April in Hangzhou means one thing above all else. Tea. The hillsides west of West Lake turn electric green as workers harvest Mingqian Longjing, the prized first flush picked before Qingming Festival around April 4 or 5. Daytime temperatures sit around 22.9°C (73°F), dropping to 13.2°C (56°F) after dark. Walk anywhere near Longjing Village or Meijiawu in the morning and the air carries the toasty, grassy scent of fresh leaves being pan-fired in iron woks. You can buy tea picked that same day from farm families selling at their doorsteps.
The honest drawback is rain. April averages 121mm spread across roughly 13 wet days, so expect some form of drizzle nearly every other afternoon. These tend to be intermittent showers rather than daylong washouts, and West Lake in light mist is, to be fair, the version that inspired over a millennium of Chinese landscape painting. Still, if you need reliable blue skies, October (65mm, far fewer rainy days) treats photographers better.
The other factor to plan around is Qingming, the Tomb Sweeping holiday. It falls on April 4 or 5 and triggers a 3-day national weekend. Domestic visitors flood West Lake's Su Causeway, Lingyin Temple, and the tea villages. Hotels near the lake can double in price for that window. Outside Qingming week, April crowds remain noticeable but manageable, especially on weekday mornings.
Why visit in April
- Longjing tea harvest peaks in early April. You can visit Meijiawu Tea Culture Village or Longjing Village to buy Mingqian-grade leaves directly from farm families, picked that morning. This 2-week window is the single best reason to visit Hangzhou in any month.
- Taiziwan Park's tulip and cherry blossom display reaches full bloom in the first two weeks of April. The park draws tens of thousands of visitors on peak weekends, and the show is free.
- Temperatures around 20-23°C (68-73°F) during the day are comfortable for long walks along the 15km of lakeside paths, without the summer humidity that reaches 85% in July and August.
- West Lake in spring rain produces the misty landscape that Song Dynasty poets wrote about. The view from Broken Bridge toward Baochu Pagoda on a drizzly morning still looks like a scroll painting.
- Better value than October Golden Week. The same West Lake hotels that cost 2-3x their normal rate during the October national holiday run at a more moderate premium in April, outside of Qingming weekend.
Worth knowing
- Rain falls on roughly 13 of 30 days. The 121mm monthly total means at least a few genuinely heavy downpours mixed in with lighter drizzle, and outdoor plans need flexibility built in.
- Qingming Festival weekend (around April 4-6) packs West Lake to capacity. Su Causeway, normally a pleasant 2.6km walk, can take over an hour at a shuffle during the holiday.
- Spring pollen counts peak in March and April. Hangzhou's heavy plane tree coverage along roads like Nanshan Lu and Beishan Lu sheds catkins that trigger allergies for many visitors.
- Visibility on overcast days limits long-distance views from spots like Chenghuang Pavilion and the northern hilltop pagodas, where the panorama is the whole point.
Best for
Think twice if
April sits in Hangzhou's spring transition. Mornings start cool around 13°C (56°F) and afternoons warm to 23°C (73°F), though overcast days might stay below 20°C (68°F). Humidity hovers near 72%, noticeable but not oppressive compared to July's 80%+. Rain falls on roughly 13 of the month's 30 days, mostly as 1-2 hour afternoon showers rather than daylong soakings. You'll typically get stretches of 3-4 sunny days followed by a couple of days of steady drizzle. The 121mm total sits well below June's 341mm plum-rain deluge but still means carrying an umbrella daily is non-negotiable.
Seasonal caution
- Plane tree catkins shed heavily across Hangzhou from mid-April onward, particularly along tree-lined streets in Shangcheng and the lakeside roads of Beishan Lu and Nanshan Lu. Pack antihistamines if you have any pollen sensitivity.
