Home > Shanghai > Hangzhou: Heaven on Earth Day Trip from Shanghai
USD $169.00
Hangzhou: Heaven on Earth Day Trip from Shanghai
Shanghai, China
Travel to Hangzhou, a city rich in culture, history and scenery, on a day trip from Shanghai. Accompanied by a knowledgeable guide, admire the architecture of Six Harmonies Pagoda, learn about China's most renowned tea at Meijiawu Tea Village, and cruise on West Lake where the views have inspired poets and artists for centuries. You'll come to appreciate why Marco Polo sang the praises of Hangzhou and UNESCO designated the city a World Heritage site. Includes all entrance fees, lunch, transportation, and hotel pickup and drop-off.
Your air-conditioned coach picks you up at your centrally located Shanghai hotel in the early morning to start the 3-hour drive from Shanghai to Hangzhou.
During the drive, your guide introduces you to the rich history and culture of Hangzhou, which dates back more than 2,000 years.
When you arrive in Hangzhou, start at the renowned Six Harmonies Pagoda (Liuhe Pagoda), a masterpiece of Chinese architecture. The towering 196 foot (60 meter) octagonal pagoda overlooks the Qiantang River, and inside a spiral staircase ascends to the top of the seven story building, providing sweeping views of the lush surroundings. Next to the pagoda, visit a small museum with replicas of various ancient Chinese pagoda styles.
Continue to Meijiawu Tea Village, located in the rural foothills of the West Lake district. The village showcases one of the finest tea varieties in the world, Xihu Longjing Tea, aka Dragon Well Tea, and Meijiawu is said to grow the best Longjing tea. During your visit, experience the art of a traditional tea ceremony and gain insight into this important part of Chinese culture.
Afterward have lunch, then drive over to West Lake, an expansive lake surrounded by gardens, pagodas, temples and mountains. A UNESCO World Heritage site, West Lake has inspired artists and influenced garden design in China, Japan and Korea over the centuries.
Board a boat for a cruise on the lake that ends at Flower Harbor. Disembark and stroll around the lush gardens and Red Carp Pond, where multitudes of fish swim frenetically, creating a contrast to the serene forest surroundings.
If time allows, your guide takes you to a scenic area called 9 Creeks and 18 Gullies. Walk along a path that passes picturesque tea plantations on terraced hills, streams, waterfalls, and quaint rest stops such as a pond with small pavilion and tea house.
Throughout the day, your guide shares fascinating details about Hangzhou's long history and cultural significance. In the late afternoon, relax during the return drive to Shanghai, where your tour ends with drop-off at your hotel.
Our tour guide Frank made some conversation but al preoccupied on his phone. Hangzhou is beautiful but your very rushed. Appears they want to get home quick. Tea plantation amazing but more sales pitch no time to walk the tea terraces they want you to buy. Lunch less than average.do tour on your own
Review by: LOIS B, October 2017
My tour guide was very knowledgeable and personable and I was fortunate to have him for all my tours in Shanghai and I received all that was promised.
Review by: Albert L, October 2017
Tour guide was excellent._br/_ . Car was so bad. For long distance tour, the car wasn't suitable. the seats were so uncomfortable, very hard. _br/_ Air Conditioner wasn't working. The driver opened the window._br/_ Can you imagine, For such long distance tour, you have to sit in the car like that ?
Review by: Leslie Yesenia A, October 2017
Amazing tour with a Frank. He is very knowledgeable and gave us great information on the three tours I took with him.
Review by: varsha612, September 2017
Tour guide Frank was great.
Review by: Amir G, September 2017
Very low level tour_br/_ The car was not clean and smelled of cigarettes, the air conditioner did not work._br/_ There were insufficient explanations._br/_ A 15-minute boat ride and no explanation._br/_ A lunch that would shame any average restaurant. The place looks like a moving movie theater. It does not look like it has been cleaned or replaced with table cloths for a long time._br/_ The Pagoda tour was a low-level round around the pagoda and that's it._br/_ A tour of the tea factory did not include explanations of how to grow tea and focused only on marketing and selling local products._br/_ It's a pity that the long journey time back and forth over 6 hours could be done by train and put in more content._br/_ This tour is not worth the money and a pity about time.
