Hangzhou! Control Your Damn Taxi Drivers!!!!

[Tracy Hoppe]

Good, no problem! I will rewrite this "Beware" post for you so that foreign friends can easily understand and enjoy their trip!

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Title:

Two-day Trip to Hangzhou—Don’t Get Caught in These Traps! Here are Some Tips to Keep Your Wallet and Mood Safe!

Body:

Hi everyone! Just returned from my Hangzhou trip with quite a few experiences to share, some of which were tough lessons! Please listen to me carefully, there are so many tips regarding places to be cautious about, since your wallet and mood may end up suffering otherwise!

• Be Wary of the “Performance” by Taxi Drivers around West Lake

• **Warning!** Silk Pillowcase Scam:

  • The taxi driver might engage in conversation with you very warmly, saying something like: “In my previous job, I used to work at a famous silk store, and right now, a major silk brand (such as ‘Wansili’) is on sale, offering a special discount only today, buy one set of bedding and get two free silk pillowcases, this offer is only valid for today!” Afterward, he would kindly take you to visit the store.

  • He could even pretend to call his wife during the journey and talk about how her mother-in-law and little sisters are competing to buy the silk stuffs, portraying the scene so convincingly!

• Revealing the Truth:

  • Upon arriving, you will see that the silk pillowcases could cost around 20,000 yuan or more!

  • The so-called wife is nothing but an invented character.

  • I checked out the posts on Xiaohongshu, a widely used App by Chinese people to share their daily experiences, and it turns out this scam happens even annually, dating back many years ago! This affects Hangzhou's reputation too severely!

• How to Avoid :

  • Use a car-hailing app like DiDi instead.

  • Beware of claims of “special deals” or “time-limited discounts.”

  • Silk pillowcases are better bought from reputable, well-known stores.

• **Is the “Impressions of West Lake” Show Worth It to See?**

• (Background Knowledge: West Lake is Hangzhou’s most famous tourist attraction and “Impressions of West Lake,” an outdoor show directed by the renowned Zhang Yimou, who also directed the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, is held there).

• **Warning!** Is it worth 480 RMB ticket price?

  • I bought a VIP ticket specially so I could see everything clearly; however, with the exception of one short section of “the Swan Dance”, I was almost nodding off while watching this impressive but monotonous light show. Although its combination of water and light is not terrible, its content is just a little empty—mostly just visual effects without plot details.
  • This ticket price doesn’t seem cost-effective at all!

• Money-Saving Tips:

  • Buy tickets at a discount from apps like Xianyu, similar to eBay or Facebook Marketplace. A ticket could be up to 100 yuan cheaper and you can get many glasses of yummy bubble tea for yourself!

• Personal Recommendation:

  • Unless you love experiencing high-art performance or pursuing amazing visuals, forget about this show, and enjoy walking around the lake and feeling its natural beauty instead!

• **Hilton Garden Inn—KTV Theme Hotel?**

  • **Warning!** What is the experience like in a Lakeview Room for RMB 1,400 per night？

    The hotel feels like a typical “KTV Theme Hotel” although it has the Hilton brand name—a sign with the three words "Hilton" written only on Trip.com, a commonly used Chinese travel app, but not on the door of the hotel; I had a hard time finding the entrance. 
    
    The so-called 'Lakeview' probably requires a telescope to glimpse!
    

  • The Real Scene:

    The interior design looks almost like a nightclub with the glaring neon lights causing eye strain. Getting to the rooms could be as confusing as seeking through a maze game.

    The reviews on Trip.com seem fake, you may check reviews more trustworthy ones on Dazhong Dianping (similar to Yelp or Google Reviews) to see the real situation of the hotel;

  • Accommodation Recommendation:

    You can consider checking into hotel chains such as Atour for the same price, at least to enjoy a very clear view of West Lake!

• Additional Small Tips to Help you Avoid Pitfalls

1. West Lake Vinegar Fish:

   • One of Hangzhou’s most well-known dishes, though the locals hardly ever eat it, since the dish has a very sharp taste, which might leave you questioning life! Only try it carefully if you aren't a vinegar lover.

2. Hexin Street:

   • Similar to Yiwu Small Wares Market, the wholesale market of small commodities, in Hangzhou, selling mostly souvenirs of average quality rather than local specialties. It is not a long street, so you don’t need to plan for spending much money here.

3. Lingyin Temple(Background Information: Lingyin Temple is an ancient Buddhist temple in Hangzhou)

   • Don’t buy incense sticks at the gate of the temple - free incense sticks are available inside the temple and can be distributed to the tourists on demand.

Last but not the least, Hangzhou itself still remains beautiful! Even if you have got some unpleasant experiences, they won’t dim the memory of your joyful time.

[Sally Breitenberg]

And then there's the tea scam run by taxi drivers.

[Leland Erdman]

Absolutely outrageous!!!!

[Florence Stark]

@HangzhouTourism, I was looking up travel tips for Hangzhou, but all I'm finding are posts about scams. Aren't you going to do anything about it?

[Pat Pagac]

I didn't realize the taxi driver was scamming me at the time; otherwise, I would've definitely gotten a receipt to report them. It's truly awful.

[Susie Kutch-Green]

It's like this everywhere nowadays. Scams and deceit are rampant, and there are just too many unscrupulous people around.

[Pat Pagac]

But this is Hangzhou we're talking about!!!

[Susie Kutch-Green]

Just experienced this myself.

[Helen Gleason]

Only a fool would visit the West Lake scenic area during public holidays!!!