HANGZHOU
We spent three days in Hangzhou, and I can already tell the city will hold a top spot for me in China. A calm and artistic place with a softness to it, known for its temples, poets, tea culture, and the natural beauty that surrounds it. We stayed at the West Lake State Guesthouse, a setting that felt peaceful and deeply connected to the city. Hangzhou is inspiring at its core, filled with young creatives and beautifully made brands that I am sharing below. Some of our favorite vegetarian meals of the entire trip were found here, along with some of the best shopping. Essential oils, jewelry, books, incense, tea, quiet neighborhoods, and moments that felt like walking through a painting.
Check out more images + videos from our trip in my China Highlights.
Below you’ll find a curated list of places I’ve truly loved in Hangzhou: spots I’ve tried, tested, and would go back to again. Think of it as your go-to guide for the city.
STAY
West Lake State Guesthouse
📍 Xihu District
Staying at the West Lake State Guesthouse felt peaceful and deeply connected to the city. The property sits right along West Lake, which is the heart of Hangzhou and the landscape that shapes so much of its beauty. The grounds are quiet, green, and serene, with winding paths and views that soften the pace of the day. Our room felt calm and welcoming, and the overall setting made it easy to slow down and absorb the gentler side of Hangzhou. A wonderful stay if you want to be close to nature while still being fully immersed in the city. Pictured above.
EAT
Qing Chun Perma
📍 Lingying Temple
A fully vegetarian Sichuan restaurant that completely won us over. The flavors were bold, expressive, and so thoughtfully crafted that I genuinely need one to open in New York. Tucked away in a serene garden near Lingyin Temple, the restaurant serves vegetarian dishes inspired by Chinese traditions and gentle Southeast Asian flavors. Most ingredients are organic, including naturally grown grains and rice. A must visit in Hangzhou if you love beautifully executed vegetarian food. Everything was so delicious here, but a few must trys are mapo tofu, Sichuan tofu, vegetable dumplings, black truffle fried rice, and dan dan noodles. Pictured above.
Pu Zhu
📍 Shangcheng District
A Michelin Green Star restaurant with an artistic spirit. The meal felt creative, seasonal, and beautifully composed, with a focus on sustainability. One of the most memorable dinners from our time in China. Highly recommend adding this to your Hangzhou plans. Pictured above.
Amber Palace Indian Restaurant
📍 Shangcheng District
Located on the fifth floor of Powerlong Mall, Amber Palace is such a great spot for a comforting and flavorful Indian meal in Hangzhou. Sandeep took such good care of us and made the experience feel warm and personal. The food was so good that we came back twice, once for lunch and again for our Thanksgiving dinner. A wonderful place to visit if you are craving Indian food while exploring the city, and the mall itself is a fun stop before heading upstairs for your meal. Pictured above.
QUICK BITES + CAFES
Nine Cups Coffee
📍 Shangcheng District
Nine Cups was our favorite coffee experience in all of China. A small, vibey space with a quiet creative energy, run by an owner who treats coffee like an art form. The hojicha here was incredible, rich in flavor with a soft roasted warmth. Highly recommend visiting for a slow moment and a truly memorable cup. Pictured above.
Seesaw Coffee
📍 Tianmuli
Instagram: @seesawcoffee
Seesaw Coffee is one of those reliably good spots you can count on across China, with locations in both Shanghai and Hangzhou. The menu is consistent, delicious, and just quirky enough to feel out of the box in the best way. I ordered their sea salt caramel tea latte and it was incredible.
THINGS TO DO
Lingyin Temple
📍 Xihu District
One of China’s most famous temples, set against mountains and stone carvings. Peaceful, historic, and beautiful to explore. Try the vegetarian smelly tofu. Have lunch at Qing Chun Perma a fully vegetarian Sichuan restaurant with bold, expressive flavors and a serene garden setting near the temple. Pictured above.
Bruce Ma Claw Arcade
📍 Powerlong Mall
This was one of the most unexpectedly fun stops of our Hangzhou trip. Bruce Ma is a bright, buzzy claw machine arcade inside Powerlong Mall, the same mall as Amber Palace Indian Restaurant. On our way down after lunch, we spotted the arcade glowing in the corner and walked in on a whim. If you love claw machines but always seem to walk away empty handed, this place is a dream. For 100 yuan (about 14 USD), you get a huge amount of plays. Most machines were around 3 yuan per play, which gives you roughly 30 rounds, depending on the machine. We ended up winning an entire cart of plush toys to bring home for our pups. If you love cute things, small thrills, or anything remotely collectible, you will not walk out empty handed. Pictured above.
Matcha Lake (Qingshan Lake)
📍 Lin’an District, outskirts of Hangzhou
A serene and incredibly beautiful lake surrounded by soft greenery and calm views. We spent a couple of hours here walking along the water and breathing in the fresh, earthy scent of the landscape. A peaceful escape outside the city and one of the most memorable parts of our trip. The title picture.