Review by: ykelrikh, September 2017
I am giving this tour a one star as I feel it was not just a waste of money it was also a waste of valuable time that I could have spent on something else while in Shanghai. The Heaven on Earth is a big overstatement. There was not really much to see. The West Lake is nice, but not nice enough to drive 3 hours in each way, there is literally one decent pagoda to see near the lake. We were picked up at our hotel at 8AM and then drove for three hours to Hangzhou. The city itself is nothing special at all, so the only thing to see there is a lake surrounded by a park. We spent about 30 minutes on the water and then were taken to a very ordinary restaurant to eat basic Chinese food for lunch. After lunch, we were taken to a mandatory sales presentation loosely disguised as a Tea Ceremony. There was no ceremony, just a quick medium to high pressure sales pitch for tea and tea derivatives. _br/_ About the drive: the driver drove like a maniac, constantly changing lanes, cutting in front of other cars while constantly fiddling with his phone texting and talking without a headset, but mostly texting._br/_ The tour guide was very non-engaging, spoke very little. A good tour guide can speak the entire drive maybe giving some info about the area or things we passed on the way. She did none of those things and was not prepared for that as she didn't even have any kind of loudspeaker with her._br/_ If you really want to see Hangzhou, take a high-speed train and then take taxi to West Lake and get a lake tour one of many tour boats crossing the lake. You will save valuable time and money._br/_ I was fooled by huge number of glowing reviews of the tour. I know have doubts about the authorship of those reviews.
Review by: ykelrikh, September 2017
I am giving this tour a one star as I feel it was not just a waste of money it was also a waste of valuable time that I could have spent on something else while in Shanghai. The Heaven on Earth is a big overstatement. There was not really much to see. The West Lake is nice, but not nice enough to drive 3 hours in each way, there is literally one decent pagoda to see near the lake. We were picked up at our hotel at 8AM and then drove for three hours to Hangzhou. The city itself is nothing special at all, so the only thing to see there is a lake surrounded by a park. We spent about 30 minutes on the water and then were taken to a very ordinary restaurant to eat basic Chinese food for lunch. After lunch, we were taken to a mandatory sales presentation loosely disguised as a Tea Ceremony. There was no ceremony, just a quick medium to high pressure sales pitch for tea and tea derivatives. _br/_ About the drive: the driver drove like a maniac, constantly changing lanes, cutting in front of other cars while constantly fiddling with his phone texting and talking without a headset, but mostly texting._br/_ The tour guide was very non-engaging, spoke very little. A good tour guide can speak the entire drive maybe giving some info about the area or things we passed on the way. She did none of those things and was not prepared for that as she didn't even have any kind of loudspeaker with her._br/_ If you really want to see Hangzhou, take a high-speed train and then take taxi to West Lake and get a lake tour one of many tour boats crossing the lake. You will save valuable time and money._br/_ I was fooled by huge number of glowing reviews of the tour. I know have doubts about the authorship of those reviews.
Review by: Oleg M, August 2017
It was unforgettable and comfortable trip.
Review by: Joan M, July 2017
It turned out to be a private tour for me. July is a slow time for group tours in this area, so the tour guide told me._br/_ The driver that picked me up from my hotel and returned me at the end of the day was great. He was very efficient, professional, spoke English fluently and answered my questions as we drove along._br/_ The guide, whom I assume was used to having more people, was uninvolved or rather, more involved with his cell phone. I wasn't really enjoying the tour much and so decided the skip the last part. Unfortunately, I ended up sitting at the train station for four hours alone, as all previous trains were booked full.
Review by: ALOK K, November 2016
It was supposed to be a day trip with bullet train to maximise time efficiency and enhance experience of travel in the famed bullet trains._br/_ It was a surprise to learn that the travel to Hangzhou from Shanghai was arranged in a A/C coach in which travel time was 3 hrs one way. No where in the voucher was this aspect mentioned and the rates charged talked about transportation in A/c coach which typically would be understood to mean within city travel._br/_ Even for the lunch - which is a part of the package - the tie up is not with any quality restaurant but with a group booking eating place that serves limited quality irrespective of number of guests 1 plate of each item to be shared between the tourist having lunch. Pointed out about the same ,extra was being offered at add on costs- which is a complete rip off.Not seen it happening anywhere else._br/_ Overall charge for the package and its delivery there is a huge gap and a feeling of being taken on a ride. Caution for other who trust that benefit of tourist is being protected and there is honest transparency in the packages being created. I have seen Bullet train package being offered at 138 wherein I had paid 169 and still got trapped on 6 hours of commute on 1 day trip.
Review by: JOHN B, October 2016
It was a rainy day and we were the only two on the tour but our guide Frank and the driver gave us a good trip in a new Buick van. Hangzhou is a beautiful city in the tea growing region and it was impressive to see the new highways and rail lines along the way. Did the West Lake boat trip in the rain and stopped at an impressive pagoda built by an emperor around the year 950.
Review by: Helen H, July 2016
The guide was very helpful and informative. The travelling by bus from and to Shanghai took more than half the time. The boat cruise on the lake was pleasant. I would have liked more time to walk around the park by the lake despite the weather being hot.
Review by: Simonne D, June 2016
Nice tour, very friendly guide!
