Bai Causeway is one of West Lake's defining walks, crossing the northern water with willows, seasonal flowers, and views back toward Hangzhou's hills and skyline. It is named for the Tang poet Bai Juyi, whose association adds literary weight to what is already a beautiful lakeside route.
The causeway is busy, especially around Broken Bridge, but it remains one of the easiest ways to understand why West Lake became a model landscape in Chinese art and poetry. Go early or near dusk for softer light and fewer tour groups.