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The Perfect Day
ANDREW DEMBINA REVEALS THE HIGHLIGHTS OF 24 HOURS AT HANGZHOU’S WEST LAKE
WHO would have thought that what has been a sleepy, atmospheric tourist destination for decades would suddenly reinvent itself as an economic powerhouse studded with luxury car showrooms and trendy shops, restaurants and bars?
Such is the case with the city of Hangzhou, whose mist-shrouded, weeping willow-lined West Lake has inspired and been home to more famous poets than anywhere else in the country. Once the capital of China – in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) – it has been on a meteoric up-curve for the past few years, redefining itself as the nation’s centre of IT and taking on a significant amount of manufacturing on the side.
In September 2004, Forbes magazine voted Hangzhou, now capital of Zhejiang province, the best city in which to do business in China.
Yet today, only a small stretch across West Lake’s scenic south-east shore provides a nouveau riche diversion from an otherwise unaff ected, laid-back but much-appreciated body of water.
With West Lake in almost constant use in some form or another at any time, it is quite easy to lose oneself for 24 hours in this picturesque area.
6AM-9AM: GET PHYSICAL
Lakeside life in Hangzhou is generally rather relaxed, but it cranks up to its liveliest just aft er sunrise. Visitors may be surprised at the volume of waterfront exercisers on any given morning and the vigour with which tai chi is practised, mostly by those in the late 40s and over age bracket.
Some don traditional loose-fitting silk or cotton suits, while others may prefer to wear Western-style sportswear or regular casual clothing. A few practitioners use wooden swords or small lances, which they twirl within their rhythmic sequence of movements based on kung fu fighting forms.
Scanning the scores of lovely lakeside pavilions, dancing can frequently be seen within. Sometimes, sequences based on traditional Chinese operatic moves can be witnessed, but a more common sight is an interpretation of Western ballroom dancing moves, instruction and practice – again, mostly by participants who are reasonably advanced in years – occasionally with portable stereo musical backing.
Friends or curious onlookers oft en watch from the benches that line the inner walls of some pavilions or outside the structures. Casual tuition tips are uttered when locals or visitors feel the urge to join in.
9AM-10AM: LEISURELY SCENIC BREAKFAST
There are plenty of options for breakfasting with a view. As one of the main souvenirs from Hangzhou is long jing, picked from easily accessed tea plantations all over Zhejiang province, it seems somewhat criminal not to drink the speciality first thing.
While Chinese restaurants and stores around the world serve green tea that has a milder edge than jasmine, some West Lake teahouses dispense a few premium varieties – long jing young tips and fermented long jing are both prized. Whichever tea you order, individual or shared pots or cups are usually available.
Many of Hangzhou’s teahouses – several of which hug West Lake’s shores – serve northern Chinese dim sum, which typically comprises steamed or fried buns and dumplings. Xiao long bao is a Zhejiang dim sum staple, a dumpling that looks similar to a won ton ball containing minced pork, chopped spring onion and a spoonful of seasoned stock.
The breakfast buffet at the coffee Garden on Shangri-La Hangzhou’s terrace overlooking the quiet north-east shore off ers a luxurious choice. As well as local tea, dim sum and Cantonese congee (rice porridge), a full international selection stretches from Continental cold cuts to omelettes whipped up to order. Good coffee is also at hand, for those who need a cup to kickstart their day.
10AM-1PM: BOATING AND LAKESIDE STROLLS
Several types of pleasure boat ply West Lake at all times of day.
The best time to cruise is before 11am or around an hour before twilight, which varies seasonally. Avoid having to squint through the midday sun; the reflection on the water can be very bright, even on overcast days.
Although there is not much of a vantage point to be gained from floating towards West Lake’s centre, smaller boats make for a relaxed experience – assuming you have clearly agreed your price before boarding or pre-purchased a ticket.
Small wooden rowing boats, oft en equipped with a Venetian gondola-like canopy, wooden seats and a little table covered in a checked cloth, can be hired from 30 RMB per hour, complete with rower. The best destination for such a jaunt is Solitary Island, a small water-ensconced islet that is also linked to the shore by a bridge.
Larger motorised wooden junks stop off at West Lake’s islands and opposite Yue Fei Temple, where there is something of a pleasure boat terminus, charging around 50 RMB for an hour or so.
Enormous vessels also function as floating bars and restaurants, off ering packages that focus more on meals or drinks than taking in the sights.
Along the water’s edge, pagodas litter the essentially low-rise skyline and the immediate vicinity is hemmed in by rolling low-lying mountains. The whitewashed Leifeng Pagoda can be seen from numerous points around West Lake. The five-storey construction was built in 975 by Qian Hongchu, King of the Wuyue Kingdom, to celebrate the birth of a son by one of his favourite concubines, Huangfei.
1PM-2PM: A SPOT OF LUNCH
As spoilt as visitors are for choice at every meal in this vicinity, Louwailou Restaurant on Solitary Hill, right at the heart of West Lake, has commanded a high reputation for over a century.
The specialties include sweet and sour West Lake fish – Hangzhou is one of the few places where this style of cooking has a genuine tradition – and shelled fresh-water shrimp, cooked with long jing tea.
