Hangzhou After Dark: Baoshi Hill for the Adventurous｜China

Itinerary:
Begin at the gate of Hangzhou No.14 High School, where a quiet local street leads into the mountain trail.

Hike up Baoshi Hill, passing old villas, traditional houses, and ancient stone inscriptions carved into the cliffs.

Take a short break at the hillside bookstore (open until 22:00), which is built in a ellegant old villa with a platform overlooking the lake.

Reach Baochu Pagoda, a stone tower dating back to the Five Dynasties (around A.D. 900) and one of West Lake’s iconic landmarks.

Arrive at Hama Peak（蛤蟆峰）, a dramatic rock ledge with panoramic views of West Lake, surrounding mountains, and Hangzhou’s glowing skyline. Occasionally, locals play music here, turning the spot into an open-air concert; we can also bring a speaker and host our own.

Descend toward Geling（葛岭） and end with a peaceful walk along Bai Causeway（白堤）, taking in another angle of West Lake’s night beauty while looking back at Baochu Pagoda and the cliffs you explored.

Thoughts behind the curation:
Baoshi Hill is one of my favorite nature in Hangzhou. “Baoshi” means diamond, and at night the hill truly looks as if it were set with thousands of diamonds, thanks to its carefully curated lighting. These lights once shone over my late-night high school study sessions and gave me unforgettable wow moments—my high school was only a 15-minute walk away. For years, I admired the hill from a distance. Only recently did I begin to explore it as a hiker. I tried different trails and gradually connected scattered sites—historical villas, pavilions, and carved stone inscriptions—almost like piecing together a natural playground. There is also a certain group of people who gather on the hilltop: sitting above the lake, talking, playing music, staying until sunrise. It’s an experience that belongs to the romantic and the adventurous—one that even many locals never get to know.