Year-round climate
Averages from the last 5 years.
| Month | Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | 1 | 51 |
| Feb | 12 | 3 | 100 |
| Mar | 18 | 8 | 116 |
| Apr | 23 | 13 | 121 |
| May | 27 | 17 | 162 |
| Jun | 29 | 22 | 341 |
| Jul | 34 | 26 | 196 |
| Aug | 35 | 26 | 182 |
| Sep | 30 | 23 | 149 |
| Oct | 24 | 16 | 65 |
| Nov | 19 | 10 | 71 |
| Dec | 12 | 3 | 29 |
Headline events
West Lake Longjing Tea Festival (西湖龙井开茶节)
Late March to mid-April, with peak activity the week before Qingming (roughly March 25 to April 5)
Hangzhou's signature spring event centers on the year's first Longjing tea harvest. Longjing Village, Meijiawu Tea Culture Village, and the China National Tea Museum host tastings, picking experiences, and tea-master demonstrations throughout the festival period. The Mingqian grade picked before Qingming (April 4-5) is considered the year's finest flush. Fresh leaves sell at premium prices that drop sharply after the first week of April, and tea merchants from across China attend the opening ceremonies.
Best things to do in April
Tea picking at Meijiawu Tea Culture Village
culturalSeveral family farms in Meijiawu offer hands-on tea picking experiences where you walk into the terraced hillside plots, pick leaves alongside workers, and then watch the pan-frying process in the farmhouse. You typically keep a small bag of the leaves you picked. The village sits about 3km west of Longjing Village and sees fewer tour buses.
Mingqian harvest runs from late March to roughly April 5, the only window to pick the year's most valued Longjing tea.Booking tipBook a farm visit at least a week ahead for dates during Qingming week. Weekday mornings see a fraction of the weekend traffic.
Cherry blossom and tulip viewing at Taiziwan Park
natureTaiziwan Park, at the southwestern edge of West Lake, stages an annual spring flower display with hundreds of thousands of tulips and over a thousand cherry trees spread across rolling lawns. The display is free and the park stays open late. Mornings before 8:00 AM are the quietest and best for photography.
Full bloom typically falls in the first two weeks of April. By late April the cherry blossoms are largely done.Booking tipArrive before 7:30 AM on weekends. The park fills to capacity by 9:00 during peak bloom.
Walking Su Causeway at dawn
walkingThe 2.6km causeway across West Lake passes six stone bridges, with willow trees and peach blossoms lining both sides. At dawn, the lake surface is often covered in light mist, and the only company is joggers and tai chi groups. The walk takes about 40 minutes at a stroll.
Willows leaf out in bright green and peach blossoms line the path through April. Morning mist peaks in spring before summer heat burns it off by June.Hiking Nine Creeks and Eighteen Gullies (九溪十八涧)
hikingA 6km trail that winds through tea plantations and bamboo groves southwest of the lake, crossing shallow streams on stepping stones 18 times. The trail starts at Nine Creeks and ends near the Longjing tea area. It is flat enough for most fitness levels.
Spring rain fills the creek system to its most photogenic volume. The bamboo and tea terraces are at peak green in April, and temperatures around 20°C (68°F) keep the hike comfortable.Booking tipNo booking needed. Start before 9:00 AM to avoid the midday crowds that arrive by tour bus.
Boat ride on West Lake
sightseeingHand-rowed wooden boats carry 4-6 passengers across the lake past the Three Pools Mirroring the Moon, Xiao Ying Island, and along the causeways. The ride typically lasts 60-90 minutes. The boatmen know the lake well and will adjust the route based on conditions.
Spring mist, lotus pads beginning to surface, and peach blossoms along the shoreline make April the most photographed month on the lake. Summer haze and winter cold both reduce the atmosphere.Booking tipHand-rowed boats near Broken Bridge and Hubin Road are more atmospheric than the larger electric boats. Negotiate the fare before boarding.
Visiting Lingyin Temple and Feilai Feng
culturalOne of China's largest and oldest Buddhist temples, dating to 328 AD, set against a forested hillside northwest of the lake. The Feilai Feng grottoes along the approach contain over 300 stone carvings from the 10th-14th centuries. The temple complex takes 2-3 hours to explore properly.
April's mild temperatures and frequent morning mist give the forested temple grounds a particular atmospheric quality. Summer heat and tour-bus crowds from June through August make the experience noticeably less peaceful.Booking tipArrive at opening time (typically 7:00 AM) to have the grottoes largely to yourself for the first hour.
