East · DESTINATION GUIDE

Zhejiang 浙江

Zhejiang lies south of Shanghai, with a water-rich northeastern plain, coastal cities and a much hillier interior. Hangzhou is an attractive introduction, but its lake and tea country represent only one part of the province. Shaoxing offers canal streets and literary homes; Ningbo brings maritime history and seafood; central and southern areas open other food, town and mountain journeys. Choose a regional sequence with room to stay in each place. A route through neighbouring cities and a selected landscape extension reveals more than treating Zhejiang as one long Hangzhou excursion.

Location of Zhejiang in China

About Zhejiang

Zhejiang at a glance

Population
67,010,000Year-end resident population, entire provincial-level administrative area · 2025Source ↗
Income per person
70,240Mean annual disposable income per person, all residents · 2025 · CNYSource ↗
Languages & dialects
Mandarin; mainly Wu Chinese (吴语), with Hui, Min and Mandarin dialect areas elsewhere.Source ↗
Geography
Southwestern mountains descend through central hills and basins to northeastern plains and the East China Sea coast.Source ↗
Elevation
Southwestern mountains commonly exceed 1,000 m; northeastern and coastal plains lie much lower.Source ↗
Main gateway
HangzhouProvince
West Lake (Xi Hu) · 西湖
West Lake (Xi Hu) · Zhejiang · Takashishin · CC BY 4.0

Discover Zhejiang

Give northern cities different roles

West Lake and Liangzhu show two very different ways of understanding Hangzhou's relationship with the landscape. Shaoxing changes the scale to canals, residences and literary history. Ningbo looks toward the sea, while Tianyi Pavilion offers a focused cultural visit away from the waterfront. These cities can form a coherent northern journey, but each needs a purpose of its own. Select a particular collection, walk or historical theme before deciding how long to stay.

Follow the food into other regions

Food makes the differences tangible: Hangzhou's Longjing shrimp connects a dish with tea country, while the Shaoxing area introduces fermented and cured flavours alongside Shengzhou steamed buns. Ningbo's fish dishes create a coastal chapter. Jinhua's ham and pastries point toward central Zhejiang, and Wenzhou offers another urban and commercial setting farther south. These are distinct stops, rather than items on one city menu, so let the food you want to explore help shape the route.

Choose a landscape stay deliberately

A mountain break around Moganshan or a hot-spring stay in Wuyi changes the trip from city sightseeing into time based around a particular landscape or property. Match accommodation and onward transport to the actual location. Trains connect major cities, but tea villages and smaller settlements still require another leg. Island journeys need their own ferry planning and weather flexibility. Leaving a second morning in a place you enjoy can be more useful than adding another distant stop.

Explore Zhejiang

Core places to explore, with English and Chinese names.

Zhejiang local specialties

浙江特色美食 · 154 specialties to discover

Shengzhou-style steamed small buns in a metal steamer, with a tea egg; photographed in Beijing.Shengzhou steamed buns 嵊州小笼包

The wrapper is soft and fairly substantial, surrounding a juicy, seasoned center. A fresh basket keeps the dough at its most tender.

Source ↗Read the dish guide →
Photo: N509FZ · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo adjustments

Resized proportionally to a maximum 640 px long edge, EXIF orientation applied where present, and encoded as WebP. No crop or subject alteration.

Photograph of Longjing shrimp (龙井虾仁).Longjing shrimp 龙井虾仁

The shrimp are springy and gently sweet, with a light grassy fragrance rather than a strongly bitter tea sauce.

Source ↗Read the dish guide →
Photo: 猫猫的日记本 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo adjustments

EXIF orientation applied where present; resized proportionally to at most 640 px on the long edge and encoded as WebP. No crop, retouching, recoloring or subject changes.

Photograph of West Lake fish in vinegar sauce (西湖醋鱼).West Lake fish in vinegar sauce 西湖醋鱼

The fish should remain tender beneath a glossy, assertive sauce. It has no fried crust, so the flesh and sauce provide the main contrast.

Source ↗Read the dish guide →
Photo: Vesekskiy · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo adjustments

EXIF orientation applied where present; resized proportionally to at most 640 px on the long edge and encoded as WebP. No crop, retouching, recoloring or subject changes.

Photograph of Jinhua ham (金华火腿).Jinhua ham 金华火腿

The flavor is intensely savory and salty, with a matured aroma; cooking releases rich fragrance into broth. It is used in smaller quantities than fresh pork.

