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Hangzhou Xixi National Wetland Park - best sights to see and travel tips

Written by ivana Updated Nov. 23, 2023

The Xixi National Wetland Park in Hangzhou is located in the urban area of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China, and is one of the first national wetland parks in the country. Located in the western outskirts of Hangzhou, 5 kilometre away from West Lake and in the stretch of Tianmu road.

Xixi, formerly known as Hezhu, is described as "a landscape of winding rivers surrounded by mountains, renowned gardens, ancient temples, complete with a myriad of reed-covered ponds and sandbars". Historically, Xixi covered an area of about 60 square kilometers. The currently protected area of the Xixi Wetland covers approximately 11.5 square kilometers and is divided into three parts: the East Wetland Ecological Protection Cultivation Area, the Central Wetland Ecological Tourism Leisure Area, and the West Wetland Ecological Landscape Conservation Area. 

It is well known the same as West Lake and Xiling in Hangzhou. The water of the scenic spot is what attracts us the most. 70% of the park consists of river ports, ponds, lakes, and wetlands. It is so-called “traveling the graceful stream with the curled smoke from the kitchen chimneys on the two sides”.

Xixi National Wetland Park Facts

Three Causeways and Ten Sceneries

The Xixi Wetland Park Tour Routes Recommended

1. Classic One-Day Tour

The classic one-day tour of Xixi takes you to the most iconic tourist attractions in Xixi. You will ride an electric boat through the main waterways of the Xixi river, enjoying picturesque sceneries along the route, immersing in the melody of birds and running water. At Hezhu Street, you will witness the local specialties and lifestyles of the Xixi residents from ancient times, deeply understanding the Xixi's cultural charm.

Classic One-Day Tour

2. Cultural and Historical Exploration Tour

In Hangzhou's history, XiXi was once counted among the "Three Wests" alongside West Lake and XiLing. It has been viewed by generations of literati and scholars as a tranquil retreat for leisure and rejuvenation. The park is replete with private dwellings and estates of numerous historical figures, and echoes with vast collections of poetry and prose, paying tributes to its past. It houses elegant and serene temples and intangible cultural heritages like the time-honored Dragon Boat Festival, all adding to its rich folklore and historical anecdotes. XiXi, based on historical documents and texts, is said to be the place where Shi Naian conceived the classic novel "Water Margin". At the XiXi Water Margin Culture Exhibition Hall, you can explore to your heart's content.

Cultural and Historical Exploration Tour

Activities and Festivals in Xixi Wetland Park

Hiking

To go hiking in the Xixi Wetland Park, travelers will be surrounded by green plants and fresh air. It is a relaxation of the whole body and a getaway from the crowd and noisy city and enjoyment of history, culture, and nature.

Sculling boat

Walking around Xixi is not enough? Now, Sculling boat is recommended to travelers. Nothing can be more wonderful than taking a small boat with your family, your lover and your friends to enjoy the scenery aside. It is a place of quiet surroundings, birdlife, and spring growth if traveling in springtime.

Exploring Plum Blossoms Festival

Exploring Plum Blossoms Festival is a historical attraction that dates back to ancient times. In the Ming Dynasty, "Exploring Plum Blossoms in Xixi" had already become a spectacle. At that time, Xixi, along with Lingfeng and Gushan, were the three major plum viewing spots in Hangzhou. By the Qing Dynasty, Plum Blossom exploration in Xixi had become one of the eighteen scenes of West Lake. Today, there are over 3000 plum trees in the Xixi Wetland and a concentrated plum forest of more than 300 acres. The main highlights of plum sceneries in Xixi are concentrated in "Xixi Meishu" and "Meizhu Mountain Villa".

Dragon Boat Culture Festival

The Hangzhou Xixi Dragon Boat Culture Festival, which took place in 2015, is a cultural, ecological, and recreational activity themed on dragon boat racing, organized by the Xixi National Wetland Park. With the support of the government and tourism departments, the Xixi Dragon Boat Culture Festival has been held continuously for eight years and has gradually become a new custom for Hangzhou residents to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival.

