Wuzhen + Hangzhou + Hengdian World Studios + Thousand Island Lake · 4 days

Wuzhen (simplified Chinese: 乌镇; traditional Chinese: 烏鎮; pinyin: Wūzhèn, Wu: Whu-tsen lit. “Wu Town”) is a historic scenic town, part of Tongxiang, located in the north of Zhejiang Province, China.

Wuzhen lies within the triangle formed by Hangzhou, Suzhou and Shanghai. Its waterways and historic streets are the focus of a visit; current admission areas and transport should be checked separately.

Wuzhen has been the permanent host place of the annual World Internet Conference, an international Internet conference held in China, since 2014.

West Lake (Chinese: 西湖; Wu Chinese pronunciation: [si ɦu]) is a freshwater lake in Hangzhou, China. It is divided into five sections by three causeways. There are numerous temples, pagodas, gardens, and natural/artificial islands within the lake. Gushan (孤山) is the largest natural island and three artificial islands: Xiaoyingzhou (小瀛洲), Huixin Pavilion (湖心亭), and Ruan Gongdun (阮公墩) stand at the middle of the lake. Leifeng Pagoda (雷峰塔) and Baochu Pagoda (保俶塔) are separated by the lake. Mirroring each other, the basic pattern of “one mountain, two towers, three islands, three banks, and five lakes” is formed. Planning note: Choose West Lake plus either Leifeng Pagoda or a Songcheng programme, allowing for the Wuzhen transfer. Evening shows need separate tickets and current schedules.

West Lake is located at No. 1 Longjing Road, Xihu District, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, in the west of Hangzhou City. The total area of the scenic spot is 49 square kilometers, the catchment area is 21.22 square kilometers, and the lake area is 6.38 square kilometers.

West Lake has influenced poets and painters throughout Chinese history for its natural beauty and historic relics, and it has also been among the most important sources of inspiration for Chinese garden designers. It was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011, described as having “influenced garden design in the rest of China as well as Japan and Korea over the centuries” and reflecting “an idealized fusion between humans and nature”.

Hengdian World Studios (Chinese: 横店影视城; pinyin: Héngdiàn Yǐngshìchéng) is a film studio located in Hengdian, a Chinese town in the city of Dongyang, Zhejiang Province. It is one of the largest film studios in the world. The movie studio is operated by the privately owned Hengdian Group founded by Xu Wenrong. Xu turned acres of farmland in central Zhejiang into one of the largest movie studios in Asia. Construction began in the mid-1990s and has been ongoing ever since with different visitor areas developing over time. Planning note: Hengdian’s sets are spread across distinct visitor areas. Choose the ones covered by your ticket; live performances follow the operator’s daily notices, not a guaranteed programme in this route.

Qiandao Lake (simplified Chinese: 千岛湖; traditional Chinese: 千島湖; pinyin: Qiāndǎo Hú; lit. ‘Thousand Island Lake’) is a man-made freshwater lake located in Chun’an County, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, that was formed after the completion of the Xin’an River hydroelectric station in 1959. Planning note: Qiandao Lake is a separate journey from Hangzhou. Give a lake cruise its own day and preferably a local night; do not assume Monkey Island, the Forest Oxygen Bar and a flight home all fit.

1,078 large islands dot the lake and a few thousand smaller ones are scattered across it. Over 90% of the land area is forested. The islands in the lake include Bird Island, Snake Island, Monkey Island, Lock Island (featuring supposedly the world’s biggest lock), and the Island to Remind You of Your Childhood. The lake covers an area of 573 km2 (221 sq mi) and has a storage capacity of 17.8 km3 (4.3 cu mi). The islands in the lake cover about 86 km2 (33 sq mi).

Qiandao Lake supports freshwater fisheries and aquaculture as well as tourism. Fish dishes are part of the local food experience; the original species list and annual-output figures were not reliable enough to use as current guidance.