Xitang - A popular water town

According to tourism company employee Chen Kang it's hard to secure a room at the weekend in Xitang, a water town in East China's Zhejiang province, because so many people flock there then.

Locals sell food and handmade baby's shoes in Xitang, a water town in eastern China's Zhejiang Province,  on Saturday, July 18th, 2009.[Photo: CRIENGLISH.com]

Mr. Ren, a home inn owner, confirmed Chen's words saying that nearly all Xitang's home stays had been booked when we arrived at the ancient town on Saturday.

In addition, it is not even peak season. Usually, the town's peak tourist time is during public holidays, for example during the May Day Holidays or the National Day Holidays.

Since the town began promoting its tourism industry in 1997 it has gradually gained both domestic and international fame.

While high-speed economic development has demolished countless old buildings and people's traditional way of life in many parts of China, this old town has successfully managed to attract millions of visitors by maintaining its ancient architecture, and traditional lifestyle, which are perfectly preserved here.

More and more people who are tired of steel skyscrapers and busy city traffic are seeking to escape from their routines and find a different sense of peace and leisure. Thanks to such a trend, a number of water towns in eastern China, also the most developed area in China, have become favoured destinations. These include such places as Zhouzhuang, Wuzhen and Xitang.