Unless you’re living in Harbin, you’ll most likely be visiting this northern city in Heilongjiang at some point during the bitterly cold winter months. And you’ll be visiting no doubt for the excellent Ice and Snow World and Sun Island snow and ice festivals which are held here every year. While these world-class attractions might be a little ways outside of the city centre, there’s still plenty to keep you occupied downtown for a few days at least. Whether it’s the fascinating mix of Chinese/Russian architecture and food, the bustling and fairly well facilitated shopping streets, or simply the deep winter feel of it all, you’ll no doubt find yourself amply occupied here – unless you’re not a fan of the cold! As with many parts of northern China, understand that Harbin isn’t the cleanest of cities (although this doesn’t become too apparent until the roads begin to thaw) and facilities such as hotels and restaurants are somewhat dated too.
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Top Tips
There are a few snow and ice festivals on offer, but the two biggest and most famous are the Ice and Snow World and the Sun Island zones. The sites for both of these are quite large and are both over the Songhua River, so consider visiting them on separate days. Also come well prepared if you’re walking there as it can be as cold as -30 to -40 Celsius.
If you’re visiting when everything’s frozen, watch out for those odd warmer days. The snow and ice will thaw and refreeze smoothly, creating a city-wide ice rink that for the unsteady or unstable can prove a real difficulty. For those that are good at ice skating though, it can be quite fun!
Think twice before you visit the Siberian Tiger Park. Although there might be some good reviews of it online, this is more a petting zoo than conservation area. It’s also not the safest of attractions, and some believe that the tigers are sold off here for parts in Chinese medicine.
If you have a tip about Harbin and would like to share that information with the community, contact [email protected] and we’ll post it right here in the directory.
If you know how to get to Harbin and would like to share that information with the community, contact [email protected] and we’ll post it right here in the directory.
The Directions
If you know how to get to Harbin and would like to share that information with the community, contact [email protected] and we’ll post it right here in the directory.
The Directions
If you know how to get to Harbin and would like to share that information with the community, contact [email protected] and we’ll post it right here in the directory.
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