East Lake (东湖) is far bigger than Hangzhou’s West Lake, and its greenway links hills, wetlands, beaches and gardens with car-free cycling and walking paths. It starts right next to the Hubei Provincial Museum and Wuhan University, so it is the easiest big day out in the city.
100+ km
of car-free greenway
¥0
entry to the greenway
¥60
cherry garden in season
Line 8
metro to the start
The Plan
- 08:00 · Breakfast near Jiedaokou — hot dry noodles, mianwo and dan jiu for about ¥10–15.
- 09:00 · Hubei Provincial Museum — free with a reservation; see the chime bells and the Sword of Goujian.
- 11:30 · Tingtao section — pick up a shared bike and ride along the lakeshore.
- 12:30 · Lunch — noodles or lotus root soup at a greenway rest stop, about ¥20–30.
- 13:30 · Moshan section — hills, Chu-culture sights and the plum and cherry gardens (the Cherry Blossom Garden costs ¥60 in March–April).
- 16:00 · Luoyan section — wetland causeways, the quietest stretch.
- 18:00 · Chu River Han Street — dinner and a walk, then Metro 4/8 home.
What It Costs
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Greenway | Free |
| Hubei Provincial Museum | Free with booking |
| Shared bike | About ¥1.5 per 15 minutes (estimate) |
| East Lake Cherry Blossom Garden | ¥60 in season |
| Food for the day | About ¥60–100 |
Cherry Blossom Season
Wuhan is one of China’s top cherry blossom cities. The East Lake garden at Moshan peaks from mid-March to early April, and Wuhan University’s Cherry Blossom Avenue (about 8–31 March in 2026) needs an online booking for visitors, released at 20:00 three days ahead. Go on a weekday and expect crowds.
New to China?
Set up payments, mobile data and essential apps before exploring Wuhan — each topic has one national guide, so this page stays focused on the city itself.
Set up Alipay and WeChat Pay · Get a SIM, eSIM and internet access · Install the essential apps · Book high-speed trains · Visa & documents · Your first 48 hours
More Wuhan Guides
Last updated: September 2026. Prices, opening hours and rules in China change often — treat costs as estimates and confirm anything important with the official source before you go.
Photos: Zheng Zhou / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
