One-day Hangzhou Dragon Well Tea Culture & West Lake Private Tour

We booked a tour in Hangzhou and our tour guide Gerry is very caring and knowledgeable. We had a great time with him. He was so flexible to change a place for us to visit. He also helped us book the show of impression west lake. Highly recommend Gerry as an excellent guide and person.

This tour to Meijiawu Tea Village was a unique local experience. We got to know a local tea farmer, a delightful woman with a beautiful smile, who showed us her tea plantation and introduced us to the art of producing and serving tea. The guide who accompanied us, Yolanda, was very knowledgeable of Hangzhou and very patient with us, answering to all our questions promptly. Thank you, Yolanda, for a great day!

We booked a half-day tour to visit a Dragon Well tea village and the Temple Soul’s Retreat. Our guide, Yolanda, made everything to make the tour enjoyable and interesting. More than her competent explanations about the tour, we started to talk to her about many other subjects about the region and China, almost as she was a new friend we made in the city. One important aspect about the visit to the tea village was that we were really visiting a family of tea farmers, that showed us the fields and their house, made us taste different kinds of tea, etc. It was really "one-to-one", totally different from "mass-tourism" tour. It was really a very enjoyable morning, thanks to China Highlights and to Yolanda.

My friend and I booked a tour of Hangzhou with China Highlights, to see West Lake and the Tea Fields. Booking the tour was very simple and Kimi from China Highlights was very helpful at answering any questions I had and was flexible for our plans. We were collected from our hotel and transported to the train station where we were assisted with getting through security etc. Our guide in Hangzhou, Gerry was great. He spoke very good English, had great knowledge of the area and made the day a great joy. We had a boat ride on west lake a lovely local lunch. In the afternoon we got to experience two different tea ceremonies. The farmer at the Meijiawu tea village was very welcoming, we picked tea leaves and she taught us the rules of a tea ceremony. The tour was very well planned and executed. I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone travelling to China. Mary & Lydia

Our guide, Leaf, was extremely helpful and provided suggestions for our tour promptly. She suggested great restaurants which we enjoyed and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves with all the activities. At the same time, she gave interesting anecdotes and history about the places we visited. We felt that we have learnt a lot about Hangzhou during this trip. The tea cultural experience was also extremely insightful. We took lots of great photos and learnt a lot about the tea drinking culture in Hangzhou. Highly recommended and would definitely return in the future!

we opt for a 3 days tour and did not regret booking it at all. our tour guide named “Leaf” was very patient with us, sharing stories about Hangzhou. for someone who is not a big fan of tour, i enjoyed myself a lot. thanks Leaf! :-)

Four of us booked this trip to Hangzhou through China Highlights. Our guide Gerry was terrific! He picked us up at the train station and began hosting us for the tour. We enjoyed the boat cruise at West Lake, and he also showed us key highlights in the area. Besides, he took us to different restaurants for meals, where were always fresh and delicious. Despite some rain, we saw the tea museum, and had the tea ceremony. It was really a fantastic tour in Hangzhou.

Incredible time in Hangzhou especially the night performance,”Impressions of Hangzhou” which is a must see. Although not in the original itinerary,Gerry, our guide managed to get the tickets for us at the last minute. Gerry is very reliable and helpful

We drove to an area in Hangzhou where we met Nana, whose family has a tea plantation. Nana was extremely friendly and knowledgeable about tea. She plopped a straw hat on us both, we walked up the hill to the tea plants. We picked a few leaves of tea then walked back to her home through a small village. Along the way she showed us how the tea is dried the same day. Nana showed us the rituals of a tea ceremony, allowing us to try to pour the tea correctly. We had a fun time and learned a lot. Our guide was Fiona. She was very helpful getting us around.

We had Gerry as our guide and he was terrific and so informative. We had a list of things we wanted to see and Gerry accommodated us on our private tour. One place Gerry showed us around was a special supermarket known as something like Mr. Hippo, which was also a wonderful food court for sea food. Gerry told us payment can only be made by an App on your phone. We bought some snack and he paid for us using his phone, and we reimbursed him later. I was so impressed by Alibaba's advanced technology and ideas. Hangzhou, a truly smart city that deserves our time!

