Zhejiang Travel Guide
Zhejiang is a large province located on the coast of the East China Sea. It houses over 46 million people, a number of ethnic tribal people and a great number of important cities.
As well as cities such as Hangzhou, Ningbo and Quzhou, the province is also home to over 200 islands. Because of the quantity of places to see, it is one of the most visitied provinces in the whole of China, and also one of the most beautiful.
The history of Zhejiang dates back to ancient times, with some Hemudu Cultural Ruins actually dating back as long as 7,000 years. During the province’s early days, during 770 BC to 476 BC, it was ruled first by the Wu Kingdom and later by the Yue kingdom, and it flourished under both.
In terms of attractiveness, Zhejiang has been a popular tourist spot for thousands of years. Its capital, Hangzhou itself has a history dating back 2,000 years and is an attraction in its own right. It is one of the six ancient capitals in China, placing it on a pedestal above many other younger cities.
Hangzhou is also home to the West Lake, which is regarded as being one of the most beautiful sights in the whole of China. It is located in the middle of the city and has an abundance of water sports available to all.
Other popular attractions within the province include: the historic district of Anji in Huzhou; the beautiful islands of Putuoshan and Zhoushan; Putuo Mountain; Yandang Mountain and the famous Buddhist mountain, Mount Tiantai.
Temples abound in the province as it has a long history with Chinese Buddhism. Some of these temples are thousands of years old, while some are new and much more modern. The temples allow visitors to gain a small insight into the country’s main religion.
Anyone interested in Chinese heritage and culture should not miss a visit to Zhejiang province as it will surely be an enlightening experience. It is also a must-visit for anyone who loves Chinese silk, green tea, Chinese celadon and of course, Chinese food.
During the summer months, the islands off the coast are busy with tourists from across China and also from many other places in Asia. They are beautiful and unlike many other islands in Asia due to the fact that they do not sell themselves to tourism. There are very natural and facilities are often very basic, but this simply adds to their charm and beauty.
The best times to visit the province are spring and fall (April to May and September to October respectively). Hangzhou International Airport is the main gateway to the province, offering a range of domestic and international flights. If you are in Beijing, flight times to Hangzhou are approximately 2 hours and 1 hour, 55 minutes from Guangzhou.
If you do not want to fly, the train is a pleasant alternative although journeys are often very long. The journey from Beijing will take approximately 22 hours.