Hangzhou Peak Season: Maybe Not.
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I think West Lake will be even more packed during Qingming. You might be better off exploring the Yanggong Causeway area instead.
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Staying at one of the state guesthouses near West Lake would be very comfortable.
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Too expensive!
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I'm with you, I love West Lake when it's lush and green too. But for that, you'd really need to come next month at the earliest. Right now, West Lake isn't looking its best. The flowers haven't fully bloomed, the trees aren't green yet, and even Yanggong Causeway is quite bare. It's far from its peak beauty. April-May and October-November are when it's absolutely gorgeous.
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That's right. I went to Tianmu Mountain in mid-April once, and it was incredibly green.
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Do we need to book the hand-rowed boats in advance, or can we just get one when we arrive? We're planning to go on a weekday in mid-April.
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No booking needed, but you'll likely have to wait for a boat if it's crowded.
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That's a very fair assessment. And the spots you mentioned are quite unique. It's true, when visiting West Lake, you should avoid the major hotspots. It's just shoulder-to-shoulder crowds and a terrible experience.
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Exactly.
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I wouldn't dare go near West Lake or Xiang Lake on a weekend, especially if the weather's nice.
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Given Zhejiang's climate, pretty much any park should be beautiful.
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There's hardly an off-season.
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It's beautiful all year round.
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Hangzhou is so beautifully green in early April! Though, these past few days, the leaves on the trees along Yanggong Causeway haven't quite emerged yet.
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True, right now it's mostly about the flowers.
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I never go to Taiziwan Park during tulip season. At most, I'll cycle over to Santaishan Road for a stroll.
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From what I recall, I can't think of a time I've been to Hangzhou when it wasn't crowded, and I always avoid public holidays.
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It's less crowded in winter. I went a few days before Chinese New Year last time; it was freezing and even snowed.