What's the biggest scam to avoid in Hangzhou?

The 'tea ceremony' scam. Friendly Mandarin-speaking 'students' (often a young man-woman pair) approach foreigners on Hubin Road or near Broken Bridge, practise English, suggest a 'traditional tea ceremony just nearby' — you end up with a ¥1,500-4,000 bill for tea and dim sum, bouncer at the door if you refuse. Decline tea invitations from strangers; if you want a tea experience, go to the Longjing Tea Village in Meijiawu where prices are posted. Second-place is fake 'Longjing tea' sold along the West Lake path at supposedly 'farm-direct' prices — buy from the China Tea Museum shop or a named brand.

Common Tourist Scams in Hangzhou (and How to Avoid Them)

By The Kakapo Editorial Team · Last updated 2026-05-06 · Part of the Hangzhou safety guide

West Lake — crowds, pickpockets, and timing

The crowd reality: West Lake is free, in the middle of a city of 12 million, and a sacred Chinese cultural reference point (Su Dongpo, Bai Juyi). Saturday-Sunday daytime brings 80,000-150,000 visitors.
Pickpockets: Su Causeway, Broken Bridge (Duanqiao), and the area in front of Leifeng Pagoda are documented hot zones. Phones, cash, dropped passports.
National holidays: avoid Golden Week (1-7 Oct) and the Spring Festival period entirely — West Lake during Golden Week is a humanitarian event.
Best timing: weekday mornings 06:30-08:00 for joggers and tai chi practitioners; sunset around Lingyin Temple (west side); Sunday evenings after 19:00 once daytrippers leave.
Boats: West Lake cruises CNY 70 — operators on the public quays (north shore, Hubin) are licensed; touts on the south shore are not, and overcharge.
Photography: drones banned over the entire scenic area.

Tourist scams to know

"Tea ceremony" scam: friendly English-speaking "students" approach near West Lake, invite you to a "traditional tea house", you get a CNY 2,000-5,000 bill at the end. Common around Su Causeway and Hefang Street.
"Art student" scam: "view my exhibition" leads to a high-pressure sale of mass-produced calligraphy.
Black taxis: at Hangzhou East rail station, unbadged drivers offer rides at 3-5x meter price. Use the official taxi rank or Didi.
Rickshaw photo scams: rickshaw operator near West Lake offers a "free photo opportunity", then charges CNY 100. Agree price first.
Counterfeit notes: rare now (most people use mobile pay), but check CNY 100 notes received as change at small shops.

FAQ

What's the biggest scam to avoid in Hangzhou?: The 'tea ceremony' scam. Friendly Mandarin-speaking 'students' (often a young man-woman pair) approach foreigners on Hubin Road or near Broken Bridge, practise English, suggest a 'traditional tea ceremony just nearby' — you end up with a ¥1,500-4,000 bill for tea and dim sum, bouncer at the door if you refuse. Decline tea invitations from strangers; if you want a tea experience, go to the Longjing Tea Village in Meijiawu where prices are posted. Second-place is fake 'Longjing tea' sold along the West Lake path at supposedly 'farm-direct' prices — buy from the China Tea Museum shop or a named brand.

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Sources

Scores are the Kakapo Safety Index — compiled from government travel advisories and public crime, health and transit data. All data sources.