West Lake

Why West Lake in Hangzhou is special
West Lake's serene beauty has been extolled for over a thousand years.

West Lake tips and insights
Lesser Yingzhou island is West Lake's leading attraction
This small isle has the conversation piece distinction of having its own lake, which in turn has its own island.

There's much to enjoy, including scenic gardens, picturesque pagodas, zigzag bridges, and willowed shorelines.

Best times to come
A quick guide:

• Most beautiful time to visit
  It's during the spring when the pink peach blossoms bloom.
  
• Choice periods of the day
  They are early morning and later afternoon when the sun's low angled rays accentuate the trees, bridges and pavilions.
  
• Evenings
  They are special, too, when the calm West Lake reflects the full moon.

Tour boats
They take you around the lake and to Lesser Yinzhou island. Two causeways take you to two of the other islands in West Lake.

Lake creation
West Lake was an inlet until, centuries ago, silting blocked the inlet's entrance. Today, the enclosed body of water is 15 kilometers (9 miles) in circumference. The average depth is only about two meters (six feet).

Artistic inspiration
The lake has inspired writers and painters through the centuries, including the renowned 11th century poet Sun Dongpo who concluded that West Lake was "always alluring."

Setting
West Lake is surrounded by hills except on its east side, where stands the capital of Zhejiang province, Hangzhou.

Name
West Lake's Chinese name is Xi Hu (pronounced she-who). China has dozens of West Lakes, but Hangzhou's is widely considered the nicest.