1-Day Tour: Essence of Hangzhou by Taxi - Taxi fare included
Drifting on West Lake, visiting Legendary Pagoda, Buddhism Temple and Ancient Street, experiencing Tea Leave Picking, if you only have one day to stay in Hangzhou, this tour is just suitable for you!
All taxi fare is included in the price!
Note: Lingyin Temple and Feilai Peak is not included in this tour because visiting it by taxi is very time consuming. If you would like to visit Lingyin Temple and Feilai Peak, my other tour, 1-Day Tour: Essence of Hangzhou by Exclusive Car, is recommended.
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
At your hotel in Hangzhou
Hand-rowed wooden boat cruise on the West Lake
The rowing boat is a perfect, old-fashioned way to enjoy the Wes Lake. A boatman uses a single long oar to steer you through the calm water, offering a serene and authentic journey. The view in the lake is stunning.
Leifeng Pagoda
Leifeng Pagoda is a Buddhist pagoda with a history of 1100 years located on the shore of West Lake. From the top of the pagoda, you can overlook the entire West Lake. Inside the pagoda is a museum demonstrating the relics, history and cultures about the pagoda.
West Lake - Jingci Temple
Jingci Temple, located by West Lake, is one of Hangzhou's most renowned ancient Buddhist temples. With its elegant architecture, ancient trees, and tranquil courtyards, Jingci Temple offers a peaceful spiritual retreat amidst the natural beauty of Hangzhou.
Lunch
Lunch cost starting from 30 per person depending on your requests.
Hefang Street and Dajing Lane
Hefang Street is a vibrant, bustling pedestrian street showcasing Hangzhou's history, snacks, and traditional crafts. Just a few steps away, the quieter Dajing Lane offers a more authentic and artistic atmosphere with old buildings, specialty coffee shops, and stylish boutiques.
Longjing tea picking & processing or tea ceremony experiencing
Longjing tea produced in Hangzhou is the best green tea in China. We will go to a village with beautiful tea field to experience the process of tea leave picking and tea processing.
Note: Outdoor tea leaving picking is not available in several month (normally late winter to early spring). In case it is not available, indoor tea ceremony experiencing will be arranged in stead.
Ending Point
Your hotel (within 20 KM ranges from last attraction)
Want to personalize this tour?
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This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.
Inclusions & Exclusions
* Guide fee
* Taxi fare to attraction spots.
* Taxi fare from / to your hotels within range of 20 KMs
* Taxi fare from / to airport
* Taxi fare from / to your hotel beyond range of 20KMs
* Meal for you (from 30 to 150 RMB per person)
* Entrance fee for you and the guide:
Boat Cruise: 150 RMB or 180 / hour per boat (up to 6 persons per boat)
Leifeng Pagoda: 40 RMB per person
Jingci Temple: 10 RMB per person
Tea leave picking and tea processing / tea ceremony experience: around 100 RMB per person
Tour Important Information
* As with every other tour, this tour is of course fully customizable. Please message to discuss this. If you have any special request on food style or types, please contact me. I will recommend some for you.
* We use taxi for transportation (except transportation from/to airport). Taxi fare is included in the price
* Taxi can only carry up to 3 visitors. If the group size is 4 or 5 persons, I recommend my another car tour, 1-Day Tour: Essence of Hangzhou by Exclusive Car.
* Meeting / starting time can be adjusted too.
Cancellation Policy
- Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
- 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
- No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
About Tour Guide Ben W.
I am a government licensed English speaking tour guide in Hangzhou. I hold a Master of Engineering degree and used to be an engineer in a global company for almost 20 years. I am enthusiastic about history and foreign cultures. I also love traveling overeas and making friends from different countries.
As a tour guide I will not only "recite" those standard descriptions of tourist attractions. Instead, I will focus more about the history and cultural background of them. I won't tell those exaggerated legends. I will still tell you some interesting folk stories, but I will clearly tell you which ones are true history and which ones are just stories.
Instead of simply introducing tourist spot, I prefer interacting with foreign friends about everything that they are curious about China. China is a so different country. I can explain to you what are the real differences and where those difference came from.
I enjoy my job as a tour guide. I see each trip with clients as a way of entertaining friends, not just a job.
Hangzhou, known as Paradise on Earth, with the poetic West Lake, is the most beautiful major city in China. It has a history of more than 2000 years, once being the capital of ancient China. Hangzhou is a modern metropolis with amazing city views and a good destination for shopping. Hangzhou also produces the best green tea in China, high quality silk, a lot of famous handcrafts like fans, scissors, copper ware, and of cause delicious authentic Chinese food.
Hangzhou has very convenient transportation. It is only 1 hour's ride away from Shanghai by bullet train. I highly recommend you make Hangzhou a stop when you visit China.
All the tours can be flexibly customized. Don't hesitate to message me, tell me your preference and needs.
Look forward to seeing you in Hangzhou!
Reviews
Calvin K.