Xixi National Wetland Park Boat Ride
📍 Xihu District
Take a gentle boat ride through the wetlands for a calming look at Hangzhou’s natural landscape. The winding waterways and tall reeds make the experience feel quiet and grounding.
Heifeng Night Market
📍 Gongshu District
A lively night market filled with street food, snacks, and small vendors. Fun to wander, taste new things, and soak in the nighttime energy of Hangzhou.
Wulin Night Market
📍 Xiacheng District
Another bustling night market with lots of local bites and little stalls. Great for grazing, people-watching, and experiencing everyday Hangzhou life after dark.
Leifeng Pagoda
📍 Xihu District
A historic pagoda overlooking West Lake with sweeping views of the water and surrounding hills. Beautiful at sunset and an iconic Hangzhou landmark.
Hangzhou 77 Underground Garage
📍 Shangcheng District
A large, modern underground shopping destination with stylish stores, cafés, and plenty of space to explore. Great for walking around and browsing.
West Lake
📍 Xihu District
Spend time walking along the lake, sitting by the water, or exploring the calm bridges and paths. West Lake is the heart of Hangzhou and captures so much of what makes the city feel gentle and poetic.
SHOPPING
Tianmuli Creative District
Tianmuli is one of the coolest shopping areas in Hangzhou, a creative pocket filled with independent boutiques, young designers, and art-forward concept stores. It feels like a little design village. We wandered for hours and found some of our favorite souvenirs from the trip here:
Je Sens Fragrance Studio
📍Tianmuli
One of our favorite finds. You can create a custom body or home fragrance using their essential oils and ceramic + raw crystal diffusers. We chose a small ceramic vessel filled with clear quartz crystals (you can pick black, rose, or clear quartz) and blended two oils: Black Baccara (floral) and Pink Peppercorn (oriental). The scent combination is beautiful, and the diffuser doubles as a tiny decor piece. Highly recommend if you want something thoughtful and design forward for your home. They also have a Shanghai location at the Hai550 Mall. Pictured above.
Niwu Bookstore
📍Tianmuli
Beautifully designed bookstore tucked inside Tianmuli. Soft lighting, curated shelves, and that quiet creative energy that makes you want to stay for hours. Perfect place to pick up an art book or stationery.
Schmuck Official
📍Tianmuli
Instagram: @schmuck_official
A minimalist meets quirky jewelry studio led by young designers. I picked up a pair of earrings and a ring, both sculptural and beautifully made. If you love unique pieces that feel collectible rather than commercial, stop here.
Toothache Rabbit Shop
📍Tianmuli
A playful clothing boutique built around the iconic rabbit character with a bandaged cheek. Very cute, very Hangzhou, and such a fun spot for gifts, stickers, and quirky accessories. It has that youthful, graphic design charm you see throughout East Asia.
ETIQUETTE + TIPS
⟡ Apps to download before you go: WeChat, Alipay, Didi, Amap, & Google Translate.
⟡ WeChat This is the backbone of daily life in China. You can message people, translate menus, pay for things, and call taxis all from one place.
⟡ Alipay The easiest way to handle payments as a visitor. Add your foreign card in the app and you can use it almost everywhere.
⟡ Didi The primary ride hailing app. Works like Uber but with more vehicle options.
⟡ Amap The most accurate mapping tool in China since Google Maps has limited function.
⟡ Google Translate Even though many signs are bilingual in Shanghai, it helps for menus and small talk.
⟡ Small snacks and taxis take mobile payment. Having Alipay set up ahead of time makes everything seamless.
⟡ Always have your passport. You need it for hotels, certain attractions, and sometimes for train stations.
⟡ Tap water is not consumed. Use bottled or boiled water.
⟡ Try paying with Alipay even if card machines are offered. It is quicker and more reliable.
⟡ Bargaining is expected in local markets but not in malls or boutiques.
⟡ Always pay attention to sizing. Chinese sizing runs smaller and varies widely by shop.
⟡ Keep smaller bills or coins for street snacks if you plan to pay cash.
⟡ High speed trains are extremely punctual. Arrive early because security lines can be long.
⟡ Luggage is scanned at every major station.
⟡ Business class seats are worth it on longer rides for comfort and space. Pictured above.
⟡ The subway uses touchless entry with QR codes through Alipay or WeChat if you prefer not to buy single tickets.
⟡ Carry your hotel’s Chinese address card. Taxi drivers rely on the Chinese written address even if they understand English verbally.
*Every trip I take to a new country, I choose a new fragrance to wear throughout the trip. It becomes intertwined with the places, moments, and memories of that adventure. Whenever I wear it again, I’m instantly transported back to the travel memories. For this trip, I wore Grand Soir by Maison Francis Kurkdijan — an amber, woody scent feels like evening light turned into a fragrance which made it feel extra right for China. The scent is warm, golden, and slightly smoky. A fragrance that will forever remind me of this trip. 
I also have a nail theme and color idea for each trip, and this time I gave myself a home mani with a burgundy metallic base topped with iridescent glittered discs, a little nod to Chinese nail art.