I spent a day in Hangzhou. We visited the Buddhist temple which was awesome. Lot of history. The 'crazy monk' and his stories were fun. We then went to the tea gardens which was interesting. Post lunch (where I had the awesome local dessert 'O Fen' which is made of lotus), we went to the pagoda which had great views of the river and the 'new Hangzhou' across the river. This was followed by a boat ride on West Lake which had the '1 yuan view'. I didnt see the light and sound show, but the location and setup seemed interesting. Since we had a few hours before the train to Shanghai, Leaf (the guide) took me to a few interesting places. One was a local restaurant which had several grandparents/parents and the associated children at a table doing their homework. Apparently, these are folks that need to take their children to after school activities, but had a few hours free time between the school and the activity. It was interesting to see how much the parents cared about after school activity. We then also visited a local market (not a supermarket) to check out how fresh produce and meat is sold. Hangzhou had a nice, laidback feel that is hard to capture in photos, but feels great in person.

Not many interesting facts and historis given by our tour guide, sometimes we had to read on the subject close by the entrance places. The boat ride on westlake was a waste of time, over 2-3 hundreds people on the boat, nosiy,crowded...The whole experience was bad.

When we arrived Hangzhou Railroad Station Mr. Tony was there. He was born in Hangzhou. spoke excellent English, friendly for us. We went boat at West Lake, Dragon well, Lingyin Temple, and Huagang Park... He dose good Chinese Calligraphy and drawings. Lunch at Louwailou restaurant eat Dongpo Pork ( original Hangzhou local food ) was really good. we saw beautiful flower everywhere and willow tree color was so good on rainy day. we really enjoy with guide Tony... He written for me, (上有天堂 下有苏杭:Haven in the sky, Hangzhou and Suzhou on earth!!) Highly recommend Tour HangZhou with Mr. Tony!! Thank you! Cathy with Odynovo Tours see you next tour!!

We had a wonderful 2:1 tour with Fiona, really making the most of our quick 36 hours in Hangzhou. I would highly recommend having a private tour guide since they are with you the whole time, can answer all questions, translate everything, plus they're the local experts so you learn the most about the area you're visiting. And having a private driver to take you everywhere wasn't bad :)

We visited Hangzhou, the paradise city on earth recently. We saw flowers everywhere in this season. Our guide Gerry was considerate and knew what he was talking about. He was always happy to answer our questions. The lunch at a local tea farmer's home was simply fantastic. Despite the weekend traffic, we really enjoyed ourselves in this lovely city. Highly recommend!

We had a nice guide Gerry recently in Hangzhou. He was knowledgeable, spoke excellent English, friendly and patient with our family. The low season of tourism was very good for us when there were few people in the boat at west lake. Other places were impressive as well except the rainy weather. Great moment with Gerry anyway.

I had a wonderful day in Hangzhou! Fiona was waiting for me when I arrived at the train station and was with me the entire day. Her insights and information was wonderful. She answered every question I had perfectly. I could not have asked for a better guide! Thank you!

We visited Hangzhou in November 2018, and it was beautiful. A boat ride around West Lake was the most memorable part, and Rachel's knowledge of the area and willingness to help impressed us the most. In addition to sharing tips about local restaurants (which were excellent), she also ensured our round trip transportation to a local bar that we asked to go to. I'd definitely recommend!

My wife and I visited Hangzhou in September. Our guide Gerry is a good person. Because he showed us many beautiful places. Not only that, when we asked price about drones in China, he took much time to look for information. He sent picture and price of each type of drone. Although we didn't decide to buy one, we appreciate his help very much. We always remember this town and warm hearted guide.

Five of us took a weekend trip from Shanghai to Hangzhou and had a great time. Our tour person (Gerry) was very accommodating and genuinely nice. He was very knowledgeable about Chinese historical culture and took the time to explain the stories and meanings of the things and places we visited. We went to West Lakes, Pagoda, National Tea museum, Emperor’s mansion, and Herbal Medicine museum. I learned so much about China and its complex environments. He took us to local restaurants with amazing food. A highly recommended trip and ask for Gerry!