“Hangzhou Day Tour”
Bed responded quickly and efficiently to my enquiry and customized a wonderful one-day tour for us. He also arranged early registration for the Lingyin Temple visit before the tour began, which we later realized made the experience extremely smooth despite the huge crowds there. He picked us up at the hotel, and we started at Hefang Street, a beautifully preserved ancient shopping alley. We then drove to the Grand Canal, the world’s oldest man-made waterway. After that, we visited West Lake, where he thoughtfully chose two contrasting spots — one famous and lively, the other peaceful and tranquil — allowing us to experience both sides of its charm. The next highlight was Lingyin Temple and Feilai Feng, the spiritual heart of Hangzhou Buddhism, with its many well-preserved ancient Buddhist stone carvings, some carved directly into the caves. We ended the tour at a tea plantation, where he arranged for us to pick tea leaves while being filmed by a drone (my wife’s highlight of the tour). We also had the opportunity to experience making matcha tea before he drove us to our dinner venue. Throughout the day, Ben was patient, knowledgeable, and took the time to explain the history and cultural background of each site. The itinerary was compact, as per my request, but Ben arranged everything so efficiently that the day still felt relaxed and enjoyable. His car was clean, and his driving was excellent. I highly recommend Ben to anyone planning a tour in Hangzhou.
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Ben W.
Thank you very much for the kind review. Your good and long summary of itinerary also reminded me that happy day with you because we also had very happy and interesting conversation. Again, I am very glad that you recognize my arrangement and my service during the tour. Sincerely wish you and your family a happy life!
Bruce T.
“Great visit to Hangzhou”
Hangzhou is a beautiful city and Ben W. was an excellent guide. Met us at the train station and took us to all the important sites during our time there. Was very accomodative and knowledgeable. His English is excellent (you will need an English speaking guide to navigate the city). Definitely five stars.
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Ben W.
Thank you very much for your kind review. I am very glad that I could help and you enjoyed the tour in Hangzhou. I also enjoy the days with you because we had so many interesting conversations, so many happy laughs. All those happy moments will become a lifetime memory for me!
$220/ per group
More tours by Ben W.
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3-Day Tour: Full Picture of Hangzhou
In this 3-day tour, you will explore the whole Hangzhou city from different angles, including all the 3 UNESCO world heritages: the West Lake, the Grand Canal and the Archaeological ruin of Liangzhu Ancient City, and other interesting spots covering not only natural and historic sites but also cultural experience and relaxing. We will use taxi for Day 1 because parking is difficult for those attractions and use private car for the rest two days.
3-Day Tour: Full Picture of Hangzhou
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1-Day Tour: Essence of Hangzhou by Exclusive Car
Drifting on beautiful West Lake, visiting Legendary Pagoda, exploring famous Buddhism Temple & mysterious grottoes, and experiencing interesting tea leave picking, if you only have one day to stay in Hangzhou and want to explore the city comfortably, this car tour is the best for you. My car is a full-size 6 seater luxury with two independent second-row seats and two very comfortable third-row seats, allowing 5 persons group ride comfortably. The car was newly purchased on June, 2026.
1-Day Tour: Essence of Hangzhou by Exclusive Car
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Summer Edition of 1-Day Tour: Essence of Hangzhou by Exclusive Car
This itinerary is specially designed to avoid the summer heat of Hangzhou. In this tour you will be able to experience the essence of the whole city in just one day in a cool, clean, spacious, comfortable car. My car is a full-size 6 seater luxury SUV with two independent second-row seats and two very comfortable third-row seats, allowing 5 persons group ride comfortably. The car was newly purchased on June, 2026.
Summer Edition of 1-Day Tour: Essence of Hangzhou by Exclusive Car
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2-Day Tour: The Amazing Hangzhou
In this tour you will enjoy the essence of Hangzhou in 2 days, at a more relaxing paces. You will get to know the beauty of the West Lake, the long and profound history of the city and interesting local cultures. Usually we will use taxi for Day1 because parking is difficult for attractions on day1 and use private car for Day2. Private car for Day1 can also be arranged but with a possible degradation of travel experience. All transportation fares are included.
2-Day Tour: The Amazing Hangzhou
Other Popular Art, Culture, & Historical Tours in Hangzhou
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Grand Canal Living Heritage: Ancient Temples, Artisan Workshops & Traditional Dress-up
Step away from West Lake and journey along the UNESCO World Heritage Grand Canal, the world’s longest and oldest artificial waterway. Instead of sitting in traffic, we will travel like true locals, exploring historic neighborhoods connected by walking paths and the iconic Canal Water Bus (Water Taxi).
Grand Canal Living Heritage: Ancient Temples, Artisan Workshops & Traditional Dress-up
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Hiking tour: Hangzhou’s beauty and traditional culture, 6 hours
It is a 6 hours’s pure hiking tour around the West Lake and in the old city downtown. The route is perfectly designed so that you can experience Hangzhou city’s beauty, tradition and authentic local life without distance just in one day. I will introduce all the attractions and answer all the questions about Hangzhou and China during the walk.
Hiking tour: Hangzhou’s beauty and traditional culture, 6 hours
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