Wuzhen

Wuzhen is divided into two ticketed sections. Dongzha, the eastern district, is smaller and older feeling, a single main lane along the canal with workshops that still demonstrate indigo cloth dyeing, rice wine making and shadow puppetry. Xizha, to the west, is much larger and was comprehensively restored: broad stone quays, a network of side canals, whitewashed walls, and hotels and bars in converted houses. Residents of Xizha were moved out during that work, so it operates as a heritage quarter rather than a living town. At night the lanes and bridges are lit and boats cross under the reflections, which is why many people stay over.

What you actually see

• The indigo dyeing yard - long panels of blue and white cloth hung on tall frames to dry.
• Dongzha's workshops - rice wine, cloth and puppetry demonstrations along the older lane.
• Xizha by night - lit bridges, quays and reflections along the western canals.
• The ferries - short crossings and canal trips between the quays.

When to go

Spring and autumn. Xizha is the district to see after dark, so arrive in the afternoon, take Dongzha first and stay inside the west gate overnight. Weekends and national holidays fill both sections. Summer is humid; winter is cold and damp but the canals are almost empty of visitors.

Honest expectations

Xizha is a restoration rather than a town, and it shows: uniform paving, staff in costume, no residents. Two tickets add up, accommodation inside is expensive and books out early, and the shuttle and ferry queues are long at peak times. Dongzha can be walked in under an hour and feels thin for the price.

Nearby

Xitang is another canal town within an hour, and Hangzhou's West Lake is a short drive southwest.