TCM Wellness Tours · Hangzhou 杭州
Hangzhou
TCM, Tea & West Lake
Six days of TCM at Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, whose acupuncture department runs sham-controlled clinical trials, with the historic Hu Qing Yu Tang pharmacy, West Lake and the Xixi wetlands in the afternoons.
Trip length
6 days / 5 nights
TCM program
TCM wellness
Best time to go
March–May and September–November
Best for
Stress, poor sleep and general wellbeing
Overview
TCM sessions by the lake, in a city with centuries of medicine behind it.
Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine is the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University. Its acupuncture department runs sham-controlled randomised trials, which says something about how seriously it treats evidence.
Hangzhou is green and calm, and the old Hefang Street district, home to the Hu Qing Yu Tang pharmacy museum, shows how deeply TCM runs in the city's history.
This route suits
- People who want to combine TCM with a calm, green city
- Travellers with stress or poor sleep (see also our sleep wellness tours)
- Tea lovers
- Anyone combining with Shanghai, an hour away by train
TCM program · TCM wellness
What the TCM care covers
TCM consultation
A first consultation with a TCM physician at a public TCM hospital.
- History, pulse and tongue examination, with English interpreting
- Review of your current medicines and any conditions
- A written assessment in plain English
- A plan for the sessions during your stay
Acupuncture & tuina
A course of sessions spread across the trip, not crammed into one day.
- Four to six acupuncture sessions, with single-use needles
- Tuina (Chinese therapeutic massage) or cupping where suitable
- Moxibustion if the physician recommends it
- A note of what was given, for your doctor at home
Herbal advice (optional)
Only if you want it, and only after a medicines check.
- Herbal prescription only after your current medicines are reviewed
- No herbs if you take blood thinners, unless your own doctor agrees
- Written list of every ingredient, in English and Chinese
- Advice on what you may legally take home to your country
Records & handover
So your doctor at home knows exactly what you had.
- Written summary in English of the assessment and treatment
- Ingredient list for any herbs prescribed
- Self-care plan: exercises, sleep and diet advice
- Follow-up video call with your coordinator
The course of sessions is planned by the TCM physician after your consultation. Background and evidence: TCM guide · acupuncture · herbal medicine
Not sure TCM is right for you?
Tell us what you'd like help with and what medicines you take. We'll tell you what a Hangzhou trip could realistically offer — free, with no obligation.
Treatment timeline
How the sessions fit the trip
| Visit | When | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| This trip | This itinerary | Consultation on day 2, then sessions every day or two, so you can see how you respond. |
| Afterwards | At home | A self-care plan, and acupuncture with a licensed practitioner at home if it helped. |
Built around you
How the trip is paced
- Consultation on day 2; sessions on alternate mornings
- Lakeside walks in the afternoons, never a long excursion right after a session
- Tea tastings kept to the morning, as tea contains caffeine
Consultation day
What happens at the clinic
| 09:00 | Meet your coordinator at the hotel and travel to the hospital. Bring your passport and a list of your medicines. |
|---|---|
| 09:30 | Registration, then a consultation with the TCM physician: history, pulse and tongue examination. |
| 10:15 | The physician explains the assessment in plain terms, with interpreting, and suggests a course of sessions. |
| 10:45 | First acupuncture or tuina session, if you're ready. |
| Afternoon | Free. Sessions are kept to mornings so the afternoons are for sightseeing. |
Itinerary · 6 days / 5 nights
Day by day
- Day 1
Arrive
- Pick-up and hotel check-in near West Lake
Overnight: West Lake
- Day 2
Consultation
- Morning: TCM consultation and first session
- Afternoon: Hefang Street and Hu Qing Yu Tang
Overnight: West Lake
- Day 3
Tea hills
- Morning in the Longjing tea villages
- Afternoon rest
Overnight: West Lake
- Day 4
Session & lake
- Morning session
- Afternoon on the Su Causeway
Overnight: West Lake
- Day 5
Final session & Xixi
- Morning session and review
- Afternoon boat trip in the Xixi wetlands
Overnight: West Lake
- Day 6
Depart
- Records handed over; fly out or take the train to Shanghai
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
Hu Qing Yu Tang
A historic TCM pharmacy on Hefang Street, with a carved-wood hall and a museum of Chinese medicine.
