Nearby getaways from Hangzhou: Wuzhen, Xitang, Qiandao Lake, Moganshan, Anji and Shaoxing—how to plan a 1- or 2-day trip

There are five common directions for nearby getaways from Hangzhou: Wuzhen and Xitang water towns to the north, Qiandao Lake to the southwest, Moganshan and Anji to the northwest, and Shaoxing to the east. If you only have one day, pick Wuzhen, Shaoxing or Xitang—a high-speed train plus a short transfer gets you there in just over an hour. With two days, Qiandao Lake, Moganshan and Anji are well worth an overnight stay. Below we break down each direction: how to get there, who it suits, and how to plan your trip.

Hangzhou itself has enough to keep you busy for three or four days, but many visitors returning for a second trip—or families staying longer—want to explore beyond the city. Fortunately, Hangzhou's high-speed rail network is extensive, with trains heading in all directions from its two hubs, Hangzhou East Station and Hangzhou West Station. Most nearby destinations are just one to two hours away one way. When choosing where to go, first consider three things: whether you're doing a day trip or staying overnight, whether you prefer water towns or mountain scenery, and whether you're traveling with seniors or children.

Pick a direction at a glance

Destination

Direction & transportation

How many days to spend

Best for

Wuzhen

Take the high-speed train to Tongxiang Station, then transfer

One day, or stay overnight for the night views

First time in Jiangnan, love taking photos

Xitang

Take the high-speed train to Jiashan South Station, then transfer

One day

For a more authentic water town experience

Shaoxing

Transfer from the Hangzhou Metro to the Shaoxing Metro

One day

If you love literature and history, or are traveling with students

Qiandao Lake

Take the high-speed train to Qiandao Lake Station

2 days, 1 night

Lake views, family trips with kids, or traveling with seniors

Moganshan

Take the high-speed train to Deqing Station, then head up the mountain.

2 days, 1 night

Summer retreats and mountain homestays

Anji

Take the high-speed train to Anji Station, then head up the mountain.

1–2 days

Family-friendly, outdoors, ski season

The travel times in the table are typical estimates. High-speed train schedules change each season, so always check 12306 before you depart. Here's a closer look at each destination.

Which station to depart from in Hangzhou

Hangzhou has several train stations, and the most commonly used for nearby getaways are Hangzhou East Railway Station and Hangzhou West Railway Station. For Wuzhen, Xitang, Jiaxing, Shaoxing, Deqing and Anji, most travelers board at Hangzhou East Railway Station in the east of the city, reachable via Metro Lines 1 and 4. For Qiandao Lake, both Hangzhou East and Hangzhou West have trains. Hangzhou West is in Yuhang in the west of the city, so it's closer if you're staying near Xixi, west of West Lake or in Future Sci-Tech City. For Shaoxing, you can skip the train entirely and just take the metro.

Before buying tickets, double-check your departure station and factor in travel time from your hotel: a taxi from West Lake to Hangzhou East Railway Station usually takes 20–30 minutes, longer during morning and evening rush hours. High-speed rail tickets sell out fast on holidays, so it's best to book round-trip tickets on 12306 a few days in advance.

Wuzhen: The classic water town, even better at night

Wuzhen is in Tongxiang, Jiaxing. A high-speed train from Hangzhou East Railway Station to Tongxiang Station takes about 20 minutes, then a bus or taxi from the station to the scenic area brings the total trip to just over an hour. Wuzhen is divided into Dongzha (East Scenic Zone) and Xizha (West Scenic Zone). Dongzha feels more like an old street where locals still live, while Xizha is a fully restored scenic area with wider canals and neatly arranged buildings that look their best when lit up at night. Adult admission to Xizha is ¥150, and it stays open until 10 pm according to the scenic area's posted hours.

Dongzha retains more of its original old-street character, with Mao Dun's Former Residence, the Jiangnan Hundred Beds Museum and the Blue Calico Workshop all located here. It's better visited during the day, as shops start closing by dusk. Xizha, on the other hand, gets livelier as the night goes on, with the water market, academies and riverside inns glowing with lights. The two zones are a bit of a distance apart, but shuttle buses run between them.