Source ↗Read the dish guide →
Photo: Peachyeung316 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo adjustments

EXIF orientation applied where present; resized proportionally to at most 640 px on the long edge and encoded as WebP. No crop, retouching, recoloring or subject changes.

Jinhua crispy pastry · 金华酥饼 · AI dish illustrationJinhua crispy pastry 金华酥饼AI dish illustration · AI 菜品示意图

The small cakes are crisp and crumbly with a salty, aromatic center; sesame and preserved greens give the main fragrance.

Source ↗Read the dish guide →
Ningbo fish with preserved greens · 雪菜大黄鱼 · AI dish illustrationNingbo fish with preserved greens 雪菜大黄鱼AI dish illustration · AI 菜品示意图

Tender fish contrasts with the finely chopped greens' slight bite. The preserved vegetables give depth and salt without requiring a thick dark sauce.

Source ↗Read the dish guide →
Shaoxing rice cake · 绍兴年糕 · AI dish illustrationShaoxing rice cake 绍兴年糕AI dish illustration · AI 菜品示意图

The rice cake offers a resilient chew and a mild flavor that absorbs sauce. Thin slices soften faster than thick pieces.

Source ↗Read the dish guide →
Photograph of Dongpo pork (东坡肉).Dongpo pork 东坡肉

Lean meat is soft, fat is yielding and the sauce is rich, savory and gently sweet. Small portions carry a substantial amount of flavor.

Source ↗Read the dish guide →
Photo: Archon6812 · Public domain
Photo adjustments

EXIF orientation applied where present; resized proportionally to at most 640 px on the long edge and encoded as WebP. No crop, retouching, recoloring or subject changes.

All dish names · 全部菜名 (154)

Top sights in Zhejiang

Trip.Best · Best Things to DoChecked 2026-09-20

  1. West Lake · 西湖TOP1

    West Lake西湖

    Show on map
    杭州市

    4.7 / 5 · Trip.com

    West Lake is a landscape of open water, planted causeways and low hills beside Hangzhou’s older centre. Baochu and Leifeng pagodas mark opposite sides, while Gushan brings gardens and cultural sites into the lake itself. The…

    View guide →
  2. Lingyin Feilai Peak Scenic Area · 灵隐飞来峰景区TOP2

    Lingyin Feilai Peak Scenic Area灵隐飞来峰景区

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    西湖区

    4.6 / 5 · Trip.com

  3. Lingyin Temple · 灵隐寺TOP3

    Lingyin Temple灵隐寺

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    杭州市

    4.7 / 5 · Trip.com

    Lingyin climbs the wooded hillside behind Feilai Feng through a succession of Buddhist halls. The Hall of Heavenly Kings introduces the temple’s large sculptural figures; beyond it, the Mahavira Hall shelters a towering gilded…

    View guide →
  4. Nanxun Ancient Town · 南浔古镇TOP4

    Nanxun Ancient Town南浔古镇

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    南浔区

    4.6 / 5 · Trip.com

    Nanxun Ancient Town (南浔古镇) is a historic towns & villages entry in Nanxun District, Zhejiang.

    View guide →
  5. Putuo Mountain Scenic Area · 普陀山风景区TOP5

    Mount Putuo普陀山

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    舟山市

    4.7 / 5 · Trip.com

    Mount Putuo is an island pilgrimage landscape devoted to Guanyin, combining temple compounds with wooded hills and shorelines. Puji and Fayu temples are major religious anchors, while the large Guanyin image at Zizhulin creates…

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  6. Shenxianju · 神仙居TOP6

    Shenxianju神仙居

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    台州市

    4.7 / 5 · Trip.com

    Shenxianju pairs steep rock peaks with bridges and elevated paths that reveal the depth of its gorges. Ruyi Bridge’s curved form is the most recognizable engineered viewpoint, while Guanyin Peak provides a contrasting natural…

    View guide →
  7. Hangzhou Songcheng Show Park · 杭州宋城TOP7

    Hangzhou Songcheng Show Park杭州宋城

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    杭州市

    4.7 / 5 · Trip.com

    Songcheng is a modern performance park that uses Song-style streets and theatrical scenery to stage stories from Hangzhou’s past and legends.

    View guide →
  8. Tianyige Museum · 天一阁博物院TOP8

    Tianyige Museum天一阁博物院

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    海曙区

    4.8 / 5 · Trip.com

    Tianyi Pavilion Museum in Ningbo centres on the private library established by the Ming official Fan Qin in 1561. His collection included contemporary writings, printed books, local gazetteers and records of examination graduates. The site introduces the work of collecting and preserving knowledge through the architecture built to protect it.