Exploring Xixi National Wetland Park
natureA 11.5 square kilometer freshwater wetland about 5km west of the lake center. Boat trails thread through reed beds, persimmon orchards, and traditional farmhouses. The east entrance tends to be less crowded. The electric boat loop takes about 2 hours.
Spring wildflowers and nesting birds make April the best month for the wetland's boat trails. Water levels from spring rain keep the deeper channels navigable. The reed beds are fresh green rather than the brown of winter.Spring exhibitions at the China National Tea Museum
culturalThe museum sits on Longjing Road surrounded by working tea terraces. Its permanent collection covers 4,000 years of Chinese tea history, and the spring exhibitions focus on the current year's harvest with tasting sessions led by tea masters. The surrounding gardens are a destination in their own right in April.
The museum runs special spring harvest exhibitions and tasting events through April that are not available the rest of the year. The surrounding Longjing Road tea terraces are at peak green.What to eat in April
On menus now
Longjing Shrimp (龙井虾仁)
Hangzhou's signature spring dish pairs translucent river shrimp with freshly picked Longjing tea leaves, briefly brewed and folded into the wok. April is the one month when restaurants like Louwailou on Gushan Island use leaves picked that same week. The dish appears on menus year-round, but the flavor gap between fresh-leaf and stored-leaf versions is noticeable.
West Lake Water Shield Soup (西湖莼菜汤)
Water shield is a small aquatic plant harvested from ponds near the lake, reaching its most tender stage in April and May. The soup combines the slippery, jelly-coated greens with shredded chicken and ham in a light clear broth. It has been a Hangzhou specialty since the Southern Song period.
What to drink
Mingqian Longjing (明前龙井)
Picked before Qingming around April 5, Mingqian is the year's first and most prized Longjing tea flush. The leaves tend to be smaller, sweeter, and less astringent than later harvests. Fresh-picked Mingqian sells at a steep premium that drops noticeably after the first week of April, so buying directly from farm families during the harvest window gets you the best quality-to-price ratio of the year.
In markets
Spring Bamboo Shoots (春笋)
April is peak season for tender spring bamboo shoots from the hills west of the city. Restaurants serve them stir-fried with pickled mustard greens in the Zhejiang classic yanduxian, braised in soy sauce, or sliced thin into clear soups. The texture is crisper and sweeter than winter shoots.
Festival food
Qingtuan (青团)
Bright green glutinous rice balls filled with sweet red bean or sesame paste, traditionally eaten around Qingming. The green color comes from pounding fresh mugwort or barley grass juice into the rice flour. Bakeries and street vendors across Shangcheng and Hefang Street stock them through mid-April.
Regular events in April
Qingming Festival (清明节)Free
China's national Tomb Sweeping holiday, a 3-day public break. In Hangzhou, families visit ancestral graves in the hills surrounding the city, and the holiday triggers one of the year's largest domestic tourism surges to West Lake and the tea villages. Expect significantly higher hotel prices and crowd density during this window.
April 4-6 (exact dates shift slightly by year based on the solar calendar)Taiziwan Park Tulip and Cherry Blossom ExhibitionFree
The park's annual spring flower exhibition features hundreds of thousands of tulips and over a thousand cherry trees. It is free and open daily, though weekend mornings typically reach capacity by mid-morning during peak bloom weeks.
Late March through mid-AprilChina International Cartoon and Animation Festival (CICAF / 中国国际动漫节)
One of Asia's largest animation and comics festivals, held annually in Hangzhou. The main venues in the Binjiang district host hundreds of exhibitors, cosplay competitions, and industry panels. It draws a younger domestic crowd and adds noticeable hotel demand in Binjiang.
Late April to early May (typically the last week of April)Best places this April
Taiziwan Park (太子湾公园)
parkThe city's premier spring flower display. Hundreds of thousands of tulips and over a thousand cherry trees blanket the rolling park grounds at the southwest corner of West Lake. Free entry, open all day. The best photography light comes before 8:00 AM when the crowds are thin and the flowers catch low-angle sun.
Xihu DistrictLongjing Village (龙井村)
villageThe spiritual home of Longjing tea, set in terraced hillsides about 3km southwest of the lake. In April, farm families sell fresh Mingqian leaves from tables outside their homes. The village is compact enough to walk in 2 hours. Look for the QR-traceable origin labels from the Xihu District tea producers association to verify authenticity.
