The Grand Canal: Hangzhou’s Other Waterway Everyone
The Grand Canal: Hangzhou’s Other Waterway Everyone knows West Lake. Few visitors explore the Grand Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage site that runs right through Hangzhou. This man‑made waterway is over 2,000 years old and stretches over 1,700 kilometers to Beijing. In Hangzhou, the canal is still used for local transport and daily life. Old neighborhoods, stone bridges, and laundry hanging from balconies line the banks. Take a canal boat from Wulinmen Pier for a 30‑minute ride (30 RMB). Better yet, walk the canal paths between Xinyifang and Gongchen Bridge. The section near Xiaohe Straight Street has been restored into a charming pedestrian zone with tea houses and small museums. The Grand Canal Museum (free) explains the history without too much text. Gongchen Bridge is a high stone arch where you can watch barges loaded with sand or coal pass underneath. Go in the late afternoon. The light on the water is soft. Few tourists.