The West Lake is in the beautiful and fertile shores of the East China Sea near the mouth of the Hangzhou Bay. The lake covers an area of 5.6 square kilometers. The Bai and Su causeways divide West Lake into five sections.

Its name, the West Lake, originated during the Tang Dynasty from its lying to the west of Qiantang County. The lake is also named after Xi Shi, a famous ancient beauty, because of the apt comparison made between the two by the poet Su Dongpo.

With a collection of Qing Dynasty bridges, causeways, temples and palaces, the view of the West Lake are simply enchanting. Right in the middle of the lake is the Mid-lake Pavilion, Ruan Gong Mound and the three islets of Lesser Yingzhou. North of the southern shore stands the Solitary Hill, with the grassy Bai Causeway on the left and the Su Causeway father away on the right, whose solid bank looks like a green girdle spanning the lake. The two causeways divide the whole lake into the West Lake, which is the biggest, the North inner Lake and the West inner Lake. The entire lake is ringed on three sides by mountains abundant in legendary scenic spots and places of historic interest, such as the Lingyin Monastery, Cold Spring, Dragon Well, etc.

The West Lake has become famous not only because of its natural beauty but also because of its unique association with men of letters. Bai Juyi, one of the greatest Tang Dynasty poets, and Su Dongpo, another great poet and artist in the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127), once served as mayors of Hangahou. They wrote many popular poems about West Lake.

Further more, the surrounding area of the West Lake are home to the famous Dragon-Well Tea.