Tip: The museum explains herbs, preparation and the history of the trade.
West Lake
Hangzhou's UNESCO-listed lake of causeways, pagodas and gardens.
Tip: The Su Causeway is flat and shaded: a good walk after a session.
Xixi National Wetland Park
A large area of waterways, marshes and old villages on the western edge of the city, explored by boat or on foot.
Tip: The electric boats are a calm way to see it.
Longjing tea villages
Tea terraces in the hills south-west of the lake.
Tip: Go in the morning: Longjing tea contains caffeine.
Hospitals
Where the TCM care happens
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
- Tuina
The hospital and physician are confirmed after we know what you'd like help with, your dates and availability. An English-speaking coordinator accompanies you to every appointment.
Have chronic pain?
Tell us where it hurts, for how long and what you've tried. We'll suggest whether a TCM pain program makes sense, and whether anything should be checked first.
Aftercare
After your sessions
After acupuncture
Mild soreness or small bruises are common and fade within a day or two. Drink water, and avoid a heavy meal or alcohol right after a session.
After cupping
Round marks are normal and fade over a few days to two weeks. Keep the area warm and covered on the day.
Medicines
Keep taking your usual medicines unless your own doctor advises otherwise. Tell the TCM physician about everything you take, including supplements.
Pace
Plan easy sightseeing on session days. Many people feel relaxed or sleepy afterwards.
General guidance only. Follow the advice of the physician who treats you.
Practical tips
Before you go
- Spring weekends around West Lake are very busy; weekdays are calmer.
- If poor sleep is your main problem, see our Hangzhou sleep wellness tour, which adds a sleep assessment and CBT-I.
- Bring a list of all your medicines and supplements, with doses, plus any recent test results or scans.
- If you take blood thinners, are pregnant or have a bleeding disorder, tell us before booking: some treatments will be adjusted or left out.
- Wear loose clothing on session days, so the practitioner can reach your arms, legs and back easily.
- Have a light meal before each session; don't go on an empty stomach.
FAQ
Hangzhou TCM wellness tour — answered.
- Can acupuncture help my sleep?
- Evidence is promising but not conclusive. For chronic insomnia, CBT-I is the first-line treatment. If sleep is your main concern, our Hangzhou sleep wellness tour combines both.
- Can I buy herbs at Hu Qing Yu Tang?
- You can, but we suggest buying only what your physician has prescribed, with an ingredient list, and checking your country's import rules first.
- Does acupuncture actually work?
- For chronic pain, the largest analysis of individual patients from high-quality trials (the Acupuncture Trialists' Collaboration, about 20,000 people) found acupuncture did better than both sham acupuncture and no acupuncture for back and neck pain, osteoarthritis and headache. The extra benefit over sham was modest. We present it as a reasonable complement to standard care, not a replacement.
- Are Chinese herbs safe?
- Not automatically. Some herbs can cause liver injury, and some interact with medicines; goji, ginkgo and garlic, for example, can affect warfarin. That's why herbs are optional on these trips, prescribed only after your medicines are checked, and always with a full ingredient list for your own doctor.
- Why a hospital and not a spa?
- At a public TCM hospital, treatment is given by licensed TCM physicians who also know when a symptom needs a Western check first. Every route uses public TCM hospitals.
- Can I take herbs home?
- Rules differ by country, and some ingredients are banned or need a licence. Your coordinator gives you an ingredient list and advice, but check your own country's customs rules before you buy.
- How much does a TCM wellness tour cost?
- It depends on the route, hotels and how many sessions you want. Send us your dates and what you'd like help with, and we'll reply with an itemised quote.
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Get your itemised quote.
Share your dates, who’s travelling and what you’d like help with. We’ll confirm the hospital, program and hotels, and keep the pace gentle.