Hangzhou.

Zhejiang University's Zijingang campus, opened in 2002 and reachable by metro, anchors a large and active student scene, part of a university that enrols close to 80,000 students in total. Days off tend to mean cycling around West Lake on a shared bike or lingering over tea rather than clubbing hard. For evenings out, Binjiang, the tech district across the river, has grown into a modern, well connected base with its own bars and restaurants, giving the city two very different registers depending on the night you are after.

• Cycle West Lake on a shared bike, the classic way to spend a free afternoon.
• Zhejiang University's Zijingang campus, reachable by metro, anchors most student activity.
• Head to Binjiang, across the river, for a more modern night out.

Hangzhou costs noticeably less than Shanghai while staying a prosperous, modern city. A lunch at an inexpensive restaurant runs close to 4 dollars, and a cheap one bedroom flat away from the centre averages around 340 dollars a month. Total living costs for one person, rent included, come to roughly 900 dollars a month. Shared bikes add almost nothing to the budget, since the first hour of every ride is free and even a full day costs only a few yuan on top of the 200 yuan deposit. Alipay, founded here, covers most day to day spending.

• Expect a cheap flat outside the centre for around 340 dollars a month.
• Budget close to 900 dollars a month in total, rent included.
• Shared bikes are nearly free, since the first hour of every ride costs nothing.

University dorms are the default for a first term, and applying through your host institution's international office is the simplest route to one. Many students later move into a flat around West Lake for the location or in Xixi Wetland for a quieter, greener setting near several campuses. Platforms such as Ziroom and Lianjia list private rooms, though almost all listings are in Chinese, so line up help before you sign anything. Rents rise sharply the closer you get to the lake, so weigh location against budget before committing to an area.

• Ask your host institution's international office about dorms first.
• Consider Xixi Wetland for a quieter, greener and usually cheaper setting.
• Line up Chinese speaking help before signing any private rental.

Hangzhou runs one of China's biggest bike share schemes, the country's first, launched in 2008 and now counting more than 140,000 bikes across over 5,500 stations. It doubles as the easiest way to lap West Lake and to cover the last stretch of any metro trip. The metro network itself has grown to a dozen lines covering more than 500 kilometres, reaching most of the city from the historic centre to Binjiang and beyond. Pay for either with Alipay's QR code or a dedicated transport card, and budget only a small top up each week if you cycle often.

• Grab a shared bike for West Lake laps and for the last mile of any trip.
• The metro now covers more than 500 kilometres across a dozen lines.
• Pay with Alipay's QR code or a transport card on both bikes and the metro.

Hangzhou punches well above its weight academically. Zhejiang University enrols close to 78,500 students across seven faculties and ranks first globally by some research output measures, with particular strength in computer graphics, vision and artificial intelligence. Its Haining International Campus runs joint institutes with the University of Edinburgh and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for students who want an international structure. For art and design, the China Academy of Art, founded in 1928, is one of the country's leading fine art schools and a Double First Class institution.

• Zhejiang University enrols close to 78,500 students and ranks first globally in some research measures.
• Its Haining campus runs joint institutes with Edinburgh and Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
• The China Academy of Art, founded in 1928, is a leading choice for art and design.

For a full semester you need an X1 student visa; anything under 180 days uses the X2. Your host university sends an admission letter plus a JW201 or JW202 form, and you take both to a Chinese embassy or visa centre back home. Requirements and fees swing a lot by nationality, so check your own local embassy rather than trusting a mate from another country.

The bit people forget: an X1 visa only gets you in the door. Within 30 days of landing you must convert it into a residence permit at the local Public Security Bureau (Entry-Exit office), which means a health check and passport photos. Miss the deadline and the fines are real.

• X1 visa, stays over 180 days, needs JW202 + admission letter
• Residence permit, apply within 30 days at the local PSB
• Medical exam, required for the permit, budget €50–80
• Rules vary by nationality, always check your own embassy

Hangzhou cooking is light and a little sweet, built around bamboo shoots and fresh, mellow flavours rather than heavy spice. Dongpo pork, pork belly slowly stewed in soy sauce and wine, is named after the poet Su Dongpo and remains the dish to try first. West Lake fish in a sweet vinegar sauce and clay-pot beggar's chicken are the other classics worth seeking out. The hills above the lake, especially Meijiawu village, grow Longjing tea, one of China's most prized green teas, and a proper tasting session there makes a good afternoon out.

• Try Dongpo pork, slow stewed pork belly named after the poet who created it.
• Taste Longjing tea in Meijiawu village, in the hills above the lake.
• Order West Lake fish in vinegar sauce or clay-pot beggar's chicken for local classics.

Where you live in Hangzhou changes the whole rhythm of your semester. Xihu district, wrapped around West Lake, is the prettiest and most walkable base, though rents rise the closer you get to the water. Binjiang, across the river, is the modern tech belt, home to Alibaba and a growing crowd of well connected apartments. Xixi National Wetland Park, to the west, offers a quieter and greener setting near several university campuses, a good option if you would rather trade nightlife for calm. The metro links all three well enough that none feels cut off.

• Xihu district, around West Lake, is the prettiest and most walkable base.
• Binjiang, across the river, is the modern tech belt built around Alibaba.
• Xixi Wetland offers a quieter, greener setting near several campuses.

Hangzhou sits inside the classic Yangtze delta travel triangle with Shanghai and Suzhou, and the water towns of Wuzhen and Xitang, both known for their canals and evening lights, are an easy day trip within it. For something wilder, Moganshan, about 60 kilometres away, keeps cool bamboo forested hills and early twentieth century villas that made it a favourite summer retreat long before it became a weekend escape for exchange students. Further out again, Huangshan, the UNESCO listed Yellow Mountain famous for its granite peaks and sea of clouds, is linked to Hangzhou by rail for a bigger weekend trip.

• Visit Wuzhen or Xitang water towns for canals and evening lights.
• Escape the heat at Moganshan, about 60 kilometres away, for bamboo forests and old villas.
• Take the train to Huangshan, the UNESCO listed Yellow Mountain, for a bigger weekend.

Hangzhou rewards good timing more than heavy preparation. West Lake gets mobbed on public holidays, so visit early morning or on a weekday if you want it calm. Google, Wikipedia and most foreign apps are blocked, so set up a VPN before you fly rather than after landing. Alipay was founded here and covers almost every payment, from bike deposits to restaurant bills, so set it up as soon as you arrive. Summers are hot, humid and prone to typhoons from late summer into September, so plan bigger trips for spring or autumn instead.

• Visit West Lake early morning or on a weekday to avoid holiday crowds.
• Install a VPN before you fly, since Google and Wikipedia are blocked locally.
• Plan big outdoor trips for spring or autumn rather than muggy summer.