I traveled to Shanghai for a week + business trip. To top off the week, four of my friends and I took a weekend sightseeing tour of Hangzhou. Our tour guide was Gerry. He was a great guide and very accommodating to us and what we were interested in seeing. We stayed a little extra in some locations of interest, and he always waited for us taking photos. Each day he provided us with lunch from a local restaurant and catered to our likes. It was a great way to experience China outside of the 'big city' and learn more about the culture. Please request Gerry when you book a tour!

I could start this review by saying all the great things about Hangzhou... or Nanxun Water Village... however, I would rather start this endorsement with my ever first Hangzhou ambassador from the China Highlights team, Fiona! What’s that saying by Mya Angelou... “it’s not what people say, or even how they say it, it’s how they make you feel!” And our friend Fiona from Hangzhou made us feel like that... friends! From the moment we were greeted by our intelligent well dressed and conversant China Highlights guide Fiona, there was something special brewing... our car trip in 35 degree heat fell by the wayside as the talked flowed on about great food, the amazing West Lake sights, history, modern progression of Hangzhou and the exchange of personal (lots of laughter) stories in our professionally driven air conditioned car to our hotel. Big kudos to the China Highlights team and their choices of hotels in the best locations - central to major must sees, interesting areas, great fuse of modern with past history. Anyhoo, back to Fiona... who has a great sense of pride and passion for all things Hangzhou... history, sense of love for her country, understands the changing China and the opportunity it provides for everyone... moreover for Westerners to experience a changing place like Hangzhou right before your very eyes. Fiona explains everything in different contexts so you can truly appreciate the beauty or frankness of China... authentic and real... so your experience is felt, lived and emotional. I believe it’s also Fiona’s keen understanding of people from different backgrounds and countries - that real hands on experience being in so many challenging situations that she understands what’s important to her customers and doesn’t sweat the small stuff... and Fiona is honest and respectful. I think we can all agree we love a person who “keeps it real!” Hangzhou through Fiona’s eyes and words explains the natural beauty of the West Lake and the Broken Bridge at the heart of its city... on its foreshore many romantic lovers, families, people of many generations walk through the heat of the day and cool evenings (MUST WALK THE LAKE). Whilst just a stones throw away the hustle and bustle of a thriving metropolis - modern, progressive, highly educated and youthful taking every opportunity the new China Cool presents her! So so so so very Hangzhou cool! Point of thank you here: I smashed my iPhone screen, Fiona’s top tip at the new international Apple store 5 minute walk from hotel had me with a fixed screen! Cheers Fiona! Back to the city... amazing shopping and restaurants especially Wasabia Japanese! I know after eating some amazing Chinese in Beijing and Shanghai for 4 days we were after something different... and Hangzhou has what you need. Onto the Water Village in Nanxun was like a reprieve from the heat and hedonistic speed of the city... Fiona had our backs and planned an amazing day... walking back through a special age of Chinese cultural history. I can’t explain, which is why I took more photos of the village (See pics), so much easier if I show you. Everything was perfect, especially our lunch where we laughed, judged, debated and ate... as friends, which is how Fiona and China Highlights make you feel. Thanks Fiona & China Highlights! Neville & Craig.

For the amount of time / energy level / quality of attraction, the itinerary was right. Not much time "wasted" driving around and more of the time spent visiting sights and understanding the place.

We did a great private tour with our guide Gerry, visiting the highlights of Hangzhou. Thanks, Gerry!

We were welcomed by Leaf, our amazing guide, at the airport, since we arranged also the airport pick up through the agency. The day after our arrival we visited the Nanxun water town, and it was stunning: narrow canals, beautiful lotus gardens and houses. on our second day in Hangzhou we visited the Lingyin Temple, the Meijiawu Tea Plantation where we had a tea demonstration and explanation of all the benefits of green tea and after lunch we had a cruise on the West Lake. in the evening of the first day we also went to the 'Impressions by the West Lake' performance, and Leaf helped us buying the tickets. If it's your first time in China, I strongly recommend to have China Highlights help you building your itinerary, and if you go to Hangzhou ask for Leaf: her English is excellent, she is super kind, helpful and funny!

My wife and I visited Hangzhou with our Grandson (21 years old) who is studying Mandarin. It was our first trip to China. Our guide was 'Gerry' who met us at the airport and drove us to our Hotel where he sorted out a mix-up with the booking of an extra room for our grandson. He proved to be an excellent and professional guide with exceptional English skills and an extensive knowledge of the culture and history of the area. We spent an enjoyable 2 days with him and he drove us to Suzhou and arranged for us to meet with the local guide and make arrangements for our stay in that city. I would not hesitate to recommend Gerry to anyone looking for the services of a professional local guide.