    View guide →
  9. Wuzhen · 乌镇TOP9

    Wuzhen乌镇

    Show on map
    嘉兴市

    4.5 / 5 · Trip.com

    Wuzhen’s main visitor areas are Dongzha and Xizha, two canal districts with separate entrances and different scales. Dongzha concentrates traditional shops and workshops into a smaller area, while Xizha follows a longer old…

    View guide →
  10. Tianyige and Moon Lake Scenic Area · 天一阁·月湖景区TOP10

    Tianyige and Moon Lake Scenic Area天一阁·月湖景区

    Show on map
    海曙区

    4.7 / 5 · Trip.com

View more on Trip.com →

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Ranking source & photo credits

The first ten entries of Trip.Best Best Things to Do. Rankings reflect platform recommendations, not counts of international visitors. Read on 20 September 2026; platform pages may use cached snapshots.

  • West Lake: Source: Trip.com · Resized and WebP compressed; fitted to the ranking card.
  • Lingyin Feilai Peak Scenic Area: Source: Trip.com · Resized and WebP compressed; fitted to the ranking card.
  • Lingyin Temple: Source: Trip.com · Resized and WebP compressed; fitted to the ranking card.
  • Nanxun Ancient Town: Source: Trip.com · Resized and WebP compressed; fitted to the ranking card.
  • Mount Putuo: Source: Trip.com · Resized and WebP compressed; fitted to the ranking card.
  • Shenxianju: Source: Trip.com · Resized and WebP compressed; fitted to the ranking card.
  • Hangzhou Songcheng Show Park: Source: Trip.com · Resized and WebP compressed; fitted to the ranking card.
  • Tianyige Museum: Source: Trip.com · Resized and WebP compressed; fitted to the ranking card.
  • Wuzhen: Source: Trip.com · Resized and WebP compressed; fitted to the ranking card.
  • Tianyige and Moon Lake Scenic Area: Source: Trip.com · Resized and WebP compressed; fitted to the ranking card.

Our place guide directory →

EXPLORE THE NEXT LEVEL

Cities, counties & districts in Zhejiang

11 areas belong directly to Zhejiang.

11 areas

Prefecture-level city

Hangzhou杭州市

Hangzhou is the capital and most populous city of Zhejiang province, China, situated at the intersection of the southern terminus of the Grand Canal and the head of Hangzhou Bay.

13 local areas →Prefecture-level city

Ningbo宁波市

Ningbo is a sub-provincial city in the northeast of Zhejiang, People's Republic of China. It comprises six urban districts, two satellite county-level cities, and two rural counties, including several islands…

10 local areas →Prefecture-level city

Wenzhou温州市

Wenzhou, formerly known as Yongjia, is a prefecture-level city in Zhejiang, China. Situated on the southeastern coast of China, the city sits at the lower reaches and estuary of the Ou River, bordered by the…

12 local areas →Prefecture-level city

Jiaxing嘉兴市

Jiaxing (simplified Chinese: 嘉兴; traditional Chinese: 嘉興; pinyin: Jiāxīng; Wade–Giles: Chia-hsing), alternately romanized as Kashing, is a prefecture-level city in northern Zhejiang province, China.

7 local areas →
View all 11 areasShow fewer areas
Prefecture-level city

Huzhou湖州市

Huzhou is a prefecture-level city in northern Zhejiang province (Hangzhou–Jiaxing–Huzhou Plain, China). Lying south of Lake Tai, it borders Jiaxing to the east, Hangzhou to the south, and the provinces of…

5 local areas →Prefecture-level city

Shaoxing绍兴市

Shaoxing is a prefecture-level city on the southern shore of Hangzhou Bay in northeastern Zhejiang province, China. Located on the south bank of the Qiantang River estuary, it borders Ningbo to the east…

6 local areas →Prefecture-level city

Jinhua金华市

Jinhua is a prefecture-level city in central-western Zhejiang province in eastern China. It borders the provincial capital of Hangzhou to the northwest, Quzhou to the southwest, Lishui to the south, Taizhou…

9 local areas →Prefecture-level city

Quzhou衢州市

Quzhou is a prefecture-level city in western Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China. Sitting on the upper course of the Qiantang River, it borders Hangzhou to the north, Jinhua to the east, Lishui to…

6 local areas →Prefecture-level city

Zhoushan舟山市

Zhoushan is an urbanized archipelago with the administrative status of a prefecture-level city in the eastern Chinese province of Zhejiang.

