West Lake Travel Guide for Where Winds Meet Players: 3 Game-Like Routes in Hangzhou

East Lake, North Lake, and South Lake: how to walk the real Hangzhou behind the game’s Jiangnan atmosphere

Where Winds Meet players, West Lake is the real heart of Hangzhou. The game’s Jiangnan map is full of water, boats, rain, bridges, causeways, towers, gardens, and quiet lakeside paths. That feeling does not come from nowhere. Real West Lake has been shaped by exactly these things for centuries.

DuanQIao in XiHu(image from “Where Winds Meet” — NetEase Games)

But here is the problem for first-time visitors:

West Lake is big.

If you just open a map and search “West Lake,” you may not know where to start. Some parts are crowded and easy. Some parts are quieter and more historical. Some parts are better for photos. Some are better for walking. Some are better if you want the game-like feeling.

So instead of giving you one exhausting route, I recommend three routes. Pick one based on your mood.

(useful travel links mentioned in the article are consolidated at the end, so you won’t have to look them up individually.)

Original comic-style travel guide for Where Winds Meet players visiting real Hangzhou. This diagram is for route planning reference only and is not an exact map.

Route 1: East Lake Starter Route

Best for first-time visitors, easy transport, boat rides, and a relaxed first look

Route: Longxiangqiao → Lakeside area → West Lake cruise(options include an island-landing tour and a round-the-lake tour) → optional sightseeing cart → return to Longxiangqiao or continue north/south

Best for: First-time visitors, families, casual travelers, people who do not want to walk too much

Start at Longxiangqiao Station.

This is the easiest West Lake entry point if you are coming from Hangzhou East Railway Station or staying in the city center.

When you come out, do not expect ancient China immediately. This area is modern: shopping malls, restaurants, coffee shops, traffic, tourists, hotels, and lots of people.

That is fine.

Treat Longxiangqiao as your supply point. Buy water, grab food, charge your phone, then walk west toward the lake.

After a few minutes, the city opens and West Lake appears.

This first view is the point of the route. You have the modern city behind you and the lake in front of you. Boats move slowly on the water. Hills sit in the distance. On clear days, the lake looks wide and bright; on cloudy days, it has that grey Jiangnan softness that feels closer to the game.

If you only want a simple first experience, just walk along the eastern lakeside. This area is easy, flat, and full of people. It is not the quietest part of West Lake, but it gives you a clean first impression.

Option A: Take a West Lake boat

If you want to see the lake without walking too much, take a cruise.

lists several West Lake cruise options:

For example, ordinary pleasure boats can be boarded at piers such as Viewing Fish at Flower Pond and Kuahu Bridge, while luxury boats can be boarded at №2 Lakeside Park. Some boat routes cruise around the lake, and some routes include island stops, depending on the ticket type.

You can book in advance or simply queue up to buy tickets on-site, though it might get a bit crowded.

You can board the cruise at the Qianwangci Pier (on the East Line) and disembark at the Yue Temple Pier (on the North Line).

WWM players, this is worth doing because the game’s Hangzhou is strongly tied to boats and water travel. Walking West Lake is one feeling. Seeing it from the water is another.

From the boat, the lake becomes more like a map. You see causeways, towers, hills, islands, and pavilions from the middle instead of the edge.

Option B: Take the sightseeing cart

If you are tired, traveling with family, or visiting in hot weather, consider the West Lake sightseeing cart.

You don’t need to buy tickets online for this; I’ve included the details at the end of the post.

West Lake is not difficult to walk, but the full lakeside area is large. During busy seasons or public holidays, roads around Su Causeway, Bai Causeway, Nanshan Road, and Beishan Road can be crowded, and sightseeing carts are often used by visitors who want to save energy.

This is not the most romantic way to see West Lake, but it is practical.

My advice: do not use the cart for everything. Walk at least one section by yourself, then use the cart when you need to move between areas.

Why this route works

This is the easiest route because you do not need to understand West Lake deeply before starting.

WWM player, this is like the first time the Hangzhou map opens: not the deepest route, but the right opening scene.

Route 2: North Lake WWM Route

Best for BaiDi(Bai Causeway), GuShan(Solitary Hill), Yue Fei Temple, northern West Lake views, and a short hill climb

Route: Fengqi Road Station→ DuanQiao(Broken Bridge) → BaiDi(Bai Causeway) → GuShan(Solitary Hill) → Xiling Seal Art Society → Yue Wang Temple → optional Baopu Taoist Temple / Geling Hill

Best for: walkers, history lovers, people who want the quieter and more “jianghu” side of West Lake

The “hidden path, scholar garden, lakeside sect” route

If you ask me which West Lake route feels most like Where Winds Meet, I would choose the north side.