Gerry was our guide and he was awesome! Hangzhou and West Lake are beautiful! We went to the top of the Six Harmonies Pagoda, the Tea Culture experience, and he even pointed us to Qinghe Lane to go exploring on our own that evening. When our flight was cancelled, he worked with the main office and then drove us to Shanghai to catch another flight so our itinerary would not be to thrown off.

My son (21) and I recently spent 2 days/1 night in Hangzhou. We booked our tour through China Highlights and were extremely fortunate to have Fiona as our guide; she was passionate about her city and truly enjoyed sharing her culture and knowledge with us. We visited West Lake which is very beautiful and relaxing, we enjoyed the boat ride and the stories about the area, especially The Broken Bridge. We had a wonderful lunch and Fiona introduced us to Chinese eggplant which became one of our favorite dishes. We visited Meijiawu Tea Plantation and enjoyed a tea ceremony that provided us with much enjoyment and many laughs. On our second day we visited Wu Zhen water town, one of my favorite places in China, it was a view into the past. We stayed at the Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale Hangzhou. The hotel was beautiful, had well appointed rooms, marvelous views and an excellent location. We ate in the hotel restaurant located on the top floor and were very pleased with the food and service. Fiona made us wish we had more time to spend in Hangzhou. She gave us suggestions on where to eat at night, and made sure we knew how to walk to West Lake from the hotel. She was generous with her time and made us feel welcome; I enjoyed her company immensely and was sad to say goodbye.

On day 1 we were met at the train station by Fiona and driver and taken to our Hotel. The next morning (day 2) we met Fiona and went to West Lake with its arched bridges and then to the Lingyin Temple. We also visited the Meijiawu Tea Plantation and did some tea tasting. We had lunch at a nearby restaurant known for its fish and pork. Later in the day we had an interesting visit to Qinghefang Pedestrian Street with traditional businesses still selling. Fiona spoke great English and was very friendly and helpful. During the next few days she helped with everything on this tour. She attended to all the tickets etc and took some some photos of us. On Day 3 she again met us in the lobby and we and we went for a drive to Wuzhen Water Town and a wooden boat cruise for about 20 minutes. This trip was the highlight of the day and again lunch was included. We were taken back to the hotel and had the next two days free to do our own activities. The next day she took us to the Train Station for our trip to Biejing. Fiona was terrific. She was friendly, very knowledgeable, humorous and professional as well as always being on time. She made our time in Hangzhou very pleasant and enjoyable. Highly recommended tour guide.

Excellent private tour in Hangzhou with China Highlights. Gerry was excellent in all respects. Highly recommended.

As I had limited time in Hangzhou, I booked a private tour to ensure I could fit in the tea and silk museums, a tea tasting, some local food. My guide Gerry did not disappoint -- he was early to pick me up, drove his own very clean and comfortable large 4x4/small people carrier type car, and was very happy to adjust timings to my interests as the day evolved. The highlight was the tea picking and tasting, which was completely private, where I could taste several types of tea with expert input from the charming farmer, herself something of a television celebrity. The trip was not complicated, but I appreciated that it was totally arranged according to my timing and that Gerry was able to adjust as we went on. His choice of a local restaurant with tasty, but new-to-me, dishes was also excellent. Highly recommended. I can also heartily recommend particularly the Silk Museum -- modern architecture showing off its important historical collections well, with good English captions as well as Chinese. Complemented by a garden (with mulberry bushes of course) and shop, altogether one could spend several hours there. They also have occasional evening lectures and teaching events for those who are there longer.

Hangzhou: What a beautiful city! Our China Highlights guide Tina took us to the Chenghuang Pavilion where we had a lunch of Southern Song Dynasty Snacks. During the time we were in the restaurant we were entertained by musicians playing instruments similar to zithers and people in the restaurant singing along. Afterwards we went to West Lake and took a boat to the Island. As we walked around the island, I started feeling somewhat ill, and Tina asked other people to let me board the boat taking us back to the shore first, which was very thoughtful. I was grateful for her solicitous nature. By the next morning I was fine, and we enjoyed visiting the Six Harmonies Pagoda in the mountains with Tina. The grounds were beautiful, and it was a serene and even spiritual experience. The fact that Tina’s ancestors had been Buddhists lent special meaning to our visit. Thanks to Tina, we thoroughly enjoyed our visit to what may be the most beautiful setting for a city in China!