4 local areas →Prefecture-level city

Taizhou台州市

Taizhou is a city located at the middle of the East China Sea coast of Zhejiang province. It is located 300 km (190 mi) south of Shanghai and 230 km (140 mi) southeast of Hangzhou, the provincial capital.

9 local areas →Prefecture-level city

Lishui丽水市

Lishui (simplified Chinese: 丽水; traditional Chinese: 麗水; pinyin: Líshuǐ; Lishuinese: li⁶ syu³ [li sʮ]) is a prefecture-level city in the southwest of Zhejiang province, People's Republic of China.

9 local areas →

Arrive, stay & get around Zhejiang

交通枢纽、住宿与天气

YOUR ARRIVAL GATEWAY

Hangzhou杭州

This Zhejiang entry uses Hangzhou as its selected gateway city. It does not describe transport coverage across the entire region.

Airports

Railway stations

Metro & city transport

GET AROUND BY METRO · 地铁出行

Hangzhou Metro Network 杭州轨道交通线路图

Zoomable map · 可放大

Use the official journey planner to connect West Lake, the airport and the distinct East and West rail stations.

  1. 1Find your stations确认起点与终点站
  2. 2Check interchanges查看换乘线路与站点
  3. 3Follow exit signs到站后按站内标识出站
Hangzhou rail network diagram · 杭州轨道交通线路图Explore the full network查看站名、线路与换乘Enlarge map点击放大线路图

Check the legend for closed, reserved or future sections. 停运、预留与规划区间，请按图例辨识。

Map edition: 2026-01-01 · Diagram reviewed 2026-09-06

Map: Alan Fan Pei · CC BY-SA 4.0

Map coverage & sources 图示范围与来源说明

Hangzhou Metro lines1-10,16,19; Shaoxing Line1 and Hangzhou-Haining intercity shown as connections, not complete neighbouring networks.

Wikimedia advertised raster derivative, converted to WebP (re-encoded on 2026-09-23 as high-quality lossy WebP, quality 88, to cut the download from over 2 MB to about 1 MB); transparent background flattened to white; no route geometry or labels edited.

Official information ↗
Amap · 高德地图Apple Maps · 苹果地图

Coaches, ferries & onward travel

Transport reference review: 2026-09-06. Consult the operator for current services and timetables.

More about getting around

Hangzhou is the principal starting point for many routes, with air and rail connections and a metro for city travel. Trains link the major cities; tea villages and smaller towns require another leg. Island plans should include flexibility for ferry changes caused by weather.

Stay in Zhejiang

A hotel near West Lake's eastern side balances lake access with city transport. Stay in Shaoxing for evening canal walks, or select one rural guesthouse for a quieter interlude. Check luggage access and meal arrangements before choosing a remote hillside or island property.

Find hotels on Trip.com →

Change your destination, dates and guests on Trip.com.

Hangzhou weather

The current-hour forecast loads when this section is visible. It uses MET Norway model data for the named city, not station observations.

Seasons & when to go

Expect humid summers, frequent rain and occasional tropical-storm disruption along the coast. Spring is attractive for tea-country walks but can be wet; autumn often suits longer outdoor days. Inland high ground is cooler than Hangzhou, and winter guesthouse heating deserves a careful check.

Local life & communication

Zhejiang's cities combine active commerce with specific cultural inheritances: Hangzhou's landscape traditions, Shaoxing's writing and preserved flavors, Ningbo's maritime character, and Jinhua's crafts and food production.

Tea, silk, poetry and garden-making intersect around Hangzhou. Liangzhu introduces an older world of rice agriculture and ceremonial jade, while Shaoxing adds literary homes and rice-wine traditions. A tasting or museum visit becomes more useful when tied to the landscape that produced it.

Language & communication

Mandarin is the common language for travel, alongside diverse Wu varieties across much of Zhejiang. Local speech can change markedly between cities. Keep village names in Chinese and confirm the county as well as the name when arranging a rural pickup.

Useful local tips

  • Do not confuse Hangzhou's West Lake with Yangzhou's Slender West Lake in neighboring Jiangsu.
  • For a Taizhou extension, separately plan Wenling, Tiantai, Linhai and Xianju. A family travel diary highlights that these are spread-out stops, not one compact sightseeing district.
  • Names such as Moganshan and Wuyi refer to wider areas; save the precise property or entrance address.
  • Older Asian Games material is used only for enduring places and food identities, not event access or transport schedules.

Written by China Revealed · Editorially updated 2026-09-07

Sources & useful links