Where is the most comfortable place to visit in Hangzhou in summer? The answer lies hidden in this enchanted green world of Xixi Wetland.

Turns out there's a Wizard of Oz-style green wonderland right in Hangzhou.

Ponds full of lotus and water lilies, cool breezes under the shade—it's all hidden in Hangzhou's Xixi Wetland.

Xixi in summer is one of Hangzhou's natural treasures.

Hop on a sculling boat, feel the shade and the breeze on your face, and leave the midsummer heat behind.

Step into Xixi and you'll find the best way to experience Hangzhou in summer.

Lotus flowers and water lilies are the absolute stars of Xixi's summer.

The biggest difference from lotus ponds elsewhere is that here you don't just admire them from afar—you can get up close and even become part of the scenery.

Skip the crowds at West Lake and immerse yourself in a world of lotus blossoms; it's the most elegant way to spend a summer day.

Every summer, the Longshezui entrance of Xixi Wetland opens a dedicated lotus-viewing route.

What sets this route apart is that you don't just look at the lotuses—you board a sculling boat and glide deep into the lotus ponds.

Board at the Impression Sculling Boat Pier, and as the boatman leisurely works the oar, the small boat drifts slowly into the ponds.

Listen to the rustle of lotus leaves brushing the eaves of the boat.

On both sides of the waterway, lotus leaves tower above you, with pink and white blossoms scattered among them.

Deep in the lotus groves, the flowers are right alongside the gunwales, close enough to touch.

You can even try your hand at picking lotus pods, savoring the poetic mood of "rowing back after a day of fun, lost deep in the lotus blossoms."

It's pure bliss.

Over at the Zhoujiacun entrance, a whole pond of water lilies is in bloom—Xixi's very own Monet garden.

The water lilies here are perfectly beautiful, their colors and reflections layered like a painting, filling your eyes with the gentle poetry of Jiangnan.

This pond features mostly pink water lilies, but you might also spot rare two-toned ones—half pale yellow, half rosy pink.

Visit between 9:00 AM and 12:00 PM, when the petals are fully open and the light is softest—the perfect time for viewing.

Xixi isn't a manicured garden; it's a natural wetland carved by rice paddies, ponds, and streams.

So if you ask what the most comfortable way to enjoy Xixi in summer is, it has to be riding a sculling boat.

It's a unique slow-living experience.

Board a sculling boat at the pier and dive straight into the traditional Chinese landscape painting of Xixi Wetland.

As you glide through the waterways, lush greenery lines both banks.

This secluded, refreshing coolness is hard to find anywhere else.

If you want a different perspective on Xixi's beauty, don't miss the Sky View sightseeing helium balloon at Xixi Wetland.

The breeze at nearly 100 meters high chases away the summer heat.

It's Hangzhou's only high-altitude helium balloon experience.

Unlike flame-powered hot air balloons, this is arguably the most unique way to beat the heat in Hangzhou during summer.

The ride is extremely smooth with no sensation of heat, giving you a one-of-a-kind bird's-eye view.

From the sky, the crisscrossing waterways and ponds of the wetland spread across the land like a giant Jiangnan ink wash painting—truly romantic.

Panoramic views of the wetland, where "every winding stream meets a wisp of mist," can only be seen from up here.

Hidden within Xixi's green sanctuary is a magical bookstore: Huomai Bookstore.

It isn't large, but it takes the art of reading amid scenery to the extreme, letting you discover a romance you must experience in your lifetime.

Converted from an old office building, it's surrounded by water on three sides, suspended above the surface.

Amid its pine-and-stone aesthetic, floor-to-ceiling glass curtain walls bring the wetland scenery outside right indoors.

Sit by the window and you're face-to-face with the wetland views.

Walking in feels like stepping into a Hayao Miyazaki animation.

This is more than just a bookstore—it's a spiritual garden where you can escape the city noise and rest your soul.

Set aside some time just for Xixi on a summer day, and you'll be rewarded with a cool, healing experience.

Xixi Wetland doesn't belong only to daytime lotuses and sculling boats—after dark, it reveals another world entirely.

As China's first immersive performance set in a neo-classical garden, Xixi Shuihu invites the audience to wear masks of the Liangshan heroes, step into a Jiangnan garden, and travel firsthand into the chivalrous world of Water Margin.

The show takes place inside Gaozhuang Garden in Xixi Wetland.

There's no fixed stage or seating—the entire Gaozhuang garden is the theater.

Multiple storylines unfold simultaneously in different corners.

You're free to choose which thread to follow; wherever you walk, there's a performance, and you can interact closely with the actors.

Once inside, you're no longer a spectator but one of the Liangshan heroes, feeling their heroic spirit and passion firsthand.

Xixi hides all of summer's romance in every corner.

Surrounded by lush greenery, you can steal half a day of leisure deep among the lotus blossoms, hop on a small boat and recline amid the green, or soar 100 meters into the sky to take in the winding streams and misty waters.

Whichever you choose, this wetland will surprise you.

In the heat of summer, Xixi is truly worth the trip.