Dragon Boat Culture Festival

Persimmon Festival

The Persimmon Festival, organized by the Xixi National Wetland Park, is an ecological and recreational activity centered around persimmons. While participants enjoy traditional boating, they can also try five types of fishing activities including shrimp cages, ground cages, silk nets, soft-shelled turtle hooks, and throwing nets under the guidance of fishermen. The unique fish, shrimp, soft-shelled turtles, crabs, eels, and fresh water chestnuts in the wetland await you to experience the joy of autumn harvest.

How to get to Xixi National Wetland Park

Xixi National Wetland Park in Hangzhou is not far from West Lake. It is situated in the western part of Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, only 6 kilometers from the main city area of Wulinmen and just 5 kilometers from West Lake. Therefore, it's convenient to reach by driving, taxi, subway or bus. 

Park Entrances/Exits

Zhoujiacun entrance/exit on Tianmushan Road, Longshezui entrance/exit on Wuchang Avenue, Wujiawan entrance/exit on Fangxi Road, Xixi Paradise entrance/exit on Zijin'gang Road, North gate entrance/exit on Wen'erxi Road, and East gate entrance/exit on Wen'sanxi Road.

Park Entrances/Exits

Self-drive Navigation and Parking

For all highway routes, navigate to the Zhoujiacun or Longshezui entrances of Xixi Wetland Park.

Parking lot locations: Parking lots are available at each entrance of Xixi Wetland Park – Zhoujiacun, North Gate, Xixi Paradise, Wujiawan, Longshezui. 

Parking fees: Small private cars cost 5 yuan per hour with a maximum of 30 yuan; large bus costs 10 yuan per hour with a maximum of 60 yuan. If the parking lot is full, you may choose to park at nearby areas such as Xixi Impression City near Zhoujiacun, or the West Lake District's Cultural and Sports Center near the North Gate. 

Subway and Bus Stops at Each Entrance

Please note that Bus Routes 279H, 508H, and 509H only operate on weekends and public holidays. 

Hotels near Xixi National Wetland Park

Nestled in the serene environs of the Hangzhou Xixi Wetland Park lie an array of accommodating hotels and quaint homestays. Whether you desire the luxurious comforts of high-end hotels like the Banyan Tree Hangzhou or the Sheraton Grand Hangzhou Wetland Park Resort, or you crave the authentic local experience offered by charming homestays, there's something to meet every preference. Contact us now to book a hotel in Xixi National Wetland Park

1. Xixi Hotel, Hangzhou 

Xixi Hotel in Hangzhou is a wetland culture-themed hotel in China. The grand and elegant main building of the hotel is built amid woods, surrounded by nuanced blossoms. Xixi streams wind around the hotel, there are stone bridges over the flowing water, presenting a charm of Jiangnan (a region south of the Yangtze River) waterscape. 

2. Sheraton Grand Hangzhou Wetland Park Resort 

Sheraton Grand Hangzhou Wetland Park Resort is located in a corner of the Xixi National Wetland Park in Hangzhou, approximately 5 kilometers from the West Lake and Lingyin Temple. The hotel is about 9 kilometers from Alibaba Xixi Campus, a 25-minute drive away, and about 14 kilometers from the Future Technology City, a 30-minute drive away. Through WenYi Road tunnel adjacent to the hotel, you can reach the city center quickly and directly reach the core areas of the north and east of the city. Through the Purple Tunnel, you can conveniently reach Yunqi Town, Qianjiang New City, Binjiang District, the Olympic Center, and the International Expo Center. 

3. Banyan Tree Hangzhou 

Banyan Tree Hangzhou is composed of spacious suites and villas, each room type area is at least 120 square meters. The design of the hotel highlights the charm of Jiangnan at every turn, with a strong and rich character. The hotel offers exquisite furniture and dazzling silk embroidery fabrics, perfectly blending oriental classic and modern simplicity. 

