Harbin, the coolest destination in China

What comes to mind when you think about north-eastern China? Winter there is surprisingly colourful and fascinating. Everything around you is covered in snow and ice, with unexpected silhouettes that shimmer in a million different ways. Imagine visiting this pure and open land. Let us take you to Harbin and go on a winter tour that you will never forget!

First thing first, winter in the Heilongjiang province is no laughing matter, so we want you to be well-prepared and pack accordingly. Here is a basic checklist: a quality goose down coat, windproof hat, pullover and trousers, scarf, wraparound sunglasses or goggles, gloves, heated knee pads, thermal bottle and high-calorie snacks such as dark chocolate or beef jerky are all essential. Ladies, you might want to bring along a good moisturizer and chapstick, as well as sunscreen to protect yourselves from strong sunshine. Electronics including cameras should have protection gear to safeguard them against the elements.

To give you an idea, temperatures in December are maximum -9°C, minimum -20°C; in January, max -12°C, min -24°C; in Feb max -7°C, min -20°C.

Day One
Welcome to Harbin! Nicknamed Ice City, the capital of Heilongjiang province has the highest latitude in China. Upon arrival, you will not only immediately feel its crisp pure air, but also its unique atmosphere, as Harbin’s streets and architecture reflect the city’s vicinity to and shared history with Russia.

Let’s head to Central Street in the city centre. Walking along the wide, 1400-metre-long avenue is a great introduction to Harbin. It is a living museum of architecture. You will notice many different European-style buildings, dating from the Renaissance period to the most modern expression of architecture as one of today’s four canons in art (besides paintings, sculptures and music).

We come to Saint Sophia Cathedral, the symbol of Harbin. This is the Far East’s largest Orthodox church, crowned with the characteristic onion-shaped dome where the cross is mounted. Four other structures of different sizes make up the church building that follows the cross-shaped layout of a traditional Orthodox church. Above the main entrance you will see the impressive bell tower with seven bronze bells. Stick around and listen to the awe-inspiring chime.

After a walk in the beautiful and spacious city centre, it’s time get inside away from the cold and tuck into some delicious Northern Chinese cuisine! Have a glass of Harbin beer and try a local dish called Guo Bao Ruo, which is fried marinated pork tenderloin, or the equally well-known red sausages with garlic.

Day Two
Harbin starts its renowned Ice Festival on 5th January 2012. The city goes all out for this important event with visitors from around the globe. The festival is large so you might want to plan ahead and decide what you want to look at first. The Ice Festival extravaganza actually consists of the Ice Sculpture Exhibition, Ice Lantern Fair, Ice World and entertainment. Ice art in the Heilongjiang province started as a hobby among the locals, who had to spend long winters indoors. It was not until the 1980s that the Ice Festival became a major event, attracting international artists to come here and compete. Ice sculptors gather huge blocks of ice from the nearby frozen Songhua River and transform something as ordinary as ice into impressive works of art: statues, animals, even entire cityscapes. With modern sculpting techniques, the month-long Ice Festival today has become a world event in Harbin, where you will see ice artworks everywhere from the airport to small streets in town. Evenings are the best time to visit the Ice Festival as you will find yourself entering into a magical ice world amidst a sea of neon lights.

Day Three
It’s our last day in Harbin and we will make the most of it by seeing some wildlife local to the Heilongjiang province. It’s the King of the Forest – the Siberian tiger. There are only a few hundreds of them left in the world and we are about to visit the Siberian Tiger Park which protects and studies the endangered species. Cubs are fed and rehabilitated in order to survive in the wild, after being released in the Khingan Mountains. While you might see only a small number of Siberian tigers in this natural park during your visit, you will learn about how they live and grow into adulthood. Also don’t miss the white tigers, lions, lynx, leopards, black pumas and Bengali tigers.

Next, we take you to Zhaolin Park to see the Ice Lantern Festival. Enjoy iceskating or a game of ice bocce. You can also watch a swim gala (brrrr!) or see cultural performances on the inaugural day of this colourful festival.

As Harbin’s Ice and Snow Festival has a different theme every year, it is coined ‘the once-in-a-lifetime fairytale.’ Don’t miss the magic this season!

See Harbin with a specialist tour operator
We recommend utilizing the services of a specialist agency to organize a trip to Harbin and environs. Such an agency offers exciting itineraries, useful travel tips and diverse tour packages. A typical itinerary for a location such as Harbin can last seven days. Your journey is made effortless with a knowledgeable English-speaking local guide and with most meals included in the package. It includes the magical Harbin Ice Festival that takes place in January and runs for about a month, with a new theme every year. The package also includes visits to the city itself, including the beautiful St Sophia Russian Orthodox Cathedral and the Siberian Tiger Park. It may include a sojourn in the bustling metropolis of Shanghai.

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