Sleep wellness tours · Hangzhou 杭州
Hangzhou
Tea Hills + CBT-I Start
A six-day reset in Hangzhou: a sleep assessment and CBT-I start at the city's sleep disorder centre, optional acupuncture at the provincial TCM hospital, and unhurried days around West Lake, Longjing tea villages and bamboo paths.
Trip length
6 days / 5 nights
Sleep program
Assessment + CBT-I start
Best time to go
March–May and September–November
Best for
Chronic insomnia; first-time visitors who want a calm city
Overview
Lake walks at dawn, tea hills by day, a real sleep plan by the end.
Hangzhou is green, walkable and calm by Chinese city standards, and it has a municipal sleep disorder centre and a major TCM hospital within easy reach of West Lake. Mornings are spent outdoors in daylight, which helps your body clock settle, and the clinic visits fall on days 3 and 4, once jet lag has eased.
It's the route we suggest most for people with long-standing insomnia who want to start CBT-I properly and also try acupuncture.
This route suits
- Adults with insomnia lasting months or years who want to start CBT-I
- Travellers curious about acupuncture alongside standard care
- People who like gentle walking, gardens and tea culture
- Anyone combining with a Shanghai visit (about an hour by high-speed train)
Sleep program · Assessment + CBT-I start
What the sleep care covers
Sleep assessment
Finds out what is driving your poor sleep before anything is treated.
- Consultation with a sleep physician (English interpreting)
- Questionnaires: Insomnia Severity Index, PSQI, Epworth sleepiness, STOP-BANG
- Review of your two-week sleep diary and medicines
- Blood tests if indicated (e.g. thyroid, iron)
- Home sleep test or overnight polysomnography only if apnoea or another sleep disorder is suspected
CBT-I start
The first-line treatment for chronic insomnia, started face to face.
- 1–2 in-person CBT-I sessions after you've adjusted to local time
- Your first sleep window (sleep restriction) and stimulus-control plan
- Relaxation training
- Continuation by video or a digital CBT-I programme at home
TCM & acupuncture (optional)
An add-on for travellers who want to try it, alongside first-line care.
- TCM physician consultation
- Several acupuncture or electroacupuncture sessions during the trip
- Written note of what was given, for your doctor at home
Report & handover
So treatment continues after the trip, not just during it.
- Written summary in English: diagnosis, test results, plan
- Medication advice coordinated with your home prescriber
- Follow-up video call 2–4 weeks after you return
The sleep physician confirms which tests you need after reviewing your history. Background on each treatment is in our insomnia treatment guide and sleep medicine guide.
Not sure what's behind your poor sleep?
Send us a two-week sleep diary or a short description of your sleep. A sleep physician suggests what to assess on your Hangzhou trip — free, with no obligation.
Built around sleep
How this trip protects your nights
- Hotel on the quieter western side of West Lake, away from nightlife
- Morning daylight walks on days 1–3 to help shift your body clock
- Clinic visits on days 3–4, after the worst of jet lag
- Tea tastings scheduled before noon. Longjing tea contains caffeine.
- No early starts; evenings kept free and low-light
Assessment day
What happens at the clinic
| 09:30 | Meet your coordinator at the hotel; transfer to the hospital (bring your passport and medicines list). |
|---|---|
| 10:00 | Questionnaires and sleep-diary review with a nurse or psychologist. |
| 10:30 | Consultation with the sleep physician: history, examination, screening for apnoea, restless legs and mood. |
| 11:30 | Blood tests if needed; home sleep test kit fitted, or an overnight study booked. |
| Evening | Only if an overnight study is needed: arrive at the sleep centre around 20:00, leave the next morning. |
Itinerary · 6 days / 5 nights
Day by day
- Day 1
Arrive & settle
- Airport pick-up and transfer to your lakeside hotel
- Short walk in daylight if you arrive before dusk
- Early, light dinner; no alarm for tomorrow
Overnight: West Lake (west side)
- Day 2
West Lake by morning
- Morning walk on the Su Causeway
- Afternoon rest; optional lake boat
- Coordinator reviews your sleep diary and plans clinic days
Overnight: West Lake (west side)
- Day 3
Sleep assessment
- Morning: sleep physician consultation and questionnaires
- Home sleep test fitted if indicated
- Afternoon: Longjing tea villages (tea before noon)
Overnight: West Lake (west side)
- Day 4
CBT-I session 1
- Morning: first CBT-I session, setting your sleep window
- Optional: acupuncture at the provincial TCM hospital
- Afternoon: Yunqi bamboo path
Overnight: West Lake (west side)
- Day 5
Temples & review
- Morning: Lingyin Temple
- Afternoon: second CBT-I session or acupuncture
- Results and written plan handed over
Overnight: West Lake (west side)
- Day 6
Depart
- Fly out, or take the high-speed train to Shanghai (about 1 hour)
Make this itinerary yours
Change the dates, add rest days, upgrade hotels or combine it with another route. Your coordinator sends a revised plan and itemised quote.
