An Enchanting Evening at Wuzhen's Western Scenic Zone

Wuzhen - As the sun slowly disappeared beyond the ancient rooftops of Wuzhen's Western Scenic Zone (Xizha), the water town transformed into a magical landscape. Warm golden lanterns illuminated the centuries-old stone bridges, whitewashed houses, and tranquil canals, creating one of the most picturesque evening scenes I have experienced in China. 

Reflections of the glowing lights danced across the calm waters as wooden boats quietly glided by, making it feel as though I had stepped into a traditional Chinese painting.

We sat down and had a nice cup of tea.  

One of the highlights of the evening was the light and fountain show, which lasted around 15 minutes. Set against the backdrop of Wuzhen's historic architecture, colourful lights synchronised beautifully with graceful water jets and music. 

Although the performance was relatively short, it was captivating and drew a large crowd of visitors who gathered along the canal to enjoy the spectacle. The combination of water, light, and the timeless charm of the ancient town created a truly memorable experience.

After the show, we wandered through the charming alleyways in search of dinner. There were plenty of restaurants catering to every budget, and we eventually came across one offering a very reasonably priced set dinner. It turned out to be an excellent choice. 

Duck

The meal consisted of steamed fish, braised duck, stir-fried seasonal vegetables, and a comforting bowl of soup. Each dish was prepared simply but full of flavour. The steamed fish was fresh and delicate, while the braised duck was tender and richly seasoned. Together with the fresh vegetables and warm soup, it made for a satisfying meal after a full day of exploring.

Following dinner, we continued our leisurely stroll through the beautifully lit streets. One of the joys of Wuzhen at night is that there is no need to rush. Every bridge, narrow lane, and canal offers another postcard-worthy view, with visitors stopping frequently to take photographs or simply soak in the peaceful atmosphere.

Of course, no evening would be complete without another attempt at enjoying one of our favourite fruits—durian. We returned to the same stall where we had purchased an excellent Musang King-style durian from Vietnam the previous evening. Unfortunately, this time the fruit wasn't quite as good. The flesh was firmer than expected and lacked the creamy texture and rich sweetness we had enjoyed the day before.

I politely mentioned this to the stall owner, explaining that we had purchased from him yesterday and were a little disappointed with today's durian. To my surprise, he responded with genuine kindness. Rather than arguing or ignoring the feedback, he apologised and generously served us a complimentary plate of fresh, sweet melon. It was a simple gesture, but one that left a lasting impression. Good customer service isn't always about perfection—it's about how businesses respond when things don't go as planned.

As we slowly made our way back through the glowing streets of Wuzhen, I reflected on what had been a wonderfully fulfilling day. From the enchanting fountain show and delicious local dinner to the warmth and hospitality of the fruit seller, the evening perfectly captured the charm of this ancient water town. Sometimes, it is these small, unexpected moments of kindness that make a journey truly unforgettable.

Day 7: Exploring the Ancient Beauty of Wuzhen East Scenic Zone (UNESCO)

 Wuzhen - Our morning in Wuzhen began with a simple but hearty local breakfast at Wu Fang Zhai, a well-known Chinese fast food chain famous for its traditional rice dumplings and local comfort food. 

Wu Fang Zhai is originally from Jiaxing, a city in the Zhejiang province of China.Founded in 1921, the famous time-honored brand is best known for its traditional Jiaxing-style zongzi (sticky rice dumplings). Unlike Western-style breakfasts, this was a truly Chinese way to start the day — warm, filling, and inexpensive.

We ordered hot soya bean drinks, comforting red bean soup, steaming xiaolongbao, and their famous zongzi. The hot soy milk paired wonderfully with the savoury dumplings while the red bean soup added a gentle sweetness to the meal. Everything felt simple yet satisfying, exactly the kind of breakfast that prepares you for a long day of walking and sightseeing.

After breakfast, we made our way to purchase tickets for the famous East Scenic Zone and boarded the free shuttle bus provided for visitors. As the shuttle approached the ancient town, excitement grew as we prepared to explore one of China’s best-preserved water towns.

Wuzhen is not only beautiful but historically significant as well. In 2003, Wuzhen received the prestigious UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award for Culture Heritage Conservation in recognition of its outstanding restoration and preservation efforts. Walking through the town, it became immediately obvious why it received such honour.

The East Scenic Zone felt like stepping back into ancient China. Narrow stone pathways wound alongside beautifully preserved canals lined with traditional wooden homes. The calm waterways reflected the old buildings perfectly, creating postcard-like scenes at every corner.

