Located in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, the West Lake is one of the most famed tourist attractions in China. For centuries, the West Lake has been well known both for its picturesque landscape and for cultural heritages surviving yet illustrating the past dynasties. So during your China Tours, after certainly Travelling to Beijing, the West Lake will be a wonderful destination.
The landscape area of the West Lake includes the surrounding hills and nearby historical sites as well as the lake itself. The lake area covers around 60 square kilometers consisting of 5.68 square kilometers of water area.
The West Lake is the centerpiece of the natural fascination with bluish hills on three sides, serene and charming. Along the lake, there stand lines of willows with ancient bridges leaping over them. Mist now veils the whole landscape, now just perches lightly on the green and luxuriant hills in the vicinity with tiny streams winding in deep valleys.
More than ninety theme parks and scenic spots are dotted around the lake area such as the Ten Views of West Lake and ten-odd newly named tourist attractions. Rain or shine, the West Lake holds great attraction of tourist in all seasons.
Besides its impressive scenery, the West Lake boasts of abundant cultural heritage and legends passed from generation to generation, co-mingling natural features, past personages, history and art in the local area.
Thanks to its long history and historic importance, the West Lake is also a cultural resort with 5 major historical monuments and cultural relic under state protection, 35 under provincial protection, 25 under municipal protection as well as 39 theme museums and cultural spots under a protection system.
In the whole landscape area, there are more than one hundred scenic spots open to the tourists at present. Each year there are 0.5 million of foreign guests and 12 million domestic visitors coming to Hangzhou.
A number of specific features can be singled out as worthy of particular note. To the south of center of the Outer Lake is a man-make island known as the Island of Little Oceans, which encloses four small lakes. From here one can view the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon when at night candles ate lit in stone lanterns jutting out of the water, thus creating the impression of the reflections of three moons. The scene is truly magical on the night of the Autumn Moon Festival.
Solitary Hill Island lies between the Outer Lake and the north Inner Lake and is an ideal spot from which to admire the vista. The nearby Two Peaks Embracing the Sky is another impressive sight, especially when crossing the lake by boat.
Near to the lake can be found the Ling Yin Temple in its woodland setting near to Fei Lai Feng (Peak Flown From Afar). Legend has it that this limestone peak flew from India where it had formed part of a holy mountain. These are of particular interest to Buddhists and those who have a love of sculpture and art.
If you are interested in such historical heritage and natural beauty, please book your China Flights and come to the West Lake.
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