Start near Broken Bridge. You can reach it by walking from Longxiangqiao along the eastern lakeside, or by starting closer to the northern lake area if your hotel is near Beishan Street or Wulin / Fengqi Road.

From Broken Bridge, step onto Bai Causeway.

This is where the route changes.

The city noise starts to soften. Water appears on both sides. The path becomes clear and simple. You just walk forward, with lake views opening left and right.

Bai Causeway is one of the key West Lake walks. Hangzhou’s tourism site explains that it divides West Lake into the Outer West Lake on the south and the Back Lake on the north, and it is also the access route from the city to Solitary Hill, West Lake’s natural island.

BaiDi is the perfect walking route because it feels like a designed transition zone. You leave the busy city edge and enter a slower world of water, bridges, trees, and distant hills.

This is the kind of route where the game feeling appears naturally.

GuShan: the quiet lore area

At the end of Bai Causeway, continue to Gushan / Solitary Hill.

This area feels different from the open lakeside. It is older, quieter, and more cultural. There are gardens, old paths, museums, pavilions, and stone details. If Bai Causeway is the walking path, Solitary Hill is the lore area.

This is where you should slow down.

Do not only take photos of the lake. Look at the buildings, inscriptions, walls, and garden corners. Hangzhou is not only pretty because of water. It is pretty because culture has been layered onto the water for centuries.

If you have time, visit Xiling Seal Art Society. It is on Gushan Hill, near Bai Causeway and Xiling Bridge, and Hangzhou tourism materials describe it as a classical garden connected with seal engraving, calligraphy, painting, and inscriptions.

This stop is especially good for WWM players because it gives you the scholar side of wuxia(武侠).

Not everything in wuxia is sword fighting. Sometimes it is seals, letters, calligraphy, hidden names, old inscriptions, and a quiet person in a pavilion who knows more than they should.

Yue Fei Temple

From GuShan, continue west or northwest toward Yue Fei Temple.

This is one of the major historical stops on the north side of West Lake. Yue Fei was a Southern Song general remembered for loyalty, courage, and resistance against northern invaders. The temple and mausoleum commemorate him and his son Yue Yun; travel references place Yue Fei Temple in the northwest corner of West Lake.

this stop adds the martial and historical side of Hangzhou.

The lake is soft, but the story here is not soft.

Yue Fei’s memory is about loyalty, betrayal, war, and national trauma. Even though WWM’s main Hangzhou background is earlier than the Southern Song Yue Fei story, the emotional tone fits wuxia very well: a famous general, a tragic ending, and a place where later generations come to remember justice.

If you want the north route to feel less like a scenic walk and more like a martial-arts world, add Yue Fei Temple.

Optional climb: Baopu Taoist Temple on Geling Hill

If you still have energy, add Baopu Taoist Temple.

This is not a must-do for everyone, but it is a great stop if you like quiet hills, Taoist atmosphere, and hidden-place energy.

Baopu Taoist Temple sits north of West Lake on Geling Hill. Hangzhou’s official tourism information describes it as one of the three major Taoist temples on the shores of West Lake, dedicated to Ge Hong, a famous Taoist, chemist, and medical expert. Another Hangzhou government page says Baopu Taoist Temple was founded during the Jin Dynasty and is connected with the Quanzhen school of Taoism.

This is the stop that feels most like a hidden sect.

You climb up from the lake area, and the atmosphere changes quickly. Less crowd, more trees, more stone steps, more old religious feeling. If West Lake is the main map, this is a side route into the hills.

Do it only if you have time and good shoes.

Why this route works

The north route is the best WWM route because it has layers:

DuanQiao gives me legend. BaiDi gives me the walk. GuShan gives me culture. Xiling Seal Art Society gives me scholar atmosphere. Yue Fei Temple gives me martial history. Baopu Taoist Temple gives me hidden mountain energy.

This is the route I would recommend to players who want more than pretty photos.

Route 3: South Lake Classic Route

Best for Leifeng Pagoda, TaiZiWan(Prince Bay) Park, SuDi(Su Causeway), and HuaGangGuanYu(Viewing Fish at Flower Harbor)

Route: ChangQiao Park→ Leifeng Pagoda → TaiZiWan(Prince Bay) Park → SuDi south entrance → HuaGangGuanYu → optional boat from HuaGang pier

Best for: First-time Hangzhou visitors, photographers, couples, people who want the most classic postcard route

WWM: The “cinematic landmark and lakeside garden” route

The south side of West Lake is more dramatic.

If the north side feels like hidden paths and scholar culture, the south side feels like the classic Hangzhou postcard: pagoda, gardens, flowers, long causeway, lake views, and sunset.

Start with Leifeng Pagoda.

This is one of the most recognizable landmarks around West Lake today. From the area around the pagoda, you get that cinematic combination of tower, lake, hill, and sky. It is not the quietest stop, but it is powerful visually.

