PLACE GUIDE

Three Ponds Mirroring the Moon 三潭映月小瀛洲

Santan Yingyue Xiaoyingzhou

Three Ponds Mirroring the Moon combines Xiaoyingzhou island’s garden with three small stone towers standing in the water to its south.

Two carved stone pagoda lanterns standing in bright blue rippled water with a wooded shoreline behind; the third pagoda is out of frame.
Two carved stone pagoda lanterns standing in bright blue rippled water with a wooded shoreline behind; the third pagoda is out of frame. · lienyuan lee · CC BY 3.0
Photo adjustments

Full frame retained; proportionally resized and converted to WebP. No retouching or changes to the photographed subject. Card displays may crop the view.

Explore the region

Zhejiang · 浙江省 →Hangzhou · 杭州市 →Xihu District · 西湖区 →

About Three Ponds Mirroring the Moon

Within the island, crossing paths divide pools so that the garden seems to hold a lake inside the lake. The hollow towers and their round openings explain the famous moon-reflection tradition. Bridges, pavilions and rockeries make the island worth exploring by day; special candle-lighting or moon conditions should not be assumed.

What to look for

  • The three stone towers arranged in the water south of the island.
  • The island’s internal pools, zigzag bridge and crossing causeway.

Location & getting there

Getting to Three Ponds Mirroring the Moon

Take a designated Xiaoyingzhou island boat from a West Lake pier such as First Park, Zhongshan Park or Flower Harbor. Confirm that the chosen service includes island landing and the intended return pier; a sightseeing circuit is a different boat product.

General visit reminders

Allow room for the terrain and weather when choosing your route. Check the operator’s current trail, shuttle and cableway notices where applicable, and confirm the return connection before setting out. A broad landscape pin does not identify every trailhead or access point.

Combine your visit

A suggested sequence linking the specific features of this visit.

  1. Xiaoyingzhou internal pools

    See how paths divide water within the island garden.

  2. Zigzag bridge and pavilions

    Follow the garden’s changing views across its pools.

  3. Three stone towers viewpoint

    Finish with the small towers beyond the island’s southern shore.

This order is editorial. Confirm access and any transfers between stops; it does not establish a walking route, same-day connection or common admission ticket.

Mountains & forests · 山岳／森林 →

Find Three Ponds Mirroring the Moon

三潭映月小瀛洲 · 西湖区

Amap · 高德地图Approximate pin · 近似位置Apple Maps · 苹果地图

The pin marks the area, not the entrance.

More places nearby

Approximate straight-line distances between map pins, not travel distances.

Yue Fei Temple 岳王庙

Less than 1 km away

Yue Fei Temple combines a memorial shrine with the tomb precinct of the Southern Song general and his son. The halls explain his later veneration, while the spirit-way sculptures and tomb setting make the memorial landscape…

View guide →

West Lake 西湖

Less than 1 km away

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 →

Mid-Lake Pavilion 湖心亭

Less than 1 km away

Mid-Lake Pavilion stands on a small island in the open water of West Lake. Its buildings and trees form a compact silhouette, different from the larger garden island of Xiaoyingzhou. A stone inscription known as “Chong Er” plays…

View guide →

Sources & visit information

The sources below support the place-specific description and arrival information. Suggested combinations are editorial planning ideas; confirm current opening, entry arrangements and transport services for your date.

Visitor information adapted and edited from Wikivoyage contributors, listing “Three Ponds Mirroring the Moon” · CC BY-SA 4.0.

China Revealed · Editorially updated 2026-10-07