As people from all over the world arrive for the Olympic Games, Hangzhou expects more overseas travelers to visit the "tourist paradise" in east China's Zhejiang province.

In addition to world-famous West Lake, local tourism authorities in Hangzhou recommend Xixi National Wetland Park as a fulfilling holiday destination.

Located in the western outskirts of Hangzhou and less than 5 km from West Lake, Xixi is the first - and to date only - national wetland park in China.

Abundant ecological resources, unadorned natural scenes and cultural heritage are among the attractions Xixi can offer to tourists. Unlike West Lake's flourishing beauty, Xixi is noted for its austerity.

Water, birds and plants are all part of the rich ecology of the wetland.

Brooks, ponds, lakes and marshes comprise nearly 70 percent of the park. Comfortable temperatures, plentiful rainfall and copious plants make Xixi a thriving home for birds.

Reeds, persimmons and plums are the area's most well-known flora. As the symbol of Xixi, reeds surround isles near the park's Autumn Snow Temple. Its plums have grown since ancient times, with Chinese poets and calligraphers creating countless works to show their appreciation of the fruit and its blossoms.

Attractive sights

The most famous sight in Xixi is reed flowers blossoming in autumn, best seen from Autumn Snow Temple.

The secluded two-story Buddhist temple on an isolated island often won acclaim from the ancient Chinese for its tranquil atmosphere. Kangxi, one of the most important emperors in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), inscribed the temple gate during a visit, calling the site "Bamboo Brook".

"Discovering plums in Xixi" became a favorite form of tourism in the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing dynasties. In early spring, from the entrance of the wetland park to the east, plentiful plums can be found on venerable trees along the path that winds from Liuhong Creek to Plum-Bamboo Villa, Xixi Plum Villa or the Xixi Straw Pavilion.

The Plum-Bamboo Villa was built by Zhang Fu, a famous intellectual in the Qing Dynasty. Centuries-old plum trees and stands of bamboo thrive around the villa.

Zhang made a prominent contribution to the area through his efforts to dredge Xixi Brook. A lover of reading, writing poems, calligraphy and painting, he often invited his friends to recite poems and paint depictions of plum blossoms or bamboo at the site, which gave rise to the name Plum-Bamboo Villa.

The Xixi Plum Villa in the southeast of the park, close to Autumn Snow Temple, has been famous since ancient times and attracted many poets, calligraphers and painters.

The Xixi Straw Pavilion was built by Feng Mengzhen, a high-ranking official in the late Ming Dynasty. Feng was adept at poetry and a collector of antiques. Attracted by the serene environment of Xixi, he built the straw pavilion and spent the rest of his life there. Feng expressed his affection for the plums, tea, clouds and water in his work The Record of Xixi.

Special tours

For those who like to experience the life of local people, Xixi also has its own experience to offer.

A "fishermen's tour" allows travelers to experience the simple charm of fishing. While rowing boats through streams and brooks, tourists watch cormorant birds as they too fish. Shrimp and fish can then be cooked in Yanshui Fishing Villa, where local life still revolves around fishing and farming. It also serves as a tourist entertainment and dining hub in the area.

Races are held in Jiangcun Village every year during the Dragon Boat Festival, held on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. The colorful activity dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and reached its prime in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279).

Xixi wetland park also offers tourists local specialties like Anleshan tea, bamboo shoots, mulberries, pastries and rice wine.

For more information, please contact:

Hangzhou China Travel Service

24-hour hotline: 0571-88398499, 13588476467