Leifeng Pagoda works as a landmark shot. Even if the game’s tenth-century historical setting and today’s pagoda timeline are not a simple one-to-one match, the visual language is exactly what players expect from Hangzhou: tower above water, story behind scenery, and a wide lake view below.

TaiZiWan Park: softer and more seasonal

From Leifeng Pagoda, walk toward TaiZiWan Park.

This area feels softer. It is especially popular in spring, but even outside flower season, it gives you a more garden-like version of Hangzhou. Compared with the open lake edge, Prince Bay has more lawns, trees, paths, and seasonal scenery.

This is a good place to slow down if Leifeng Pagoda feels too crowded.

this is the “take a breath” part of the south route.

it feels less like a main city route and more like a side area where scenery matters more than story.

If you have the time and energy, you could head into the hills around West Lake and hike up to Longjing Village; for most tourists, simply stopping at this park is enough.

SuDi : the long classic walk

From Prince Bay Park, continue toward the south entrance of Su Causeway.

Su Causeway is one of the great West Lake walks. It runs across the lake from south to north and is associated with Su Dongpo, the Northern Song poet-official. Travel references describe Su Causeway and Bai Causeway as the two major causeways that divide West Lake into different water areas.

Compared with Bai Causeway, Su Causeway feels longer and more open. It is also more tiring if you walk the whole thing.

My advice: do not force yourself to finish all of Su Causeway unless you really enjoy long walks.

Walk a section. Enjoy the view. Then decide whether to continue.

HuaGangGuanYu

Near the south side, add Viewing Fish at Flower Harbor / Huagang Guanyu.

This is one of the classic West Lake scenic spots. It is also practical because the Flower Harbor area has a pier for West Lake pleasure boats. Hangzhou’s tourism site notes that ordinary pleasure boats can be boarded at the pier at Viewing Fish at Flower Pond, and some cruise routes use this area as a boarding or disembarkation point.

This makes it a good ending point for the south route.

You can walk then take a boat if you still want to see the lake from the water.

Why this route works

The south route is the most classic tourist route.

Leifeng Pagoda gives me the landmark. Prince Bay gives me the garden. SuDi gives me the big lake walk. HuaGangGuanYu gives me a famous West Lake scene and boat option.

Which Route Should You Choose?

Choose the East Route if…

You are visiting West Lake for the first time. You do not want to walk too much. You want boats, lake views, and easy transport. You are traveling with family. You want a gentle introduction.

Choose the North Route if…

You are a WWM player looking for the strongest game atmosphere. You like walking. You want Bai Causeway, Solitary Hill, Yue Fei Temple, and a possible hill climb. You prefer quieter historical layers. You want the “hidden route” feeling.

Choose the South Route if…

You want classic Hangzhou photos. You want Leifeng Pagoda. You like gardens and big scenic views. You want to combine walking with a boat ride. You are visiting with someone who wants the famous landmarks.

My Honest Recommendation for WWM Players

If this is your first time in Hangzhou and you have one day, do this:

Morning: North Route Broken Bridge → Bai Causeway → Solitary Hill → Xiling Seal Art Society

Afternoon: South Route Leifeng Pagoda → Prince Bay Park → Viewing Fish at Flower Harbor

If tired: use the sightseeing cart or take a ride-hailing car between north and south.

If you want a boat: take it from the Flower Harbor area or a central lakeside pier, depending on your route and ticket type.

This gives you both sides of West Lake:

North = game-like, quiet, cultural South = classic, scenic, cinematic

Where to Stay for These Routes

You could choose a youth hostel or a hotel near West Lake, that way, you’ll have more time to walk around and explore.

Best overall: Longxiangqiao / East West Lake

Stay here if this is your first time in Hangzhou.

It is convenient for the East Route, and you can reach both north and south routes fairly easily. There are many hotels, restaurants, shops, and metro connections nearby.

This is the safest recommendation for most international travelers.

Best for North Route: Beishan Street / Wulin / Fengqi Road area

Stay here if you want to focus on Broken Bridge, Bai Causeway, Solitary Hill, Yue Fei Temple, and Baopu Taoist Temple.

This area gives you easier access to the quieter northern lake atmosphere.

Foreigner check-in reminder

For international travelers, always confirm that your hotel accepts foreign passports. Larger hotels near West Lake, Longxiangqiao, Wulin, and Hangzhou East are usually easier than tiny boutique inns, but always check recent reviews.

Hotel link placement: Compare West Lake hotels here: [Trip.com Hangzhou Hotels]

What to Book

Keep the booking simple.

Train

Shanghai Hongqiao → Hangzhou East [Trip.com Shanghai to Hangzhou Train Tickets]

TIP: When booking your train, double-check the arrival station. Hangzhou has several railway stations, including Hangzhou East, Hangzhou Railway Station, Hangzhou West, and Hangzhou South.