Travel
What you’ll see
West Lake & Su Causeway
Hangzhou's UNESCO-listed lake, ringed by willow-lined causeways, pagodas and gardens. The Su Causeway is about 3 km of flat, shaded path.
Tip: Go early: the light is good for your body clock and the crowds arrive later.
Longjing tea villages
Tea terraces on the hills south-west of the lake, where Longjing (Dragon Well) green tea is grown. Walk the paths between villages and taste the new season's tea.
Tip: Spring harvest (March–April) is the most atmospheric. Drink tea in the morning only.
Yunqi bamboo path
A shaded, cool walking trail through tall bamboo groves near the Qiantang River, popular with locals and quiet on weekdays.
Tip: Comfortable shoes; the path is gently sloped.
Lingyin Temple & Feilai Peak
One of China's best-known Buddhist temples, with stone carvings set into the limestone hillside opposite.
Tip: Arrive at opening time for a quieter visit.
Hospitals
Where the sleep assessment happens
Hangzhou Seventh People's Hospital 杭州市第七人民医院
Public psychiatric hospital · Affiliated Mental Health Center, Zhejiang University School of Medicine
Houses the Hangzhou Sleep Disorder Diagnosis and Treatment Center.
We use it for
- Sleep assessment
- CBT-I sessions
- Insomnia with anxiety or low mood
Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine 浙江省中医院
Public TCM hospital · First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University
Its acupuncture department is running a sham-controlled randomised trial of acupuncture for chronic insomnia.
We use it for
- TCM consultation
- Acupuncture sessions
The hospital is confirmed based on your sleep history, dates and availability. An English-speaking coordinator accompanies you to every appointment.
Snoring, gasping or very sleepy by day?
Those can point to sleep apnoea rather than insomnia. Tell us your symptoms and we'll book the right test — a home sleep test or a full overnight study.
Practical tips
Before you go
- Spring weekends around West Lake are very busy. Weekday visits are calmer.
- Hangzhou pairs easily with the Shanghai + Wuzhen or Huangshan routes.
- Keep a sleep diary for two weeks before you travel (bedtime, time to fall asleep, awakenings, wake-up time, naps, caffeine and alcohol). We send you a template.
- Bring a list of all medicines and supplements, with doses. Don't stop sleeping pills abruptly before or during the trip.
- Bring any previous sleep-study reports or CPAP data.
- Plan your arrival using our jet lag guide. The first two days are deliberately light.
FAQ
Hangzhou sleep tour — answered.
- Can I do CBT-I in English in Hangzhou?
- Sessions are arranged with English interpreting by your coordinator, and the follow-up sessions after you return are in English by video or through a digital programme.
- Is Longjing tea a problem for sleep?
- It contains caffeine. Enjoy it in the morning. The itinerary puts tea tastings before noon, and your hotel can provide caffeine-free herbal alternatives for the evening.
- Will a sleep holiday cure my insomnia?
- Not on its own. Sleep often improves on a good holiday and slips back at home. What the trip does is get you a proper assessment and start CBT-I, the first-line treatment, in person. CBT-I usually runs over several weeks, so it continues by video or a digital programme after you return.
- What if jet lag makes my sleep worse at first?
- That's expected, and the routes are designed around it. The first two days are light, with daylight at the right times, and the clinic visits and your first CBT-I sleep window come after you've begun to adjust.
- Do I need an overnight sleep study?
- Most people with straightforward insomnia don't. The physician adds a home sleep test or overnight polysomnography if they suspect sleep apnoea or another sleep disorder. Loud snoring, gasping or heavy daytime sleepiness are reasons to test.
- I take sleeping pills. Is that a problem?
- No, but bring the exact name and dose and don't stop them suddenly. Any change is planned with the physician and coordinated with your prescriber at home.
- How much does a sleep wellness tour cost?
- It depends on the route, the hotels and which sleep program and tests you need. Send us your dates and a short description of your sleep, and we'll reply with an itemised quote.
- Can my partner come?
- Yes. Many people travel with a partner, which also helps, because partners often notice snoring or breathing pauses. Your partner can join the sightseeing and, if they want, have their own assessment.
Related guides
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View routeHangzhou, sleep care included.
Get your itemised quote.
Share your dates, who’s travelling and a short description of your sleep. We’ll confirm the clinic, sleep program and hotels, and adjust the pace to suit you.