2-Day Summer Weekend Getaway to Anji Bamboo Forest

We spent 3 days in Hangzhou and we couldn't be happier. We visited awesome places like Lingyin Temple, the west lake and the China Silk Museum thanks to the fantastic explanations of our guide Tim (who fortunately speaks English more than fluently) a very knowledgeable and nice guy who made the visits always full of interesting but never boring explanations...I wish I had teachers like that!!!

Hangzhou and Wuzhen were part of our 10-day Shanghai-Hangzhou-Suzhou tour planned by China Highlights. Our local guide Susan - a Hangzhou native, was friendly, professional and shared with us the history, stories and food highlights of Hangzhou. From the boat ride on West Lake, tasting tea at Meijiawu, seeing the view from Chenghuangge, buying traditional (and modern) wares at Qinghefang street, visiting Hu Xueyan's mansion, to Wuzhen's scenic water town, Susan gave us many interesting bits of information at each place. She ordered a selection of local specialties for lunch on both days, all delicious and many we haven't tried before. Too bad we couldn't finish the food! She also gave us tips on what to buy and places to see and eat at in our spare time outside of the tour. Susan also made sure all our transfers and check-ins were smooth. Some kid-friendly experiences were fun for my 2 boys - tea brewing and tasting ceremony at Meijiawu, and clay pot making/painting at Wuzhen. We especially liked Wuzhen's picturesque vibe, with lots of interesting collated history and craft displays (e.g. lotus feet shoes, indigo cloth dye). Thanks to Susan and China Highlights for an enjoyable trip to Hangzhou and Wuzhen!

Derek did a terrific job guiding us around the sights of Hangzhou and giving us outstanding restaurant tips. Also, my niece was not feeling well and Derek was prepared to take us to see a doctor if necessary. My niece enjoyed learning about the local education system from him.