For this West Lake route, I recommend Hangzhou East Railway Station. It has frequent high-speed trains from Shanghai, good metro connections, and is the most convenient choice for most first-time visitors.

Avoid accidentally booking Hangzhou West or Hangzhou South unless hotel or route is specifically near those areas.

Hotel

Longxiangqiao / East West Lake is best for first-timers [Trip.com Hangzhou Hotels]

Optional tour

If you do not want to plan the lake routes yourself, book a Hangzhou West Lake day tour and choose the route focus: East Lake, North Lake, or South Lake. [Trip.com Hangzhou Tour Page]

Optional boat

Book a West Lake cruise if you want the water perspective. Trip.com [West Lake Pleasure Boat] [West Lake Foreign Affairs Cruise]

Optional West Lake Sightseeing Cart

There are two main ways to use it.

1. Full West Lake Loop Cart

The main sightseeing cart runs clockwise around West Lake.

A typical loop route is:

Yongjin Gate → Orioles Singing in the Willows → Leifeng Pagoda → Su Causeway → Kuahong Bridge / Yue Fei Temple → Bai Causeway / Broken Bridge / Children’s Palace → New Lakeside Area → Yongjin Gate

The full loop is about 13.5 km and usually takes around 60–70 minutes. Official Hangzhou tourism information describes the cart as a hop-on service where you can wave it down and buy tickets after boarding. Tickets are single-use and one-way: if you get off halfway, the ticket becomes invalid, and you need to buy a new ticket if you board again.

The regular cart is usually priced by section:

• One section: around 10 RMB
• Full loop: around 40 RMB

There are four main sections:

1. Children’s Palace / Broken Bridge → Yongjin Gate
2. Yongjin Gate → Leifeng Pagoda
3. Leifeng Pagoda → Yue Fei Temple / Kuahong Bridge
4. Yue Fei Temple / Kuahong Bridge → Children’s Palace / Broken Bridge

Some antique-style carts may cost more, so check the price before boarding. Official tourism information lists ordinary carts at 40 RMB for the full loop / 10 RMB per section, and antique-style carts at 80 RMB for the full loop / 20 RMB per section.

2. Su Causeway and Bai Causeway Section Cart

There is also a useful section route for travelers who mainly want to connect the south and north lake areas.

A practical route is:

Su Causeway South / Viewing Fish at Flower Harbor East Gate → Su Causeway North / Yue Fei Temple → Bai Causeway East / Broken Bridge

This route is about 5 km one way and is useful if you want to experience the causeways without walking the entire distance.

Boarding Tips

Operating hours are usually around 8:30–17:00, with longer summer hours sometimes extending into the evening depending on weather and crowd conditions. Always check on-site signs on the day of your visit, because hours may change by season.

The carts usually work on a wave-and-board system. You can flag one down along the route, then buy a ticket on board or scan a QR code.

A convenient starting point is Lakeside Park №3 / Hubin San Gongyuan.

If you arrive by metro, take Hangzhou Metro Line 1 to Longxiangqiao Station, exit from Exit C, turn right, and walk about 200 meters toward the lakeside. Near the musical fountain area, you should see the sightseeing cart boarding point.

My advice: walk the most atmospheric sections, like Bai Causeway or parts of Su Causeway, then use the cart when you need to move faster between the north and south lake areas.

Next in This Series

This article covered the three main West Lake routes for Where Winds Meet players:

East Lake for first-time visitors, easy access, boats, and sightseeing carts. North Lake for Bai Causeway, Solitary Hill, Yue Fei Temple, and the strongest WWM atmosphere. South Lake for Leifeng Pagoda, Prince Bay Park, Su Causeway, and classic Hangzhou views.

In Part 3, I’ll leave West Lake and walk into old Hangzhou’s street life: Qinghefang, Wuliu Lane, traditional medicine shops, teahouses, snacks, and old alley textures.

One note for WWM players: the game’s Qinghe is not Hangzhou’s Qinghefang. In the next guide, I’ll explain how to visit Qinghefang the right way — as a real-world reference for Hangzhou’s market-street atmosphere, not as the same in-game location.

Planned series:

Part 1: Shanghai-to-Hangzhou starter route Part 2: Three West Lake routes Part 3: Qinghefang, Wuliu Lane, and old Hangzhou street life Part 4: Medicine shops, healers, Fang Hui Chun Tang, and Hu Qing Yu Tang Part 5: Xixi Wetland and the hidden waterway route Part 7: Qiantang River, ancient Hangzhou Port, and City Balcony Part 8: Wu-Yue history, King Qian, and the politics behind Hangzhou (to be continue)

If there are specific in-game Hangzhou locations you want me to compare with real places, feel free to drop the location name or screenshot in the comments. I may include them in future guides.