One of the most iconic sights was the traditional high-pole boats that used to slowly glide through this canals. These boats, skillfully operated by boatmen balancing on elevated poles, added authenticity and timeless charm to the ancient water town atmosphere.

Our first major stop was the Mu Xin Art Museum, located in the hometown of renowned Chinese writer and artist Mu Xin. The museum itself was beautifully designed with minimalist architecture that blended harmoniously with the surrounding canals and traditional environment.

Inside, the exhibits showcased Mu Xin’s paintings, writings, and artistic philosophy. Even for visitors unfamiliar with his work, the calm atmosphere and thoughtful presentation made the museum an enjoyable cultural experience.

Next, we visited the fascinating Museum of Ancient Wuzhen Beds. Some of the beautifully carved wooden beds on display were over one hundred years old. These were not ordinary beds but elaborate handcrafted masterpieces featuring intricate carvings, hidden compartments, and decorative details that reflected wealth and social status during ancient times.

The craftsmanship was truly remarkable. It was difficult to imagine the amount of labour and artistry required to create such detailed furniture generations ago.

Continuing our walk, we arrived at the ancient indigo cloth-making factory. Here we learned about the traditional dyeing process used for centuries in the region. Large pieces of deep blue cloth hung drying in the open air, creating striking visual scenes against the old stone walls and wooden structures.

The indigo-dyed fabrics were beautiful in their simplicity and represented an important part of Wuzhen’s traditional handicraft heritage.

As we explored deeper into the town, the narrow stone bridges became increasingly crowded with tourists from all over China. Everywhere people stopped to take photographs of the canals, old houses, boats, and scenic views. Despite the crowds, the atmosphere remained lively and cheerful.

One particularly memorable stop was a beautifully themed bookstore located beside one of the canals. The interior design was stunning — warm wooden shelves, artistic decorations, soft lighting, and large windows overlooking the peaceful waterways outside.

We sat quietly inside for some time besides the window, watching the canal waters flow gently past. While sitting in such a beautifully designed bookstore I felt incredibly relaxing and almost cinematic. It was one of those quiet travel moments that stays with you long after the trip ends.

Further along, we visited the ancient wood carving museum where detailed carvings demonstrated the incredible craftsmanship of traditional Chinese artisans. The intricate woodwork found in doors, furniture, windows, and decorative panels revealed the sophistication of ancient Chinese architecture and design.

Soon after, we came across a craftsman carefully making combs from buffalo bones. Watching him work patiently by hand was fascinating. Each comb required careful shaping, polishing, and detailing. In today’s world of factory-made products, seeing such traditional craftsmanship being preserved felt special.

Not far away stood one of Wuzhen’s famous silk shops. Beautiful silk scarves, garments, and fabrics filled the store with vibrant colours and delicate textures. Wuzhen has long been associated with silk production, and browsing through the shop gave us a glimpse into another important aspect of the region’s history and economy.

After several hours of walking through the East Scenic Zone, we were both tired and hungry. We finally stopped outside Suo Wah Feh for lunch.

I ordered fried noodles while Edmund chose seafood noodles. After such a long morning of exploration, the simple hot meal tasted especially satisfying.

As we sat enjoying our lunch beside the ancient waterways of Wuzhen, I reflected on how unique this town truly is. Wuzhen is a beautifully preserved living piece of Chinese history where art, culture, architecture, and daily life continue to coexist harmoniously.

It was a day filled with history, culture, craftsmanship, and unforgettable scenery exactly the kind of travel experience that makes my exploring China so rewarding.

Day 6: A Beautiful Morning at Qiandao Lake and Our Journey to Wuzhen

Qiandaohu - After a miserable breakfast at our hotel; which the hotel did not replenish the breakfast dishes, we decided to spend the morning exploring the lakeside before beginning our next journey to Wuzhen. The weather could not have been more perfect. The skies were clear and sunny, and the bright blue waters of the lake sparkled beautifully under the morning sunlight.

Qiandao Lake, also known as Thousand Island Lake, is famous for its crystal-clear waters and lush green islands scattered across the reservoir. In the peaceful morning atmosphere, the lake looked calm and almost magical. Gentle breezes drifted across the water while the distant mountains created a stunning backdrop that made the scenery feel like a traditional Chinese landscape painting.

