Ultimate Guide to Cycling Around West Lake | 13km Highlight Route

| 13km Highlight Route. -Quick Route Overview- Start/End: Exit A of Huanglong Cave Metro Station (Super convenient bike rental🚲) Loop Navigation: Exit A of Huanglong Cave Metro → Beishan Street → Yanggongdi → Nanshan Road → Huanglong Cave Total Distance: ~12.5km Duration: Pure cycling 1 hour (recommend reserving 2-3 hours to enjoy the ride!😆) Segment Breakdown & Must-Visit Spots 1. **Beishan Street (Republic of China charm🕰)** Highlights: West Lake Expo Museum, Qiushui Villa, Broken Bridge. Cycling under plane tree shades is incredibly soothing🍂 Romantic Easter Egg: Spot Bus 1314 for a storybook frame with the Broken Bridge!💌 2. **Yanggongdi (Rollercoaster ride🎢)** 6-bridge sprint: The thrilling ups and downs of Liuliu Bridges—downhills feel like a rollercoaster! Top pick: "Junyuan Bridge," where the summit offers boat-dotted waters and misty mountains🌊⛰ Hidden Photo Spot: "Shenzhou Base" east of Guozhuang Villa—sunrise chasers arrive by 4am (stunning by day too🌅). 3. **Nanshan Road Highlights** China Academy of Art, Pan Tianshou Memorial Hall, Qianwang Temple—artistic vibes galore! Dappled evening light = perfect photos📸 Note: Leifeng Pagoda section has narrow bike lanes—slow down (or walk to Long Bridge Park for sunset shots🌇). **Bike Options Guide** - **Hangzhou Public Bikes (Red Bikes)** Budget-friendly—1st hour free💰 - **Shared Bikes** Flexible returns—¥1.5/30min🚲 - **LAVELO E-Bikes** Effortless climbs/hill-phobic—¥36/hour (¥108 cap for 3-12h; ideal for long rides)💨 **Why E-Bikes?** Yanggongdi slopes become "flat," breezing over bridges without breaking a sweat!💪 80km+ range lets you circle the lake while snapping photos leisurely～⌛ (Rental: 10m from Exit A, Huanglong Cave Metro—scan to ride!📱) **Pro Tips** ✅ Essentials: Water (scenic spots charge ¥5+), sun hat, light backpack🎒 ⏰ Best Times: 6-8am (cool & crowd-free🌅) or 4-6pm (golden sunset🌇) ⚠ Avoid: Su Causeway/Bai Causeway bans bikes—detour via Beishan/Yanggongdi. 🚷 Weekend Nanshan Road gets packed—go off-peak or ride slow👣 Tap to unlock secret routes!🔍