CN · Zhejiang · 30.74°N 120.49°E

wuzhen

Lantern-lit water town of stone bridges and wooden boats, best after dark.

Best time
Spring and autumn are the most pleasant. Weekends and holidays get crowded, so a weekday overnight is the way to see it quietly.
How long
1 day, or 2 days, 1 night
Getting there
Fly from KL to Hangzhou or Shanghai, both about 5 hours. Wuzhen is about an hour by road from Hangzhou and about 2 hours from Shanghai, or take the high-speed train to Tongxiang station and a short bus or taxi from there.
Save postcard
CN · Zhejiangwuzhen30.74°N 120.49°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Lantern-lit water town of stone bridges and wooden boats, best after dark.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingWuzhenCN, Zhejiang
KLwuzhen
≈ 3,649 km from KL, as the crow flies
wuzhen aerial 2023

Photo: Chensiyuan · CC BY-SA 4.0

1 / 5

Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

A canal town in northern Zhejiang, between Hangzhou, Suzhou and Shanghai, with stone bridges, wooden houses and boats gliding past. It has two scenic areas: Dongzha, smaller and more traditional, and Xizha, bigger and at its best at night.

Makan

  1. Braised muttonSlow-cooked mutton in soy and wine, a local winter favourite.Map ↗
  2. Sanbai jiuA strong local rice spirit, still made in an old distillery in town.Map ↗
  3. Gusao bingSmall, crumbly cakes of flour, sugar and sesame, a popular Wuzhen snack to take home.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Xizha at nightWalk the canals after dark, when the lanterns and bridges light up and the day-trippers have gone.Map ↗
  2. A boat rideA wooden boat trip along the canals, the classic water town view.Map ↗
  3. Blue calico dye workshopSee indigo-dyed cloth hung in tall rows to dry, a traditional local craft.Map ↗
  4. Mao Dun's former residenceThe childhood home of Mao Dun, one of China's best-known modern writers.Map ↗
  5. Wuzhen Theatre FestivalIf you're there in autumn, the town hosts an international theatre festival.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Dongzha and Xizha are ticketed separately. Many people do Dongzha by day and Xizha in the evening.
  • Avoid weekends and Chinese public holidays if you can. The lanes get shoulder to shoulder.
  • Bring your passport. Tickets and trains are sold under your real name.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.