Tricia and I, Irish visitors to Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai booked a private tour of Hangzhou with China Highlights on May 23 2018. Gerry was our guide who met us at the train station and took us by car on a wonderful day-long private tour of Hangzhou. Gerry was attentive, knowledgeable and determined that we would experience as many of the sights and treasures of this beautiful city as could be fitted into our day. A visit to the Longjin tea plantation, a boat trip on the lovely West Lake were followed by a fabulous traditional local lunch of multiple tasty dishes in the Long Tang Li, fabulous restaurant. Then there was the ancient and beautiful Lingyin Temple and gardens with their buddhas carved out of the rock face, amongst other attractions. Many thanks to Gerry, a great guide and a really pleasant guy for a truly memorable experience.

we were picked up by our guide Gerry at the train station. He was warmhearted and spoke good English. During the three nights in Hangzhou, he not only showed us the local scenic places, but also took us to a water town Nanxun. He arranged good food for us every time, and also helped us buy the delicious pork trotters. I highly recommend him.

Me and family had a great tour of Hangzhou with English speaking tour guide Gerry. He was very knowledgeable and helpful. I would definitely used him when I next return to Hangzhou and recommend to my friends.

I took a half day tour of Hangzhou with Gerry from China Highlights. We started with a walk around some of the stunning West Lake followed by a boat trip on the lake. We then moved onto a tea plantation and had a private teas tasting session - the tea was unbelievably good! We ended our tour with a look around the ceramics museum which was stunning. Gerry then took me back to my hotel in time for lunch and my afternoon business appointments. Hangzhou is a beautiful city and West Lake is a stunning and spiritual place. My tour guide Gerry had perfect English and knew all of the history and important facts about the places we visited. He was extremely good company - funny, polite and friendly without being too overbearing. This is a wonderful way to learn more about Hangzhou and experience the lake if you are short on time - although I understand there are other full day and half day options with China Highlights Hangzhou which I will definitely be doing when I come back to Hangzhou. I can highly recommend.

Fiona was an outstanding and professional guide for our day trip to Hangzhou for our party of 7. She provided a great tour to Lingyin Temple and the West Lake area. She was very informative and responsive to questions. We all happily enjoyed the most delicious luncheon of the best dumplings.

On our one day tour in Hangzhou (which we booked at Sofitel Hangzhou) our guide, Gerry, showed us many breathtaking and unforgettable places. We started the morning on a scenic cruise on the West Lake. A short drive from our hotel. It was a beautiful cool day and the sights of the mini ferry were amazing. There were shrines and temples of the cliff sides of mountains while on the other side of the lake, you could see the heart of Hangzhou. We also saw the 3 pagodas (UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE) which were very cool! Next. We visited the tea plantation. We enjoyed a very nice tea ceremony where the let us smell the freshly harvested green tea leaves and then made a very good local green tea. They also had a variety of other teas that we got to taste and they were delicious. After drinking some amazing tea, we visited the Lin Yin temple where we saw buddhas carved onto a cliff side. Gerry explained the fascinating history behind these carvings. We followed a path next to a peaceful stream into the temples where Gerry explained the very interesting cultural history to these temples. We took a quick pit stop at a very local restaurant which was very delicious and had some unforgettable views. We ended our amazing tour in the matchmaking temple where we could enjoy a very nice local opera performance. As well as some really beautiful natural views just near the heart of the city. Overall, Gerry gave abundant information and could answer all of our questions. Gerry was a very nice and kind person. I would love to do that tour again with Gerry! If you are in Hangzhou we highly recommend Gerry as your tour guide!