LongjingMeijiawu Tea Culture Village (梅家坞)
villageQuieter and less tourist-oriented than Longjing Village, Meijiawu sits farther west along the same tea-producing hillside. Prices for comparable-grade Longjing tend to run lower here. Many families offer farm-to-cup tastings and picking experiences. Bus K837 from Longxiang Bridge metro station reaches the village in about 30 minutes.
MeijiawuSu Causeway (苏堤)
landmarkA 2.6km raised path across West Lake, lined with willow trees and peach blossoms that peak in April. Six stone bridges punctuate the walk. Dawn visits offer mist on the lake and near-solitude. Avoid Qingming weekend entirely, when the causeway becomes a slow-moving crowd.
Xihu DistrictNine Creeks and Eighteen Gullies (九溪十八涧)
hiking trailA winding trail through tea plantations, bamboo groves, and shallow streams southwest of the lake. Spring rain fills the creek crossings to ankle depth. The trail connects to the Longjing tea area, so a morning hike can flow into an afternoon tea tasting.
LongjingXixi National Wetland Park (西溪国家湿地公园)
wetland parkAn 11.5 square kilometer freshwater wetland about 5km west of the lake center. Spring brings fresh green reed beds, nesting herons, and wildflowers along the boat trails. Less crowded than West Lake on any given April day, it feels like a different side of the city.
Xihu DistrictHefang Street and Wushan area (河坊街)
historic streetA restored Qing-era commercial street in the Shangcheng historic center, about a 10-minute walk south of the lake. Street food vendors sell qingtuan during April, and traditional medicine shops and tea houses line the pedestrian road. The nearby Wushan hilltop offers a free panoramic viewpoint over old Hangzhou.
ShangchengGrand Canal Heritage Area near Gongchen Bridge (拱宸桥)
heritage areaThe southern terminus of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, a UNESCO World Heritage site, sits in the Gongshu district north of the lake. The canal-side promenade, silk museum annex, and restored warehouse district see far fewer tourists than West Lake. April weather makes the flat 3km walk along the canal pleasant.
GongshuChina National Tea Museum (中国茶叶博物馆)
museumLocated on Longjing Road amid working tea terraces, the museum covers 4,000 years of Chinese tea culture. April's spring harvest exhibitions and tasting sessions make it worth timing a visit to coincide with the Longjing Tea Festival period. The surrounding gardens are at peak green.
Longjing
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Insider tips
Meijiawu Tea Culture Village, about 3km west of Longjing Village, sees fewer tour buses and typically sells comparable-grade Longjing at noticeably lower prices. The tea is from the same West Lake production zone. Take Metro Line 1 to Longxiang Bridge, then bus K837.
Skip West Lake entirely during the Qingming 3-day weekend. Visit the tea villages on Saturday instead, then return to the lake on the first weekday after the holiday. The difference in crowd density is stark.
For the classic misty West Lake photograph, go between 6:00 and 7:00 AM on a drizzly morning. Stand at the north end of Broken Bridge facing south toward Baochu Pagoda. By 8:00 on a weekend, tripod photographers line up shoulder to shoulder.
If you want to watch traditional Longjing processing, visit a family farm in Meijiawu in the late afternoon when the day's picked leaves go into the iron wok for pan-firing. Most farms finish processing by early evening. Ask politely and most farmers will let you watch and explain the technique.
Hangzhou East Station (杭州东站) is the main high-speed rail hub, but some Shanghai-Hangzhou services also stop at the older Hangzhou Station (城站) in Shangcheng. That stop is about 20 minutes closer to West Lake by taxi or metro. Check your ticket route before defaulting to Hangzhou East.
Avoid these mistakes
- Visiting West Lake on the Qingming holiday weekend without realizing it falls during a 3-day national break. Su Causeway, Broken Bridge, and Lingyin Temple reach capacity by mid-morning on the holiday. The crowds rival October Golden Week at the lake. Shift your lake days to the Tuesday or Wednesday after the holiday.