If you can only pick one, first-timers should go with Xizha—arrive in the afternoon, explore until dark to see the night views, then head out. If you have more time, spend a night at a guesthouse inside Xizha; early the next morning, before visitors arrive, the only sound on the canal is the creak of sculling boats. Wuzhen gets very crowded every autumn during the theater festival, and hotels are pricier too—check out our Wuzhen Theater Festival travel guide to plan ahead. For how to split your time between Dongzha and Xizha and whether one day is enough, see our Wuzhen day tour travel guide and the Wuzhen scenic area page.

Xitang: Covered corridors and narrow lanes for a more local vibe

Xitang is in Jiashan County, Jiaxing. A high-speed train from Hangzhou to Jiashan South Station takes about 30 to 40 minutes, followed by a 20- to 30-minute taxi ride to the scenic area. Compared with Wuzhen, Xitang is smaller and more laid-back, and many residents still live in the town. The Yanyu Corridor along the river provides shade and shelter from rain, while the narrowest lane, Shipi Lane, only fits one person at a time. Admission is ¥95.

One day is ideal for Xitang: arrive in the morning, stroll along the Yanyu Corridor and several ancient bridges, have lunch at a small riverside restaurant, take a sculling boat in the afternoon, watch the lanterns light up at dusk, then head back to Hangzhou. Wuzhen and Xitang are close to each other, so some travelers visit both, but rushing through two water towns in one day is tiring—spending a night in each is better. For more ideas, see our Xitang day tour travel guide and the Xitang scenic area page.

Shaoxing: A literary ancient city reachable by metro

Shaoxing is the easiest nearby city to reach from Hangzhou: take Hangzhou Metro Line 5 to Guniangqiao Station, transfer to Shaoxing Metro Line 1, and you'll arrive directly at Lu Xun's Hometown Station in about an hour. You can also take a high-speed train to Shaoxing North Station and transfer. A classic one-day itinerary is visiting Sanwei Shuwu (Three Flavor Study) and Baicaoyuan (Hundred Plant Garden) at Lu Xun's Hometown in the morning, then walking a few hundred meters to Shen Garden in the afternoon to read the poem "Chai Tou Feng" by Lu You and Tang Wan.

Shaoxing is perfect for students, older relatives who love the Chinese literary classics, and anyone wanting to ride a wupeng boat and see everyday water town life. If you have extra time, add Keyan Scenic Area or Anchang Ancient Town and spend a night in the old city. For detailed routes, see the Shaoxing day tour, Lu Xun's Hometown and Shen Garden pages.

If you have an extra day, head out of town to Lanting (Orchid Pavilion), where Wang Xizhi wrote the "Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion." The bamboo groves and winding stream are wonderfully quiet, and the old streets around Shusheng Guli (Calligrapher Sage's Hometown) are also worth a stroll. Shaoxing's old city is small, and the sight of wupeng boats gliding under stone bridges and past traditional courtyard gates is many people's first impression of a Jiangnan water town.

Qiandao Lake: lakes and mountains worth an overnight stay

Qiandao Lake is in Chun'an County, southwest of Hangzhou. It's a man-made lake created by the Xin'an River Reservoir, dotted with over a thousand islands. High-speed trains from Hangzhou East or Hangzhou West Station to Qiandao Lake Station take as little as 50 minutes, though most run about an hour. From the station, you'll still need a shuttle bus or taxi to the central lake area, which takes another 30 to 40 minutes.

A day trip is possible, but boarding the boat and queuing at the docks takes time, so staying overnight makes things much more relaxed: arrive in the afternoon and watch the sunset by the lake on your first day; on the second day, take a boat to Meifeng Island for a panoramic view of the archipelago, or visit the "Tianxia Wei Gong" island cluster. This route is great for families with seniors and kids—it's mostly by boat with very little walking. For details on how to plan it, see the Qiandao Lake day tour travel guide and the Qiandao Lake scenic area page.

