1. West Lake – a 5.68 square kilometer lake which was originally a sea inlet. The continuous deposition of silt gave rise to a very famous and beautiful lake composed of five distinct sections. Surrounded by hilly peaks, the West Lake has been a favorite imperial retreat since ancient times. Many famous Chinese poets have tried to capture down in words the beauty and magnetism of the lake. It is said that the lake possesses all the elements that should be present in a traditional Chinese garden. Mother Nature has skillfully created an intoxicating panorama where all the elements are woven together on a grand scale.

2. Putuo Mountain – one of the most famous Buddhist sites in the province. It is located in the Zhoushan Archipelago, the only sea island in China with a Buddhist mountain. “Putuo” means “beautiful white flower”. It is also known as the “Buddhist Land of the South Sea”. As one of China’s four Buddhist Mountains, many people come to visit the temples, stone tablets, nunneries, and stone carvings that abound in the area. People also flock to Putuo Mountain during the 19th day of the second, sixth, and ninth month to attend a grand Buddhist celebration. This celebration is held to commemorate the birthday of Guanyin and for Buddhist enlightenment.

3. Yandang Mountain – In 2005, UNESCO named Yandang Mountain as a World Geopark. Visitors to this magnificent mountain park will have their fill of waterfalls and caves surrounded by verdant peaks. Its most famous attractions include the Big Dragon Waterfall, the Spiritual Rocks, and the Spiritual Peaks. The mountain has been called by many as a “mountain in the sea”.

Big Dragon Waterfall (Dalong Qiu) has a drop of more than 190 meters. From Lianyun Peak, it makes its way down to the Qingjiang River until it reaches the sea. Its name is derived from the appearance of the waterfall after heavy rains. The water falling into the rocks below looks like a flying dragon.

The Spiritual Peaks, also called Lingfeng Peaks, will greet visitors at the east gate of Yandang Mountain. The Old Monk Rock is a favorite spot of many visitors. During the day, the peaks are a sight to behold. However, night time unfolds a unusual mystical scenario especially when moonlight bathes the place.

The Spiritual Rocks (Lingyan Rocks) is considered as the most wonderful and intimidating among the attractive spots of Yandang Mountain. Its appearance conjures a three-storey building that houses the Lingyan Temple, the Small Dragon Waterfall, Caves of Dragon Nose and Clerestory, and the Valleys of the Crouching Dragon and Double Pearls. The place is very solemn that many people go there to contemplate and meditate and be one with nature.

4. Qiandaohu Lake – a man-made reservoir covering an area of 580 square kilometers. It is renowned for many historic sites located along its banks as well as the towering mountains and crystal clear waters. There are also more than a thousand islands of different sizes dotting the place.

5. Tianyi Pavilion – Built in 1561, it is reputed to be the oldest private library in Asia. It occupies more than 26,000 square meters of land along the banks of the scenic Ming Lake. Its proud claim to fame is its collection of more than 300,000 volumes, with 80,000 considered as rare books.

6. Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal (Grand Canal of China) – Extending from Beijing to Hangzhou, the Grand Canal was a major transportation link during ancient times. It passes through 6 provinces—Beijing, Hebei, Tianjin, Jiangsu, Shandong, and Zhejiang. It also connects five major rivers of China—Yangtze, Yellow, Haihe, Huaihe, and Qiantang River.

It is famous for being the longest ancient and artificial river in the world. It spans a length of 1,794 kilometers. It has existed for more than 1,400 years. A ride down the Grand Canal will take visitors through the ancient cities of Nanxun, Xitang, and Wuzhen.

7. Qiantang River Tide – On the 18th day of the 8th Lunar month (Mid-Autumn Day), millions of people flock to watch the extraordinary surging tide. Scientists have tried to explain this bizarre phenomenon as being caused by the combination of the gravitational pull exerted by the planets and the stars. The bottleneck shape of Hangzhou Bay also makes it easier for the tide to surge in but quite difficult to go back to sea.

The surging tide is said to produce a thunderous noise and never like anyone has heard before. The annual Tide-Watching is also celebrated with festival and merrymaking.

There are more than 49 ethnic groups in Zhejiang. A huge chunk of its population is composed of the Han. Other ethnic groups with larger populations include Hui, Miao, Manchu, and She.

Zhejiang Province is regarded as the “land of fish and rice”. Its cuisine is also called Zhe Cai, which is considered as one of the eight famous Chinese culinary schools. It is comprised of the delectable specialties of Ningbo, Shaoxing, and Hangzhou. Among the three, Hangzhou is the most famous.

Ningbo cuisine is known for its delicious dishes which are a bit salty. Shaoxing cuisine, on the other hand, has a characteristic fresh sweet smell, glutinous in taste which is bathed in thick gravy. Hangzhou cuisine has a distinct fresh and crisp taste. It is the Hangzhou dishes which best represent Zhejiang cuisine.

The following are some of the most popular dishes of the province:

1. Dongpo – is a pork dish named after Su Dongpo, a Song Dynasty poet, calligrapher, and artist. It is best made from pork belly where fat is abundant. It is cooked for more than three hours to get rid of the greasiness. It is served with ginger and broccoli to help counteract the fat.

2. Hangzhou Roast Chicken (Beggar’s Chicken)—It was said that this ancient dish was invented by a beggar. He made it using a chicken that he had stolen. This dish has been an important part of the Hangzhou cuisine for more than four hundred years. The chicken is stuffed with different spices and wrapped in West Lake lotus leaf. It is then baked for three to four hours. Since it is sealed, the juices and the taste are perfectly preserved.

3. West Lake Fish in Vinegar Sauce (Xihu Cuyu ) – Fresh Carp from the West Lake is sliced into equal halves from the head to the tail. The dish is cooked well in gravy made of vinegar, sugar and spices. It is a delectable fish dish that imbibes a sweet and sour taste.

4. Congbaogui – crisp twisted dough strips which is eaten dipped in sweet soy sauce or hot soy sauce.

5. Sister-in Law Song’s Thick Fish Soup—this is a famous dish during the Southern Song Dynasty. The soup has a yellow color and the wide array of ingredients make it taste like crabmeat soup. Thus, some would call it “Treasure Crab Thick Soup”.

6. Dingloianfang Steamed Stuffed Bun with Soybean Milk Film—The bun is stuffed with fine leg meat, Japanese scallop, Korean Kaiyang, Xiaofeng Butterfly Bamboo Shoot and sesame.