2PM-TWILIGHT: TEMPLE TOURS AND SUNSET SIGHTS
If you haven’t already taken in the sprawling landscaped gardens and impressively preserved structures within the Yue Fei Temple complex, now is 
your opportunity. Chances are, you’ll probably be jostling shoulder-to-shoulder with the increasing number of domestic Chinese tourists who make this a must-see stop on their Hangzhou visit. However, this makes for entertaining people-watching as endless digital photographs are arranged by the hordes in front of statue monuments, carp ponds and burial mounds.
This temple on West Lake’s northern shore was built in honour of Yue Fei, a general of the Southern Song dynasty. Twenty years aft er being wrongly accused and executed at the behest of Prime Minister Qin Hui in 1141, the Emperor recognised Yue Fei’s loyalty and built this tomb and temple complex to honour him.
Today, it is a memorial to the spirit of loyalty and patriotism, and has little religious significance beyond a few scattered altars. Tomb structures and sculptures have fared well, given that they date from the 12th century.
On any day of the week, during any season, children and parents play at the nearby water’s edge while elderly musicians casually perform with one another to the adoration of their peers. Sunset-watching always draws flocks of visitors to West Lake’s shores and can be enjoyed from here or Solitary Hill. Nightly sound-to-light fountain displays (at 7pm and 8pm) fill the two rows of plastic chairs opposite the Hyatt Regency hotel a good half hour before each one begins.
6PM-3AM: WINING AND DINING
There is a quiet buzz at Xihutiandi, a waterside restaurant and bar zone that is inspired by the gardens and architecture of Hangzhou. This laid-back ambience can be felt throughout the day and into the night, although it is busier on Friday and Saturday evenings.
Launched in 2003, all establishments in the area have carefully extended their protected early 20th-century brick structures, and none more magnificently 
than the glass conservatories of the sprawling Haagen-Dazs and Starbucks coffee outlets. Both boast prime positions and spill out onto umbrella-covered terraces.
Upmarket Italian restaurant Va Bene’s upper floor is the area’s bastion of fine European dining; its ground floor, now renamed Pizza Pazza, serves casual pizza and pasta dishes. Barflies hang out at the restaurant’s pleasant outdoor tables, enjoying a drink while people-watching.
Alternatively, head for the always-busy CJ Bar, where live bands play on past midnight. “CJ” stands for Crystal Jade Garden Restaurant, which also has a stake in this bar and is probably Xihutiandi’s best Chinese eatery.
Nearby at Hyatt Regency Hangzhou is 28 HuBin Road, a contemporary restaurant specialising in finely tuned local cuisine. Packed with rustic collectables, its delicate long jing tea river shrimp and “beggar’s chicken” are particular standouts.
There is swish French and Italian dining at Latour Restaurant and Rosso Restaurant respectively, found in the Hangzhou Hubin International Boutique Compound near the Hyatt. Gourmet coffee can be had at Blenz – an outlet of an upmarket Canadian chain – and Barossa coffee. The Compound is topped by Ferrari Café, where decent espressos, other coffee types and cakes are prepared by staff in red jumpsuits who serve non-alcoholic drinks into the wee hours.
WHERE TO STAY
Comprising two small hotels that were built in the 1950s and 1960s and conveniently linked by a covered walkway, Shangri-La Hangzhou (78 Beishan Road, tel +86 (0)571 8797-7951, www.shangri-la.com) is situated in a relatively quiet part of West Lake’s northern shore and is an excellent spot for exploring nearby temples and tea plantations.
For more contemporary comfort, the newer Hyatt Regency Hangzhou (28 Hubin Road, tel +86 (0)571 8779-1234, www.hangzhou.regency.hyatt.com) is located opposite the southern shore.
The hotel is close to the best nightlife, and only minutes on foot from the main shopping areas.
WHERE TO EAT
These are just a few of the countless reliable restaurants that dot the West Lake shores and its islands: 28 HuBin Road, Hangzhou Hyatt Regency, tel +86 (0)571 8779-1234; coffee Garden at Shangri-La Hangzhou, tel +86 (0)571 8797-7951; Ferrari Café, Hangzhou Hubin International Boutique Compound, Pinghai Road, tel +86 (0)21 532-9238; Louwailou Restaurant, 30 Gushan Road, Solitary Hill, tel +86 (0)571 8702-9023; Xihutiandi, off 147 Nanshan Road;CJ Bar, tel +86 (0)571 8702-6622; Crystal Jade Garden Restaurant, tel +86 (0)571 8702-6618; Haagen-Dazs, tel +86 (0)571 8702-6180; Starbucks, tel: +86 (0)571 8702-7990; Va Bene/ Pizza Pazza, tel +86 (0)571 8702-6333
WHERE TO SHOP
Gift shops are impossible to miss around the shoreline. It is hard to recommend one among all those selling the common melange of silk and long jing tea; just walk around and compare prices and quality. Hangzhou Hubin International Boutique Compound, near the Hyatt, features over 20 big-brand international names including Hermes, Armani Casa, and Dolce & Gabbana. Decleor, within the well-guarded miniature estate, also off ers an integrated beauty salon, spa and exercise studio.
3AM-6AM: MISTY LAKESIDE MEANDER
Wait to welcome the dawn by wandering through the billowing mist that hangs over West Lake. Lotus leaves and lily pads sway, moored boats bob and neon-clad island pavilions send shimmering reflections over the water’s surface. What a perfect end to a long day by the lake.
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