Moganshan: bamboo forests, mountain retreats and summer escapes

Moganshan is in Deqing, Huzhou, and is a famous summer retreat in Jiangnan. The mountain is covered in bamboo groves dotted with old villas built in the last century, while Yucun Village at the foot of the mountain and nearby villages are full of guesthouses. A high-speed train from Hangzhou East Station to Deqing Station takes about 15 minutes, followed by a 30-minute ride up the mountain; driving from Hangzhou takes just over an hour.

The best way to enjoy Moganshan is to stay one or two nights without rushing: walk a bamboo trail during the day, see Jianchi Waterfall, and return to your guesthouse for tea in the evening. In summer, the mountain is much cooler than Hangzhou, making it the most popular nearby getaway in July and August; the autumn bamboo groves and morning mist are also beautiful. For routes and trails, see the Moganshan day tour and Moganshan 2-day tour.

Anji: Tea plantations, bamboo groves and Cloud Meadow

Anji is also in Huzhou, known for its white tea, bamboo groves and mountain resorts. A high-speed train from Hangzhou East to Anji Station takes about 40 minutes, then a taxi to Cloud Meadow takes around half an hour. Cloud Meadow sits on a mountaintop over 1,000 meters above sea level, offering alpine meadows and various high-altitude activities in summer and a ski resort in winter. You take a cable car up the mountain, and families with kids are especially common here.

If you're traveling with seniors, you can just take the cable car up to see the meadow and sea of clouds without trying the thrill rides. With kids, we recommend staying overnight and splitting the ascent, meadow, slides and lower bamboo groves over two days. For transport details, see How to get to Anji Cloud Meadow; for a two-day, one-night itinerary, see Cloud Meadow two days and one night. Anji and Moganshan aren't far apart, so you can combine both in a three-day trip.

Also consider: Nanxun, Nanhu Lake in Jiaxing and Liangzhu

Nanxun: Another water town in Huzhou. Its biggest differences from Wuzhen and Xitang are the grand mansions of late-Qing silk merchants and the Sino-Western buildings. It also draws fewer tourists. Nanxun is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Grand Canal of China. It's about a 1.5-hour drive from Hangzhou, or you can take the train to Huzhou first and transfer. See our Nanxun Ancient Town travel guide for details.

Nanhu Lake in Jiaxing: Just 20–30 minutes from Hangzhou by high-speed train. The Red Boat on the lake island is the birthplace of the Communist Party of China, making it a good stop for those interested in modern history. It pairs well with Wuzhen or Xitang. Not far from Nanhu Lake, Yuehe Historic District is an old street along the canal that looks great for a stroll and photos once the lights come on in the evening. You can easily combine Nanhu Lake and Yuehe into one afternoon.

Liangzhu: Strictly speaking, it's just north of downtown Hangzhou rather than out of the city, but it's excellent for family learning trips. The Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2019. The ruins park is wide open and great for cycling, and the nearby Liangzhu Museum displays exquisite jade artifacts.

How to choose when traveling with seniors or kids

If you're traveling with grandparents in their 70s or 80s, prioritize places with little walking where they can sit and enjoy the view. Qiandao Lake is mostly boat rides, Xizha offers sculling boats, and Shaoxing's wupeng boats are equally relaxing. Moganshan's trails have plenty of steps and slopes, so if seniors are coming, it's best to stay up on the mountain and pick just one or two flat sections to walk.

For families with kids, Anji Yunshang Caoyuan (Cloud Meadow), Qiandao Lake, and Liangzhu are the most popular choices. They offer plenty of outdoor space for children to run around. At Lu Xun's Hometown, school-age kids can see Sanwei Shuwu (Three Flavors Study) and Baicaoyuan (Hundred Plant Garden) from their textbooks, which makes the visit especially meaningful. When traveling with two generations, plan just one main destination per day and leave time for a midday rest—it's much more enjoyable than rushing to two or three places in a single day.

