Xixi National Wetland Park
1 min readSituated in the western part of Hangzhou,and just a few miles from the West Lake,the much admired Xixi wetlands-covered in detail elsewhere in this book-is most definitely worth an afternoon of your time,but in truth you could easily spend a couple of days there.
A rare urban wetland that ranks as the”First National Wetland Park in China”,Xixis a sprawling nature reserve blessed with rich ecological resources,simple natural landscapes,and outstanding cultural heritage that includes agricultural life and local history.Within the grounds itself,there are a number of sites that are worth visiting,including the Green,Blessed,and Longevity causeways(with the last pathway being the longest stretch,measuring up at 3,600 meters long and 4.5 meters wide).
The wetlands are a bird-lovers’paradise,and many rare birds and exotic feathered friends stop here en-route to Australia,where they fly from Siberia to escape the harshwinters.Speaking of winters,Hangzhou’s coldest months are actually a great time to spot some of the 90-some species that call Xixi their home,so if any of your children are fans of winged wildlife,then the Xixi National Wetland is a sure winner.A host of restaurants and amenities are available too for a taste of what the wetlands have to offer.