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Voykit pocket guide · China
Pinghu
Spend 1–2 days in Pinghu for East Lake, Mo's Manor and local food; add a day trip to Hangzhou or Shanghai if time permits.
Pinghu is a small city in northern Zhejiang, about an hour's drive from Shanghai, Hangzhou and Suzhou. Its main attractions—East Lake, Mo's Manor and Baoben Pagoda—are close together, making a half‑day to a full day enough. Add another day for a relaxed visit to the historic port of Zhapu or a short bus ride to nearby Hangzhou.
- Country
- China
- Best months
- Apr–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot, humid)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CNY
- Money
- Alipay and WeChat Pay accept Visa, Mastercard, JCB and Amex cards; single payments over ¥200 carry a fee of about 3% on a foreign card (smaller ones are free), and per-payment and yearly caps apply — check the app. Keep a second way to pay.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥80–120 excl. bed · Mid ¥120–200 excl. bed · High ¥200+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- A roaming eSIM from outside China routes traffic through its home network, so Google, WhatsApp and Instagram work without a VPN — the simplest setup.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, C, I · 220 V · 50 Hz · Many sockets take flat two-pin (A), round two-pin (C) and angled three-pin (I) plugs; UK plugs need an adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurants: No tip; upmarket hotels add 10–15% service.; Taxis and DiDi: No tip.; Tour guides and drivers: Expected on organised tours: about ¥100–200 a day for a guide, ¥50–100 for a driver.; Hotel porters: Not expected; ¥10–20 in luxury hotels.
- Water
- Not for drinking from the tap; bottled water ¥2–5, and kettles and free bottles in hotel rooms. Restaurants serve hot water or tea.
- Toilets
- Public toilets are frequent and free; squat toilets outside hotels and malls. Carry tissues — many have no paper.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Pinghu Zao Egg | ¥20–30 |
| Seafood plate (crab, croaker) | ¥80–120 |
| Glutinous rice wine (bottle) | ¥30–50 |
| Mo's Manor entry | ¥28 |
| Baoben Pagoda entry | ¥10 adults; ¥5 elderly |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SHA · Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport
- About 1.5 h by bus or taxi to Pinghu; check schedules.
- HGH · Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport
- About 1.5 h by bus or taxi to Pinghu; check schedules.
Typical fares
- Bus Shanghai → Pinghu
- about ¥120 one‑way, 1 h 15 min (check)
- Taxi Pinghu city centre → East Lake
- ≈¥70 for 5 km (3.1 mi)≈¥70 for 3.1 mi (5 km)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
City buses link downtown Pinghu with Jiaxing and nearby towns; no train service. Taxis and ride‑hailing are cheap for short hops.
See and do
Known for
- Mo's Manor
- East Lake
- Baoben Pagoda
- Pinghu Zao Eggs
- Zhapu Seafood
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Hangzhou | Long‑distance bus from Pinghu to Hangzhou West, about 1 h 15 min | ≈2 h total |
| Shanghai | Long‑distance bus to Shanghai South, about 1 h 30 min | ≈2 h 30 min |
| Jiaxing | City bus from downtown Pinghu, about 30 min | ≈45 min |
Sleep
- Myself Intercontinental
- Clean, ~10‑min walk to Mo's Manor and East Lake; price ¥180 for a queen room
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | 对不起duìbuqǐ |
| Thank you | 谢谢xièxiè |
| How much is it? | 多少钱？duōshǎo qián? |
| Can I pay by card? | 可以刷卡吗？kěyǐ shuākǎ ma? |
| Where is the toilet? | 厕所在哪里？cèsuǒ zài nǎlǐ? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and a nod; use surnames with a title; avoid: Hugs and cheek kisses
- Face: Disagree privately and indirectly; avoid: Correcting or embarrassing someone in front of others
- Gifts: Give with two hands; expect the gift to be refused once or twice and opened later; avoid: Clocks, umbrellas, white flowers, sets of four
- Business cards: Present and receive with both hands, read it, keep it on the table; avoid: Writing on it or pocketing it at once
- Queues and crowds: Hold your ground politely in scrums at buses and lifts; avoid: Taking pushing personally
- Temples: Walk clockwise around Tibetan stupas and prayer wheels; remove hats; avoid: Touching statues or photographing where signs forbid
- Politics: Listen; follow your host's lead; avoid: Raising Tibet, Taiwan, Xinjiang, 1989 or the party leadership
- Numbers and colour: Red and 8 are lucky; red envelopes carry money gifts; avoid: Writing names in red; the number 4
Scams and watch-outs
- Long weekend crowds can make East Lake busy; arrive early.
- No direct rail service – plan bus or car travel from Shanghai/Hangzhou.
- Check opening hours of Mo's Manor (may close for private events).
Pinghu is generally safe; petty theft is rare but keep an eye on belongings in crowded buses and markets.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Pinghu yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Mo's Manor
- East Lake
- Baoben Pagoda
- Pinghu Zao Eggs
- Zhapu Seafood
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Pinghu, revision 5205760 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5205760
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/pinghu). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.