How to choose by season

Spring (March–May): This is the season for Anji's tea plantations, Moganshan's fresh bamboo, and the blossoms in Wuzhen and Xitang. The weather is pleasant, but the Qingming Festival and May Day holidays draw huge crowds, so try to avoid them.

Summer (June–August): Hangzhou gets hot and humid, making mountain destinations like Moganshan and Yunshang Caoyuan the most popular. You can enjoy water activities at Qiandao Lake, but the daytime sun is intense. Around June is the plum rain season, when it rains frequently in the water towns, so bring rain gear.

Fall (September–November): The best season to travel—Wuzhen, Xitang, and Shaoxing are all very comfortable. The National Day holiday is the busiest time of the year, and wait times at the water towns and Qiandao Lake can double, so avoid it if you can.

Winter (December–February): The water towns have fewer visitors. It's cold but peaceful, and the night views and snow scenes in Wuzhen's West Scenic Zone make for great photos. Yunshang Caoyuan opens for skiing in winter. Winters in Jiangnan are damp and chilly, and there's no central heating indoors, so be sure to ask your guesthouse about air conditioning and electric blankets.

A few ways to plan a day tour or 2-day tour

Day tour: Wuzhen's West Scenic Zone (arrive in the afternoon and head back after the night view); Xitang; or Lu Xun's Hometown plus Shen Garden in Shaoxing. All three routes can be done as round trips the same day by high-speed train or metro, so there's no need to stay overnight.

2 days, 1 night: Wuzhen plus Xitang, staying in Wuzhen West Scenic Zone; Qiandao Lake, staying lakeside; Moganshan, staying in a mountain homestay; Shaoxing Old Town for one night, then Anchang or Keyan the next day.

3 days, 2 nights: Moganshan plus Anji, or Wuzhen, Xitang and Nanxun—ideal for travelers with extra time who prefer a slower pace.

Taking the high-speed train yourself is cost-effective, but you'll need to transfer at every stop, which gets tiring if you're hauling luggage or traveling with seniors or kids. For groups of three or four or more, or if you want to fit in an extra stop in a single day, a private car is usually easier: point-to-point routes from Hangzhou to Wuzhen and Qiandao Lake are readily available—see Hangzhou to Wuzhen private car and Hangzhou to Qiandao Lake private car. For longer cross-city trips, see Zhejiang Province private car. Things to do within Hangzhou are on the Hangzhou city page.

FAQs

Where is the best place for a day tour around Hangzhou?

First-timers should pick Wuzhen West Scenic Zone for its evening lights; literature and history lovers should choose Shaoxing, reachable by metro; for a quieter water town, go to Xitang. All three can be visited as a round trip in a single day.

Recommended 2-day tours around Hangzhou?

Qiandao Lake, Moganshan and Anji are all worth an overnight stay: lake views and boat rides at Qiandao Lake, a cool mountain retreat at Moganshan, and family fun at Anji Cloud Meadow. Combining Wuzhen and Xitang is another classic water town itinerary.

Where near Hangzhou is good for traveling with kids?

Yunshang Caoyuan in Anji, Qiandao Lake, and the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu City are all great options. Yunshang Caoyuan features grassy slopes and outdoor activities, Qiandao Lake is mainly about boat rides, and at Liangzhu you can cycle around the ruins and visit the museum.

How long does it take to get from Hangzhou to Wuzhen and Qiandao Lake?

Wuzhen: The high-speed train to Tongxiang Station takes about 20 minutes; with the transfer, the whole trip is just over an hour. Qiandao Lake: The high-speed train to Qiandao Lake Station takes about an hour, then a shuttle bus for roughly 30 minutes to the lake area. Actual times depend on the day's schedule.

Do I need to book tickets in advance for nearby getaways from Hangzhou?

On weekdays, you usually don't need to book too early. On weekends and holidays, it's best to reserve high-speed train tickets and accommodation ahead of time. For popular attractions like Wuzhen West Scenic Zone and Qiandao Lake cruises, we also recommend buying tickets in advance through official channels.