Six Harmonies Pagoda Pagoda

(Liùhé Ta; 16 Zhijiang Lu; 16 grounds ¥20, grounds & pagoda ¥30; 6am-6.30pm) Three kilometres southwest of the lake stands an enormous rail-and-road bridge, which spans Qiántáng River. Close by is the 60m-high octagonal Six Harmonies Pagoda, first built in 960 and named after the six codes of Buddhism. The pagoda also served as a lighthouse, and was supposed to have magical powers to halt the tidal bore which thunders up Qiántáng River twice a month (see the boxed text). You can climb the pagoda, while behind it stretches a charming walk, through terraces dotted with sculptures, bells, shrines and inscriptions. To get to the pagoda, take bus 504 or K4 from Nanshan Lu.

Hángzhōu by Bike

The best way to hire a bike is to use the public bike hire scheme ( 8533 1122; www.hzzxc.com.cn, in Chinese). Stations are dotted in large numbers around the city. You can apply at one of the booths ( 6.30am-9pm Apr-Oct, 6am-9pm Nov-Mar) at certain bike stations (marked on the map) where you will need ¥300 (¥200 for the deposit and ¥100 as credit) and your passport as ID. You will then get a swipecard to hop aboard one of the bright red bikes which you can return to any other station. The first hour on each bike is free, so if you switch bikes within the hour, the rides are free. The second hour on the same bike is ¥1, the third is ¥2 and after that it’s ¥3 per hour. Your deposit and unused credit are refunded to you when you return your swipecard. Note you cannot return bikes outside booth operating hours as the swipe units deactivate (you will be charged a whole night’s rental). Youth hostels also rent out bikes, but these are more expensive.

Eating & Drinking

The top restaurant strip in town is Gaoyin Jie, parallel to and immediately north of Qīnghéfáng Old St. Shuguang Lu, northwest of West Lake, is the main place for beers. There are also some bars near the Mingtown Youth Hostel. For a good introduction to what’s on and where, grab a copy of More – Hangzhou Entertainment Guide (www.morehangzhou.com), avail­able at some bars and hotels.

Green Tea Restaurant Hángzhōu $

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