Review by: jose w, June 2016
The driver was reckless and the trip was unsafe._br/_ The guide explained very little, his English was good but did not seem to know enough, he slept on the way back._br/_ The trip should be done by bullet train and not by bus, it takes 3 hours. _br/_ We payed for a tour, not a drive back and for plus lunch!/
Review by: irinaus97, June 2016
It was ok, the lake was beautiful, everything was very well organized, but I would have liked to hear more about history of the city. It's way overpriced.
Review by: chabh, April 2016
Beautiful city. Well organized tour
Review by: CLAYTON F, November 2015
Do not waste your money and more important your valuable vacation time in this tour. It is a 3 hour ride to and from Hangshou. When you get there you get about a 45 minute boat ride, lunch and then spend about 10-15 minutes at the pagoda. No tea ceremony. What a waste of a valuable day.
Review by: wallercj, October 2015
this tour takes you to some beautiful places - tour guides need to slow down so international tourists can enjoy the sights better
Review by: Tentay L, October 2015
My family and I had a great experience during our Hangzhou tour. Our tour guide Frank gave us an overview of Hangzhou. He was on time and was patient with explaining and giving all the facts about the tour. Overall, it was a really great tour. I recommend this agency very much. High five.
Review by: Karmen M, September 2015
Little bit expensive and unfortunately very crowded.
Review by: Hayley K, September 2015
Excellent tour. Very beautiful lake, boat tour was stunning, pagoda was interesting and miss joy was very informative. Would be good if the tour was slightly longer as its a 3 hour drive each way but worthwhile nonetheless.
Review by: C G, September 2015
The service is great and my guide tom was great too, but i think that everything was made with a little rush and i couldn't enjoy the city as i wanted to.
Review by: Jennifer M, September 2015
The lake in Hangzhou is very beautiful and on the day I was there it was misty and gave the impression of a Chinese painting. The tour was well-designed, and the travel agency you use is excellent with very well-informed guides and very safe drivers. The only downside is the long time sitting in a bus - it takes 3 hours there and 3 hours back.
Review by: John C, July 2015
A Long drive to see not very much. The guide was very good
Review by: Cynthia H, June 2015
This was the first time I took a tour anywhere. The tour was great. Our guide, Rita, was full of great information and incite. We were able to see various sites in one day but never felt rushed.
Review by: Seraphina E, May 2015
Hangzhou is a long drive from Shanghai - about 3 hours, but it is worth the trip. The West Lake was lovely and whilst it would have been nice to walk around, time was constricted, so going on a boat ride instead was a quick, nice and convenient way to view the lake and the stunning scenery. Lunch was OK - not the best. The trip to the China National Tea Museum was good fun - tasting green tea! Visiting Liuhe Pagoda was a nice way to end the day.
Review by: Holly G, May 2015
The majority of the day was spent in the bus. The scenery was pretty and I'm glad that we saw it, but it would have been much better over a couple of days.
Review by: Meaghan A, May 2015
Good, not great. Joy, our guide, was Fantastic and really friendly! But the tour itself felt rushed. We had barely any time to look around the lake, just on the boat then off. No time to explore. No time to look around the tea fields, just time to be sold tea. Felt like the hard sell. Nice enough...
Review by: Kim S, April 2015
Hangzhou is BEAUTIFUL, we loved the gardens, pagoda, and thought seeing the tea fields and area was beautiful. However, it is a 3 hour drive each way and our van had no air conditioning. It was miserably hot and there were times we had to ask the guide to stop so we could get water at a local rest stop. The tea stop felt more like a sales pitch, and I would've loved to spend more time seeing the fields and walking around. However, all things considered, if it's the only way you get to see Hangzhou, I'd highly recommend the tour. However, you could get there on the Bullet Train from Shanghai much quicker and likely with AC!
Review by: MEI LING Y, February 2015
Worth to travel here
Review by: bryan f, November 2014
Very good tour, a little long
Review by: Galina G, October 2014
The national park is breathtaking, the scenery is beautiful_br/_
Our guide Jackie was pleasant and well informed._br/_
We had lunch in a hotel, the food was bland and boring. I suggested to Jackie that he should find another restaurant with more authentic cuisine._br/_
On the way back the road was extremely uneven and bumpy. These were minor details compared to the overall wonderful experience
Review by: Michael H, September 2014
Yes I would recommend this trip. The guide was very good and was happy to explain life in China in general I thought his base knowledge was excellent. Tea tasting very commercial
Review by: kritz, July 2014
The guide Frank was very articulate and knowledgeable. The sights were worth the cost.