As we slowly walked along the lakeside promenade, we came across a charming coffee house overlooking the lake. The cafe had thoughtfully arranged its outdoor chairs and tables under a large tent facing directly toward the water. The setup was simple but perfect — allowing customers to relax comfortably while enjoying the magnificent scenery.

Naturally, we decided to stop for coffee.

Sitting there quietly with a cup of coffee while gazing out across the sparkling lake was one of the most peaceful moments of our trip. There was no rush, no noise, and no stress — just the gentle sounds of nature and the relaxing view of the water stretching endlessly before us.

Sometimes travelling is not only about sightseeing or visiting famous attractions. Sometimes the best moments come from simply sitting still and appreciating the beauty around you.

As we prepared to leave the coffee house, we encountered another unexpectedly heartwarming moment. A beautiful friendly dog slowly approached me. When I gently stroked the dog, it immediately rolled onto its back happily, almost paralysed with enjoyment under every stroke. The dog looked completely relaxed and trusting, enjoying every moment of attention.

That simple interaction brought smiles to our faces and made the morning even more memorable.

After leaving the coffee house, we continued our walk around the lake area. Across the road, we suddenly noticed groups of hikers descending from a nearby mountain trail. Curious and feeling adventurous, we crossed the road and decided to attempt the climb ourselves.

The trail started gently but gradually became steeper as we climbed higher into the forested hillside. Along the way, we were rewarded with occasional glimpses of the lake below through gaps in the trees. The fresh mountain air and peaceful surroundings made the hike enjoyable despite the increasing effort.

After climbing for about thirty minutes, we encountered several hikers coming down from further ahead. When we asked how much further it was to the peak, they informed us that it would take another two hours to reach the summit.

After a brief discussion, we decided it was wiser to turn back rather than continue the long climb, especially since we still had an afternoon journey ahead of us. We slowly descended the trail and returned to our hotel to wash up, rest briefly, and check out.

Our next destination was the ancient water town of Wuzhen.

First, we took a Didi taxi from our hotel to Qiandao Lake Railway Station. From there, we purchased first-class tickets on China’s impressive High-Speed Rail system back to Hangzhou. The train journey took approximately one and a half hours, travelling at speeds reaching an incredible 240 kilometres per hour.

The ride itself was smooth, quiet, and extremely comfortable. Looking out the window, we watched the scenery transition rapidly from lakes and mountains to towns, fields, and city landscapes.

Once we arrived in Hangzhou, I used my Alipay app to book another Didi taxi to Wuzhen. However, shortly after we sat inside the taxi, the driver informed us that we would need to pay extra for his return trip back to Hangzhou because there would likely be no passengers for the return journey.

Initially, we suspected it might be a scam.

Fortunately, Edmund negotiated firmly and managed to bargain the additional charge down to RMB120. Later, after checking online and confirming with our hotel front desk, we discovered that this arrangement was actually fairly common for longer-distance rides to destinations with limited return passengers.

Eventually, we arrived safely in Wuzhen and checked into our hotel.

After settling in, we immediately went out to explore the ancient town. For lunch, we found a crab noodle restaurant and enjoyed a delicious local meal. The noodles were rich and flavourful, with fresh crab adding a wonderful seafood sweetness to the broth.

After lunch, we tried some traditional Wuzhen desserts including mochi and pumpkin dessert soup. Both were comforting and mildly sweet, perfect after the savoury crab noodles.

We then spent the afternoon wandering through the beautiful ancient town. Wuzhen is famous for its canals, stone bridges, traditional buildings, and narrow alleyways. 

Walking through the town felt like stepping back in time. The waterways reflected the old wooden houses and lanterns beautifully, creating an atmosphere full of charm and history.

By evening, we found a reasonably priced restaurant offering three dishes and a soup for only RMB98. The meal was hearty, delicious, and satisfying after a long day of travelling and walking.

Just when we thought the evening was ending, Edmund suddenly decided he needed durian.

We stopped at a fruit stall selling Vietnamese durians for RMB95. Surprisingly, the durians were excellent — creamy, rich, and wonderfully sweet. Completely satisfied, we continued walking down the street when we encountered another durian stall selling Thai durians for RMB92.

Naturally, we had to compare.

Although the Thai durians were good, they simply could not match the flavour and quality of the first Vietnamese batch we had eaten earlier.

After a long but deeply enjoyable day filled with lakeside scenery, hiking, train rides, ancient canals, delicious food, and even late-night durians, we finally returned to our hotel feeling tired but extremely satisfied.

It had been a perfect day of travel, discovery, and unforgettable experiences in China.