4. Savoir Resort, Hangzhou 

Located in the Xixi Wetland in Hangzhou, China, the Savoir Resort is transformed from old houses in Jiangnan. Named for "seclusion", it creates a customized and comfortable holiday experience. Due to the need for heat protection and insulation, traditional Chinese architecture has small windows and often needs candles for auxiliary lighting. In the renovation, the opening of the architecture was enlarged, and bright glass replaced the original walls, so the view of Xixi wetland can directly enter the room, breaking the absolute boundary between the inside and outside, achieving the purpose of seclusion.

5. Blossom House Xixi Hangzhou 

Located in Xixi Wetland Scenic Area, Hangzhou, the hotel is surrounded by lush and artistic ecology. Simple and spacious doors and windows connect the outdoors, leading to a sight that is light, moving, and fully captures the delight of the four seasons in Xixi, creating a pleasant living environment.

6. MUH SHOOU XIXI Hotel Hangzhou 

MUH SHOOU XIXI Hotel Hangzhou, located in Hongyuan Scenic Area of Xixi National Wetland Park, is designed and constructed by GOA Elephant Design. The hotel connects the water path and the land road. The overall design is based on the natural original appearance of Xixi Wetland, and the building packed with oriental aesthetics interprets the "quiet and lonely wild and deep" of Xixi Wetland, aiming to evoke a resonance between humans and nature.

7. Rezen High Xuan SPA Hotel Hangzhou Xixi 

The Rezen High Xuan SPA Hotel Hangzhou Xixi is located in Xixi Heaven International Tourism Complex, only about 300 meters from Lotus Beach Bird Watching Area - the core natural protection zone of Xixi Wetland. The hotel is conveniently close to the West Lake, a mere 15-minutes’ drive away. It provides direct access via fast tracks to Hangzhou's prime scenic spots such as Lingyin Temple, Songcheng, and Liangzhu Archaeological Site, all of which are about 20 minutes drive away. Known as one of China's renowned designer hotels, it has been awarded the China Design Boutique Hotel Award and the title of one of China's Top Ten Tourist Vacation Hotels.

8. Angsana Hangzhou 

Angsana Hangzhou is the second resort hotel created by the Banyan Tree Group's Angsana brand in China. The hotel is located in the southeast corner of Xixi National Wetland Park in Hangzhou, with beautiful pastoral scenery inside, allowing guests to feel the "beautifully honorable celestial city" praised by Marco Polo.

9. ALOR VALLEY 

Alor Valley, a theme vacation village located in Xixi National Wetland Park, West Lake District, Hangzhou, advocates the concept of "improvisational wisdom" life and relies on the natural environment and ecological culture of Xixi Wetland. With the five major life scenarios of beauty, food, accommodation, power, and aspiration, we have reshaped the six natural villages in Xixi Wetland Park, constructing a quiet and vibrant village-style leisure vacation destination.

10. Xishang Yunjian Holiday Hotel 

Xishang Yunjian Holiday Hotel is hidden in Xixi National Wetland Park. The hotel covers an area of 2400 square meters, and trees and water cover up to 95%, making it an ecological oxygen bar. The hotel is about 1 km from the North Gate of Xixi Wetlands and about 11 km from the West Lake scenic area, which is convenient for travel.

11. Hangzhou Hongyuan Qixi YinXiu Holiday Resort 

The resort covers an area of about 7865 square meters, with designs displaying the charm of Jiangnan (Southern China) style everywhere, exuding an elegant and quiet atmosphere. The exquisite furniture and captivating decorations perfectly integrate oriental classics and modern simplicity. The essence of Chinese and Western architectures converge in every detail. With the simplicity of room decoration and design, we borrowed from the master's pen style. The original coziness of the wooden structures and unique courtyard experience glamorize every room with different styles.

Visiting Xixi National Wetland Park with China Travel

If you are planning a tour of Hangzhou, it's suggested you combine it with other famous sights in nearby areas, It's suggested you combine it with other famous sights in Hangzhou or contact us to customize your Xixi National Wetland Park tour.

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