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Spring Travel Guide
Experience China's most enchanting season with cherry blossoms, mild weather, and vibrant cultural festivals
Spring in Jiangnan: 7-Day Slow-Travel Chronicle
Avoiding the 1–7 May Labour-Day crush
Avoid These Dates
- • 4–6 May 2025 – Labour-Day holiday; crowds & hotel surges
- • 20–30 Mar – school-excursion peak around Yangzhou
Base Strategy
Base yourself in only two places: Hangzhou (4 nts) → Yangzhou (3 nts) – 1 h 10 min direct high-speed rail G7582, CNY 73. No city-hopping fatigue; scenery shifts from lake-and-tea hills to canal-and-garden lanes.
Day-by-Day Plan
Day 1 – Arrive Hangzhou
- • Arrive Hangzhou Xiaoshan Int'l (HGH) after 7 May. Airport → Downtown: Metro Line 1 (45 min, CNY 7)
- • Stay: Amanfayun (luxury, inside tea fields) OR Shangri-La West Lake (mid-range, lake view)
- • Evening: Sunset walk on Bai Causeway; dinner at Lou Wai Lou (beggar's chicken & Dongpo pork)
Day 2 – Inside Hangzhou
- • Morning: West Lake by bike – ride Su Causeway, stop at Quyuan Garden for peach blossoms (late Mar still pink)
- • Lunch: Green Tea Restaurant (龙井茶香鸡)
- • Afternoon: Longjing Tea Plantation – 30 min taxi; pick-and-roast your own leaves
- • Night: Impression West Lake light show (20:00, CNY 360)
Day 3 – Grand Canal & Water Town
- • 10:00 Metro Line 5 to Gongchenqiao → 5 min walk to Qiaoxi Historic Block
- • 12:00 Lunch canal-side: Dongpo Pork Buns at Grandma's
- • 13:00 Water Bus #1 (CNY 3, 30 min) to Xiaohezhi Street, a quieter canal village than Wuzhen
- • 17:30 Taxi back (30 min). Nightcap: craft beer at Jasper Brewing (Nanshan Rd)
Day 4 – Bamboo & Wetland
- • 09:00 Taxi 25 min to Xixi Wetland – spring reed shoots; electric boat CNY 60
- • 13:00 Hefang Street snack crawl: scallion-pancake rolls, dragon-whisker candy
- • 19:30 Huangpu River night cruise from Wulinmen Wharf (CNY 120)
Day 5 – Bullet to Yangzhou
- • 08:50 G7582 Hangzhou East → Yangzhou East (1 h 10 min)
- • Stay: Yangzhou State Guesthouse (garden villas) OR Spring Flower Boutique (canal view)
- • Lunch: Yechun Teahouse – try the "three knives" soup dumplings
- • Afternoon: Slender West Lake – boat + walking loop (3 h), stop at Five-Pavilion Bridge for weeping willow reflections
Day 6 – Gardens & Salt Merchants
- • 09:00 Walk 10 min to Ge Garden – bamboo shoots and rock mazes
- • 11:30 He Garden – late-Qing private mansion, spring crab-apple in bloom
- • Lunch: Fu Chun Teahouse – order Yangzhou fried rice & crystal shrimp
- • 14:00 Dongguan Street – stroll century-old salt-merchant houses; stop for spring pea-cake
- • 19:00 Canal night cruise (CNY 80) under lantern-lit stone bridges
Day 7 – Slow Departure
- • 09:30 Taxi 20 min to Daming Temple – plum blossoms and ancient ginkgo
- • 12:00 Final bowl of Yangzhou beef noodles at Jinjiang Snack
- • 14:00 High-speed rail back to Hangzhou East (connect to airport, total 2 h 30 min)
Dining Guide
Hangzhou Specialties
- • Beggar's chicken
- • Longjing shrimp
- • West Lake vinegar fish
Yangzhou Specialties
- • Lion's-head meatballs
- • Steamed crab roe buns
- • Spring pea-cake
Vegetarian Options: Lingyin Temple vegetarian buffet (Hangzhou), Daming Temple vegetarian (Yangzhou)
Accommodation Guide
Hangzhou
- • Luxury: Amanfayun
- • Mid-range: Shangri-La
- • Budget: Pod Inn Lakeside
Yangzhou
- • Luxury: State Guesthouse
- • Mid-range: Spring Flower
- • Budget: Mingyuan Youth Hostel
Transport Quick-Glance
- • Airport → Hangzhou Metro Line 1
- • All rail legs booked on 12306.cn or Trip.com mobile app
- • City travel: Hangzhou public-bike (Alipay), Yangzhou e-bike rentals (Meituan)
Spring Highlights
- Cherry blossom festivals across China
- Perfect weather for outdoor activities
- Cultural festivals and celebrations
- Less crowded than peak summer
Spring Weather
Temperature Range
10°C - 25°C (50°F - 77°F)
Precipitation
Moderate rainfall, especially in April
Best Regions
Central and Eastern China
Travel Tips
- • Book accommodations early for cherry blossom season
- • Pack layers for variable spring weather
- • Bring rain gear for April showers
- • Visit parks early morning for best photos
- • Check festival dates before planning