- Buying tea labeled as 'West Lake Longjing' from unlicensed vendors near Hefang Street or along the lakefront. Genuine West Lake Longjing from the designated production area carries a QR-traceable origin label from the Xihu District tea producers association. Bags without that label are often Zhejiang province tea sold at West Lake prices.
- Packing only warm-weather clothes and leaving the layers at home. April mornings near the lake dip to 13°C (56°F), and a rainy day with wind off the water can feel closer to 8-10°C (46-50°F). A fleece and rain layer prevent a miserable first day spent buying emergency clothes.
Practical tips for April
Book West Lake-area hotels at least 3-4 weeks ahead for any dates near Qingming (around April 4-6), as domestic demand fills lakeside properties fast. The Shangcheng district around Hefang Street offers strong walking access to both the lake and the historic center. For tea purchases, visit the China National Tea Museum on Longjing Road first to learn grading before buying from village farmers. Most temples open around 7:00 AM and see the thinnest crowds before 9:00. Hangzhou's metro system covers most tourist areas and accepts Alipay transit QR codes, which saves the hassle of buying single-trip tokens at machines. If you are arriving by high-speed rail, Hangzhou East (杭州东站) is the main station, roughly 25 minutes by Metro Line 1 to the lake area at Longxiang Bridge station. Almost all payments in Hangzhou run through Alipay or WeChat Pay. International visitors can link a Visa or Mastercard to Alipay's Tour Pass feature. Carry some cash as backup for older businesses, but expect mobile payment to be the default. Dress modestly when visiting Lingyin Temple and other active Buddhist sites. Shoulders covered, no very short skirts or shorts. Rain plans matter in April. The Zhejiang Provincial Museum on Gushan Island (free, closed Mondays) and the China Silk Museum near Yuhuangshan are strong indoor fallbacks when afternoon showers cancel outdoor itineraries.
FAQ
Is April a good time to visit Hangzhou?
April ranks among Hangzhou's top 3 months, behind October and November. The Longjing tea harvest and spring blossoms at Taiziwan Park make it the single best month for tea lovers and flower photography. The main trade-off is rain, with roughly 13 wet days and 121mm of total rainfall. Temperatures around 23°C (73°F) during the day are comfortable for walking the lake and the tea hills. The Qingming holiday weekend (around April 4-6) brings the month's biggest crowds, so schedule lake visits around it if possible.
What is the weather like in Hangzhou in April?
Expect daytime highs near 22.9°C (73°F) and nighttime lows around 13.2°C (56°F), with humidity around 72%. Rain falls on roughly 13 of 30 days, usually as intermittent afternoon showers rather than all-day downpours. Total rainfall averages 121mm. Layers and a rain jacket are more useful than summer clothes. The weather can be changeable. A 25°C sunny morning can become a 15°C drizzly afternoon by the time you finish lunch.
Is Hangzhou crowded in April?
It depends heavily on the specific week. The Qingming Festival holiday (around April 4-6) draws some of the year's largest domestic crowds to West Lake, with Su Causeway and Lingyin Temple reaching peak capacity by mid-morning. Outside that 3-day window, April crowds are moderate by Hangzhou standards and noticeably lighter than October Golden Week. Weekday mornings at the lake and the tea villages are the most comfortable times.
Can I pick tea in Hangzhou in April?
Yes, but timing matters. The Mingqian harvest, the most prized grade, runs from roughly late March to April 5. After that date, tea picking continues through April, but the leaves are classified as Yuqian (pre-rain, before the Guyu solar term around April 20) rather than Mingqian. Several farms in Meijiawu Tea Culture Village and Longjing Village offer picking experiences for visitors, typically for a fee that includes a small bag of leaves you picked yourself. Book at least a week ahead during Qingming week.
Do I need cash in Hangzhou?
Very rarely. Hangzhou is one of China's most cashless cities. Alipay and WeChat Pay cover nearly all transactions, from street food vendors and tea farmers to temple admission and metro rides. International visitors can now link a Visa or Mastercard to Alipay's Tour Pass. Carry a few hundred RMB in cash as backup for older shops or the occasional machine that only takes bills, but expect mobile payment to be the default at 95%+ of places you visit.
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