Jiaxing Travel Guide: South Lake, Wuzhen, Xitang and the Qiantang Tide
Jiaxing sits between Shanghai and Hangzhou, around half an hour from each by high-speed train, which makes it easy to overlook. Its own sight is South Lake, where the Chinese Communist Party's founding congress finished on a boat in 1921. Most visitors, though, come for the two water towns within the prefecture: Wuzhen and Xitang. In autumn, Haining adds a third reason, the Qiantang River tidal bore. Plan a half day for the city and a full day, ideally with a night, for each water town.
South Lake (Nanhu)
In the summer of 1921, the delegates to the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China fled a police raid in Shanghai and, in early August, finished their meeting on a rented tourist boat on South Lake. A replica, the "Red Boat", is moored by the lake's island, beside the Mist and Rain Tower (Yanyu Lou), a lakeside pavilion with a history going back to the Five Dynasties. A short ferry crosses to the island.
On shore, the South Lake Revolutionary Memorial Hall tells the story of the party's founding at length, mostly for Chinese visitors. The lakeside parks are pleasant for a walk at any time; check opening hours for the hall and ferry. The South Lake sight guide has the ferry fare, seasonal island hours and the story of the boat in full.
Wuzhen or Xitang?
Both are canal towns of stone bridges, wooden houses and waterside lanes. They feel quite different.
Wuzhen (in Tongxiang) is the most polished water town in the region. It has two scenic zones: Dongzha (East Gate), a shorter strip with Mao Dun's former residence (the novelist was born here) and traditional workshops such as indigo dyeing, and Xizha (West Gate), larger and restored as a complete hotel-and-restaurant town that comes into its own after dark, when the lights go on along the canals. Wuzhen has hosted the World Internet Conference since 2014. Staying a night in Xizha is the way to see it at its best; daytime crowds are heavy.
Xitang (in Jiashan) is more lived-in and less managed, with long covered corridors along the canals and many small guesthouses and bars. It appeared in the film Mission: Impossible III. It's popular with young Chinese travellers and gets busy on weekend evenings.
Choose Wuzhen for a polished, well-run experience; choose Xitang for a looser atmosphere. If you have already seen Zhouzhuang or Tongli near Suzhou, one water town on this trip is enough. Ticket arrangements differ between zones; check the official notice.
Haining and the Qiantang tidal bore
Haining, on the north bank of the Qiantang River, is the best place to see the tidal bore, a wall of water that surges up the river on the incoming tide. It's strongest around the 18th day of the eighth lunar month (usually September or October), when crowds gather at Yanguan town; the bore runs on smaller tides year-round. Tide times are published in advance; check them and stay behind barriers, since the water can overtop the embankment. Haining is also home to the former residences of the scholar Wang Guowei and the poet Xu Zhimo, and to a large leather market.
When to come to Jiaxing
April to May and October to November are the most pleasant. June brings plum rains; July and August are hot and humid. Autumn adds the tidal bore. Weekdays are noticeably quieter in the water towns.
Getting in and where to stay
Jiaxing South is on the Shanghai–Hangzhou high-speed line, and trains are frequent in both directions. The old Jiaxing station has conventional trains. Wuzhen is about an hour by road from Jiaxing, and is also reached by bus from Hangzhou and Tongxiang station; Xitang is about 30 minutes from Jiaxing South. Confirm bus departures and which entrance your ticket uses.
Stay in Jiaxing city for South Lake, in Xizha for Wuzhen, or in a Xitang guesthouse.
Eating in Jiaxing
Jiaxing is famous for zongzi, sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaves, especially the meat-filled kind; Wufangzhai is the best-known brand, with shops all over town. Water towns serve Jiangnan dishes: braised pork, river fish and shrimp, and local yellow wine. Wuzhen's snack streets are more expensive than the city.
How to arrange the route
Day 1: South Lake and the Memorial Hall; evening transfer to Wuzhen and overnight in Xizha.
Day 2: Morning in Dongzha; afternoon to Xitang or back to Jiaxing.
Day 3: Haining for the tide (in season) or on to Shanghai, Hangzhou or Huzhou.
What to cut if short on time
Pick one water town. As a day trip from Shanghai, Xitang is closer; from Hangzhou, Wuzhen.
Things to confirm before you go
- Ticket and opening arrangements for Wuzhen's zones, Xitang and the South Lake ferry; no 2026 prices are quoted here.
- Bus times to the water towns.
- Qiantang tide times and viewing areas.
Frequently asked questions
Wuzhen or Xitang: which is better?
Wuzhen for a polished experience and a night in Xizha; Xitang for a more relaxed, lived-in town.
Can I visit Wuzhen as a day trip from Shanghai or Hangzhou?
Yes, but the evening in Xizha is the highlight, so stay a night if you can.
When is the best time to see the Qiantang tidal bore?
Around the 18th day of the eighth lunar month, usually in September or October.
Sources
The facts in this article were checked against the following Wikipedia and encyclopedia entries, retrieved September 16, 2026, and rechecked on October 17, 2026.
- Jiaxing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiaxing
- South Lake (Jiaxing) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Lake_(Jiaxing)
- Wuzhen https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuzhen
Tickets change; this article does not invent yuan amounts.
All photos are from Wikimedia Commons, used under CC licenses; re-use requires attribution.
- jiaxing-1.jpg from File:South Lake (Jiaxing).jpg, by 钉钉, CC BY-SA 4.0
- jiaxing-2.jpg from File:20240120 South Lake in Jiaxing 01.jpg, by Windmemories, CC BY-SA 4.0
- jiaxing-3.jpg from File:20240120 South Lake in Jiaxing 03.jpg, by Windmemories, CC BY-SA 4.0