Lotus flowers bloom at Hangzhou's Xianghu Lake

As summer approaches, thousands of hectares of lotus are in full bloom at Xianghu Lake in the Xiaoshan district of Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, known as the sister of West Lake. It attracts tourists and provides families all over the country with charming scenery.

The blooming period for lotus is generally from June to September, while the lotus at Xianghu Lake always bloom earlier, in the middle of June, with big, colorful and long-lasting flowers.

Lotus flowers grow in the lake over a total area of about 50,000 square meters. People can appreciate lake views by taking ferries for about 30 minutes or strolling down winding paths between the ponds.

But there's more than natural beauty at Xianghu Lake. It is also famous for cultural and historical treasures such as the Kuahuqiao Bridge, Kuahuqiao Historic Relic Museum and Xiasun Cultural Village.

Fang Xiaoying in Hangzhou contributed to this story.