A Southern Kid's Northern Journey
This winter was spent in Guangzhou, with an average daily temperature of 20°C?? When Beijing had already seen its third snowfall, here you could still walk around bare-armed and say it's a bit hot! At the request of many southern friends, I'm jotting down a record of a northern trip that took place a full year ago! In the eyes of many southerners, the north is likely a vast expanse of white snow:
Snow Valley Snow Township National Forest Park
Snow Township National Forest Park
Snow Township National Forest Park
In the north, you'll find that anyone wandering outside in the snow—well, outdoors in general—is definitely a southerner. Northerners just stare at you like you're a fool, much like how we now... look at you southerners going to Harbin... as if... we want to go again!!! A trip to Harbin is totally worth it, highly recommended!
First, let me introduce the participants of this trip: Xiao Xian (thanks to his never-shutting-down Huawei, he became the best photographer of the trip; as a Guangzhou native who had never played in snow, I pretended to forgive his abuse toward us); Yuan (her eyes are only on shopping—she has the idea of packing the whole world and taking it home; also, she has a sticky-earth constitution—falls down wherever she goes, and her most frequent phrase is 'Help me up, I can still go on'); Han (as if he were still on vacation in Sanya, he'd lie down as soon as we arrived at the hotel; we often felt there were only three of us in Harbin); Bug (that's me, a walking human-shaped target, always getting hit by snowballs thrown by a certain someone). So we were two guys and two girls, which made traveling quite convenient. At that time, we had just finished exams, and the four of us hit it off immediately (though we were in different places—one from Changzhou, one from Guangzhou, one from Shangrao, and me in Nanchang). Driven by revolutionary friendship, we just went—it was really touching! We chose to depart from Nanchang. Yuan came from Jiangsu back to Shangrao the day before departure, then met Han and came to Nanchang to join us. 25 hours of hard seat to Harbin—terrible, absolutely unforgettable. Thanks to the strong 'boyfriend power' protection, only I shamelessly lay down the whole way hhhhh—I didn't mean to, I didn't mean to, it was the bed that sealed me... So if you have plans, try to book earlier; tickets half a month in advance are reasonably priced. More on tickets later. I'm so grateful to have such a bunch of crazy friends—from south to north, across more than half of China—to go see the snow together!
Women's clothing: thermal underwear (lined and thickened), thick sweater/hoodie, light down jacket (can be worn inside), outer coat preferably a super thick and good-looking down jacket (bright colors, knee-length for warmth), thick fleece-lined tights (for -25°C), jeans or pants windproof enough to wear thick long underwear, thick-soled snow boots (buy 1-2 sizes larger to fit heated insoles; must be highly slip-resistant), fleece-lined snow socks, scarf, hat, mask, ear muffs (ears get really cold), touchscreen-compatible fleece gloves. Men's clothing: thermal underwear (lined and thickened), thick sweater/hoodie, light down jacket, thick down outer coat, fleece-lined long underwear, jeans, fleece-lined work boots, cotton socks, scarf, 'Lei Feng' hat, gloves, mask, ear muffs. Last year my outfit was: thermal underwear + thermal vest + thick sweater + light down jacket + super thick cotton coat (+ two heating patches on the body), lower body: super thick long underwear + fleece-lined black jeans + thick socks * snow boots (+ a pair of heated insoles). I also wore ear muffs + hat + scarf + fuzzy half-finger small gloves (the half-finger gloves were a bit cold, not recommended). But last year was reportedly the warmest winter in Harbin, only around -10°C or so, so we didn't wear much and still had a great time hhhhh, but you must keep warm, adjust according to your own constitution. Plus if you want to take lots of pretty photos, bring several nice coats! Every day looking beautiful—we just... pretended we were beautiful too. Other items: heating patches (we probably used 3-4 per person per day), heated insoles (a must—feet get very cold), handheld warmers are also okay, reflective sunglasses (to prevent snow blindness and look good in photos, though after too many shots they look a bit 'shamate'), small-mouthed thermos (super important!! As a prop for the viral 'boiling water into ice' trick, bring it!). For cameras, bring two extra batteries, and always keep the lens cap on (temperature changes can cause fog). Special shout-out to Apple and Samsung phones—they go into hibernation as soon as you take them out?? Only Huawei stayed with us persistently (maybe I should charge advertising fees here hhh). You can stick a heating patch on the back of your phone; it'll work if not too cold. Also bring some cold medicine, hand cream, lip balm, face masks (super dry). If staying in hotels, bring pajamas, toothbrush, towel. If you're picky about sleep, bring your own sheets and pillow. The four of us 'tough guys' were very casual—we only brought two suitcases, half of which were filled with heating patches—strong survival instinct hhhh.
