After breakfast, we returned to the hotel to check out and get the concierge to deliver our luggage to the visitor center at the entrance of Wuzhen. With that settled, we started to explore more of Wuzhen without having to worry about checking out later.
First, we came to Caomu Bense Dye House (草木本色染坊). It was a visually stunning outdoor courtyard where long, towering reams of fabric dyed with traditional indigo patterns (blue calico) hang down from high wooden drying racks.
Next to it was a Lotus pond.
We then took the free internal ferry cart transport to Bailian Pagoda, which was situated at the very west end of Wuzhen.
Located at the extreme western edge of the Xizha Scenic Area right along the bank of the Grand Canal, Bailian Temple (白莲寺) grounds are a core element of Wuzhen's traditional Buddhist layout. The roots of the temple trace back to the Northern Song Dynasty (specifically between 1102 and 1106 AD), when it was first built near Ten-Yard Pond (Tianjing Alley).
Last night, we did not get to ascend the Pagoda so today, we (Jerlene and I) were not going to miss the opportunity to scale to the top. Because it towers over the low-slung, black-tiled roofs of the water town, climbing the creaking wooden steps of the pagoda to the top provides unmatched bird's-eye views.
Standing majestically at the westernmost end of the Xizha (West Gate) Scenic Area, Bailian Pagoda (白莲塔) is a brick-and-wood masterpiece that acts as both a historic watchtower and a premier panoramic viewing point for travelers. It sits at a crucial geographic junction where the historic Grand Canal converges with Wuzhen's local waterways.
Looking out from the upper levels towards the west gave us a direct look at the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal.
Turning to the opposite side revealed the quintessential Jiangnan landscape with miles of dense, white-walled houses, stone firewalls, and small awning boats gliding silently down narrow streams.
Instead of taking the free shuttle to the visitor centre, we decided to take a stroll through the alleys of shops. When we passed by the below stall that sells carrot cake (萝卜丝饼) yesterday, it was having a super long queue. And now that the queue was quite short, we immediately joined the line without hesitation. It was really good!
We then visited some of the souvenir shops such as the one below that sells all sorts of chopsticks.
Matchmaker's Temple (喜庆堂 / 婚俗馆) is another interesting spot in Wuzhen. It is a dedicated folk culture exhibition hall showcasing traditional Jiangnan wedding customs. It displays ornate bridal sedans, traditional red wedding gowns, and historical marriage dowries.
As we approached the visitor centre, we passed by Hongsheng Square (洪昇广场), which is a prominent, culturally rich public plaza located at the eastern entrance of the Wuzhen Xizha (West Gate) Scenic Area. Situated directly in front of the architectural masterpiece of the Wuzhen Grand Theater and bordering the scenic Yuanbao Lake, the square serves as a dynamic bridge connecting Wuzhen's ancient water-town heritage with world-class contemporary performing arts.
After we collected our luggage at the visitor centre, we called for a DiDi ride to Tongxiang Railway Station to catch a high-speed rail to Nanjing.
There was a transit at Hangzhou East Station (杭州东站) where we transferred to another train to Nanjing South Station (南京南站).
We managed to get the first-row seats of the carriage which had a slightly bigger legroom.
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