Pagoda
The golden tower of the White Snake legend, glowing over the lake's south shore at dusk — one of the classic Ten Scenes of West Lake.
Evening Glow · Leifeng Pagoda · Hangzhou
West Lake at Dawn
Hangzhou5.02 hr 30 min15k saved
China's most-painted lake, ringed by causeways, pagodas and a thousand years of poetry. Come at dawn when mist sits on the water and the Su and Bai causeways are empty of crowds — rent a bike and ride the willow-lined Bai Causeway toward Broken Bridge. The ten classic 'scenes' are best chased on foot or by boat to Three Pools Mirroring the Moon, the little island on the 1-yuan note.
Good to know
- Best time — early morning — Dawn - mist over the water, Su Causeway willows, near-empty paths before tour groups; also good at sunset.
- Lake, causeways & paths open 24h, free year-round (sub-attractions like Leifeng Pagoda separately ticketed).
- Cycle the Bai Causeway at first light
- Boat out to the Three Pools island
- Leifeng Pagoda at sunset for the skyline
Insider tip — Bai Causeway and the Hubin walking street are NO-cycling zones - cycle the Su Causeway/Nanshan-Beishan loop instead, counter-clockwise early to beat foot traffic.
Photo: CanonNi · CC BY 4.0
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