West Lake’s Best Views Without the Crowds Most tourists
West Lake’s Best Views Without the Crowds Most tourists line up at Leifeng Pagoda or Broken Bridge. Here’s where locals go. Baochu Pagoda – On a hill north of the lake, this slender pagoda looks like a needle pointing at the sky. The hike up takes 15 minutes. The view down covers the entire lake. No entrance fee. Almost no tourists. Gu Hill (Gushan) – A small hill in the northern part of the lake. The top has a wide stone platform overlooking the water. Bring a book. Sit on the stone steps. Watch the boats drift by. Huagang Guanyu (Viewing Fish at Flower Harbor) – A park at the southern edge of the lake. Walk past the koi ponds, then follow the path to the waterfront. The view of Leifeng Pagoda reflected in calm water is famous for a reason. Yanggong Causeway – The westernmost causeway. Much longer than Su or Bai. Almost empty even on weekends. Rent a bike and ride the whole 3.5 kilometers. Tea fields on one side, the lake on the other.