China Highlights planned and coordinated my 15-day trip in China; their expertise and experience resulted in a superb trip for me. My guide in Hangzhou (tea plantation, West lake, and the Temple) was May who was instrumental in keeping me informed, answering my questions, and keeping us on track through this busy day. She was very interesting to talk to. The most unique experience for me on this day was learning how to pick tea, how tea is grown and processed, learning about the environmental conditions that enable tea to be grown near West Lake, and of course, learning about the tea ceremony (I drink a lot of Chinese tea at home). The people I met at the tea plantation and in the village were very professional and courteous to me. Lingyin Temple is very interesting, particularly the age-old sculptures on the rocks, an absolutely beautiful peaceful place! We ate very tasty local cuisine in between visits. The boat ride around West Lake was relaxing and rounded the day out nicely. I would definitely go back to Hangzhou for more experiences.

Our family of 11 joined a private tour to Hangzhou and Nanxun water town arranged by China Highlights. Hangzhou was much more beautiful than we expected. Although our hotel (Haihua Hotel) was showing signs of age, it was very near West Lake, and we enjoyed walking along its banks at night. Rainbow, our guide for these 2 days, was wonderful and very attentive. She was very knowledgeable about her lovely city and its attractions. There was never a dull moment with her. What we appreciated most was her thoughtfulness. My mother had difficulty walking, and Rainbow was always alert in helping her and making her comfortable. We were very happy with the tour.

We had a Tour with Gerry as our guide. He picked us up at the Hangzhou. He Pick us up at the airport. The Tour was Well organized. We are very interested in Buddism. The Tour to the Buddist temple reminded us what a Buddha statue wehave at home. We arsked Gerry about the statue, and send him a picture after We want home. He quickly gave us the information. Hvis a really god guide.

We had sightseeing in Hangzhou organized by Gerry. He is a good guide and helped us a lot. He told us much about the town, and showed us beautiful places Nos gustó mucho Gerry como guia. Nos enseñó las principales atracciones de la ciudad con mucha simpatia.

Gerry picked us up on the first day of Chinese new year. We didn’t have breakfast, so asked him to arrange it. The breakfast should be offered as per my mail to the tour organizer, but it wasn’t in Gerry’s itinerary. Nevertheless, he still generously helped us find a bakery to get the food, despite the fact that most restaurants were closed in the new year holidays. Gerry was well versed in local history and cultures, and gave us new year gifts as well, which enabled us to truly feel the Chinese lunar new year. We understand the difficulty of hosting us around during such a special moment, but Gerry overcame all the hurdles and made our day!

Our family met our guide Gerry in Hangzhou. He was very professional, extremely knowledgeable and always willing to answer our questions and help in every possible way. He was the perfect guide to the West lake, which is so beautiful, and the Leifeng Pagoda, which is amazing and a must see. Our trip included a traditional Chinese lunch and an interesting visit to a tea factory, which Gerry had chosen to end what we will always remember as a magic day of discoveries and fun.

Thanks to our guide Gerry we had a very interesting visit to Hangzhou. We appreciated his insights on the culture of the Temple we visited. West Lake was a memorable experience. He selected a great restaurant for lunch. Later we spent time at the historic tea plantation which had provided tea to the emperors. We picked up a supply while there, and are reminded of our very pleasant visit to Hangzhou each time we enjoy a cup or two.

Took the train to Hangzhou where Gerry picked us up to take us around town. He was very personable and helpful with any questions. He was always able to answer our questions and provide very interesting insight. He wasnt pushy or trying to herd us around. He let us enjoy all the sights at our leisure and even helped use when we had trouble getting back to the train station. I cannot recommend this tour enough!

Our family loved the Hangzhou tour; Gerry was an awesome guide! He was professional and friendly. I had my children along and he was so good to them, they looked forward to seeing him when he was guiding. I felt that he developed the tours around who we were as a family. We went to some tourist destinations but also visited local restaurants and shops, which we loved. Thank you Gerry!! We would love to visit Hangzhou again.

We visited Hangzhou last year, and Gerry was our guide. He made us discover Hangzhou, for us a surprise city. His service is excellent, always busy with searching for the best options (e.g. a local restaurant where we had lovely dinner) and managed to get us 'last minute' tickets for the show (in a theatre near the famous lake). I can definitely recommend Gerry,

Gerry is a great guide and a great person. He speaks English fluently. He is a Hangzhou local and he knows everything about the city. He has a lot of information about the history of the city and answered all of my questions. He is a safe driver. I would definitely recommend Gerry to anyone touring Hangzhou