, among which "Lady Snake White" and "Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai" stand out as the two most famous.

Because of its historical and cultural significance, West Lake became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011. UNESCO quotes that :

“West Lake is an outstanding example of a cultural landscape that displays with great clarity the ideals of Chinese landscape aesthetics, as expounded by writers and scholars in the Tang and Song Dynasties. The landscape of West Lake has had a profound impact on the design of gardens, not only in China, but further afield, where lakes and causeways have imitated the harmony and beauty of West Lake. The key components of West Lake still allow it to inspire people to project feelings onto the landscape . The visual parameters of this vast landscape garden are clearly defined, rising to the ridges of the surrounding hills as viewed from Hangzhou.”

Duration: 2 hours

Stop At: Longjing tea fields, Longjing tea village, Hangzhou China

Meijiawu Tea Culture Village is located in the west of West Lake Scenic Area. It s a village with a history of over 600 years. It is also the biggest natural village where the world-famous West Lake Dragon (Longjing) Well Tea (西湖龙井) is produced. Besides its extraordinary tea and tea culture, Meijiawu Village is also renowned for its idyllic scene, which is seldom seen in an urbanized world.

The present Meijiawu Village has become much more easily accessible, thanks to the opening of the local longest Meijiawu-Lingyin tunnel (梅灵隧道). Domestic and international tourists regard the village as a must-see attraction. It consists of eight tourists sections, including the tea culture tourist center, the rural leisure tourist area, and a fishing village.

Duration: 1 hour



Informacion Adicional
"Not wheelchair accessible"
"Near public transportation"
"Infants must sit on laps"
"Infant seats available"
"No heart problems or other serious medical conditions"
"Most travelers can participate"
"This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate"
"Confirmation will be received at time of booking"



Start Time: 09:00 AM
Duration: 4 Hours
Start location: Traveler pickup is offered

Cancellations and refunds: All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties.

Included

• Air-conditioned vehicle
• Coffee and/or Tea
• Entry/Admission - West Lake (Xi Hu)
• Entry/Admission - Longjing tea fields

Not Included

• Lunch

Facilities