Review by: Layla MH, June 2014
The Tour was over all good. _br/_
However, the west lake visit could have been shortened a bit. It was a long walk around the lake, and then a ride by the boat around the lake. walking and boat riding was almost the same, repeating the same scenes and wasting time that could have been used to see another attraction in Hangzhou.
Review by: Suzanne I, June 2014
This was a very nice tour including the boat ride on West Lake. The guide was knowledgeable. The driver however was very very reckless and aggressive in his driving ( I am able to compare him to 5 other drivers we had for tours in China) and it made my overall rating of this really very good tour lower.
Review by: Elena Z, June 2014
The town Hangzhou very nice, but the tour was planed very bad, tour guide is not talkative at all, spent 4 hours in the bus to get there and no time to see park or other attractions. I would not recommend this tour, unless you what to stay 8 hours in the bus and experience traffic.
Review by: Suzfeeney, May 2014
A trip well worth doing, a very good day out beautiful scenery right up into the mountains stunning views of the lake and tea plantation, Chris our guide was very informative of local knowledge and history he made the trip even better, the lunch stop was good in a local hotel, your take loads of photos.
Review by: Peggy C, April 2014
We had rain, but this did not make this tour any less beautiful. I would highly recommend this tour, especially for a change of pace from Shanghai.
Review by: Mandy C, April 2014
The description of this tour suggested a countryside experience and I was not expecting the over 6 hour round car trip. The lake was beautiful but by the time we got there it was absolutely crawling with people and impossible to take photos without lots of strangers in them. The tea plantation visit was interesting but I would have liked to actually get closer to the fields and people and I felt that the focus was more on selling the product. Hotel pick up was prompt, the car was comfortable and the guide Frank was great- personable, interesting and knowledgeable.
Review by: Chin Lin T, January 2014
Our tour guide for the day was Frank. A very interesting and comical guy. Very knowledgeable as well. Got to know very interesting people doing this tour. Love the tour even though our tour van broke down just outside the toll gate. We had to wait for another mini van to pick us up and the guys had to help push the broken down vehicle to the side of the highway. But none of us mind for the people on this tour were just wonderful. Full of life! Can't remember much of Hangzhou though but I really enjoyed the trip.
Review by: Michelle, January 2014
I had an awesome time on this trip, Frank our tour guide was superb- very knowledgable (not just about the tour but you can ask him anything about Shanghai!) and great to chat to. There were 7 of us on the tour and Frank somehow managed to pace the tour to suit all our needs, including toilet breaks etc. We had an unfortunate mishap when our minibus broke down on the highway- it was clearly a one off and no one's fault and the driver and Frank were really apologetic. By the time we had got out of the minibus, Frank turned round to us and said he has already spoken to the tour company and another minibus was on its way. Really impressed with the service, and even though we arrived late, we still did the whole trip fully and it did not spoil the tour in the slightest. West Lake was beautiful and I enjoyed the tea ceremony. Although it was quite a hard sale on the green tea, which I succumbed too, I now actually wish I bought more: when I got back, I spoke to my Shanghainese friends about the tea and whether it was worth it, and they said the superior grade Longjing tea from Hangzhou is renowned and the best. Great tour and tour company.
Review by: Riva B L, November 2013
Really enjoyed this beautiful area. It truly was "heaven on earth" Enjoyed guide, Chris. Such a beautiful area. Great lunch also.
Review by: Judith H M, November 2013
A wonderful excursion. Very small group, great guide, The most beautiful place we saw while in China.
Review by: Daniel D, October 2013
Tour was good but the excellent tour guide (Frank) really made it. The drive was a bit long but the conversation was good.
Review by: Antonio H, September 2013
The tour guide was a nice gentlemen. Although, I was disappointed with the long roundtrip drive from Shanghai, short amount of time at the lake, and lack-luster 'Western-style' Chinese lunch.
Review by: Kym V, August 2013
the drive was much longer than planned and the sights weren't exceptional. there is a fast train that goes there- that might be a better option to explore the area._br/_
the tea plantation was pretty
Review by: Philippa K, August 2013
It was super hot the day we did this tour and the air conditioning on the very long bus ride to Hangzhou was not very effective. We sat outside on the boat cruise because of the heat, so didn't really get the full effect. The tour guide was interesting and was happy to answer questions. The tea plantation was interesting as long as you are happy to get the hard sell on expensive green tea products. The biggest disappointment was the lunch which seemed to be made especially for westerners, i.e. not very authentic, very sweet and not nearly as good as the other real Chinese meals we had during our stay in Shanghai.
Review by: Marion S, July 2013
Lovely day! Transport and driver excellent. The guide (Frank) was helpful, knowledgeable and very organised; he spoke good English and made the day very enjoyable. The tea factory and learning about green tea was really interesting. Particularly liked the gardens and lake area.
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