Day01 - 01.07 (Monday) Arrived in Harbin in the evening -- strolled around the Baroque Culture Street near the hostel
Day02 - 01.08 (Tuesday) Morning: visited Sofia Cathedral -- afternoon: ice and snow carnival on the Songhua River -- evening: originally planned Ice and Snow World, ended up going to Central Street
Day03 - 01.09 (Wednesday) Morning: took a bus to Snow Valley -- arrived at noon -- wandered around Snow Valley in the afternoon -- evening bonfire party
Day04 - 01.10 (Thursday) Morning: started crossing Yangcao Mountain -- 6-hour hike -- arrived at Snow Township in the afternoon -- evening: visited Dream Home
Day05 - 01.11 (Friday) Morning: strolled around Snow Township -- afternoon: returned to Harbin -- evening: arrived
Day06 - 01.12 (Saturday) Unit 731 Museum -- Gogol Street -- back to Central Street
Day07 - 01.13 (Sunday) Rest and pack to go home~ The main attractions are Harbin, Snow Valley, and Snow Township. Actually, there are quite a few places to visit in Harbin, but Snow Valley and Snow Township are far from Harbin. Also considering that Snow Township is heavily commercialized and crowded, we deliberately avoided the weekend. Our time in Harbin was scattered; you can choose attractions based on your preferences.
Accommodation and tickets:
Tickets:
[2019.01.06 Sun] Nanchang - Harbin (hard seat) - ¥285.5
[2019.01.13 Sun] Harbin - Nanchang (hard sleeper) - ¥471.5
For this trip... I let you down... The hard seat was really tough, 25 hours. We confirmed the trip around Christmas, which was too late to buy air tickets. Even the hard sleeper on the train was sold out, only four hard seats left. So if you're going, book early—tickets half a month in advance are reasonably priced.
Accommodation:
[2019.01.07-01.09] Maitian International Youth Hostel (Harbin Central Street Baroque Branch) — Century-old courtyard family 4-bed room — ¥404 for two nights (¥51 per person per night)
[2019.01.09-01.10] Wuchang Snow Valley Ding Zihan Fashion Family Guesthouse (Snow Valley Evergreen Forest Farm) — 4-person kang — ¥218 one night (¥55 per person)
[2019.01.10-01.11] Snow Township Xue Shanbin Family Guesthouse (Snow Township) — 4-person kang — ¥468 one night (¥117 per person)
[2019.01.11-01.13] Harbin Baihe Holiday Apartment (near Harbin Central Street) — 4-person room — ¥458 two nights (¥57 per person)
General remarks on these four accommodations: From the prices, you can see that Snow Township is really... expensive... The four of us sharing a big room saved money. Booking a bit in advance keeps the price from rising too much. But a four-person room can be a bit cramped, not because the beds are small, but the room itself isn't big. The Harbin apartment had two normal double beds with underfloor heating, quite warm, basic facilities available. Maitian is near a culture street with plenty of food; Baihe Holiday is very close to Central Street, 2-3 minutes' walk. In Snow Valley and Snow Township we slept on kang (heated brick beds)—a bit too hot, felt like a big piece of fatty meat automatically flipping. Basic facilities aren't as detailed; those who love to shower may need to restrain themselves. In Snow Valley and Snow Township, there are family guesthouses everywhere, conditions are similar. You can add the owner's WeChat in advance to learn more. That's the basic itinerary. Now let me take you on a revisit of the Harbin winter trip~
Day01 Harbin/Baroque Culture Street
Location: Baroque Culture Street
Dinner: Fan Yongji Dumplings (¥50)
Route: Harbin Railway Station — Baroque Culture Street — Fan Yongji Dumplings
Accommodation: Maitian International Youth Hostel (¥51)
Daily average cost: about ¥120
As the train went further north, we began to see many new things we'd never seen before. The four of us kept staring out the window with amazed expressions, while the train car full of Northeastern men responded with similar amazement, talking to the southern kids: 'What are you looking at? What's so special?'
For example, super tall chimneys, supposedly used for district heating?? Along the way, there were also many big windmills! Big wheat fields! Big water buffalo! Sorry for embarrassing southerners.
Also, because it was so cold outside, the windows started to freeze!! Of course, I won't tell you that two classmates spent the whole trip playing with the ice on the window...
Harbin Railway Station
Actually, there were many interesting things along the way. The whole car was full of Northeasterners, super enthusiastic, recommending various Northeastern specialties. We basically completed our food guide on the train hhhhh, I'll talk about that later. Then we arrived in Harbin. As soon as the station was announced, we started to gear up—cotton coats, scarves, hats, masks, ear muffs—everything we could wear. The architectural style here is quite distinctive, even the metro station incorporates some Baroque elements. I have to say Harbin values education a lot—this metro line probably passes through countless universities.
A rough description of Maitian Hostel: quite easy to find, accommodation conditions were OK. We arrived around 7 pm that night; many shops had already closed because it gets dark here at 4:30 pm—you need to eat early. We ordered from a famous dumpling shop, Fan Yongji—super delicious!! Universally praised by us southern kids (dumpling shops here are all pretty good).
Tip01: When you first arrive in Harbin, it's not very cold because you're indoors. But you'll frequently go in and out, needing to take off or put on scarves and hats, so be careful not to lose your items. A certain classmate Han lost her scarf the first day, ear muffs the second day, and glasses the third day...
Day02 Sofia Cathedral/Ice and Snow Carnival
Location: Sofia Cathedral, Ice and Snow Carnival (¥228)
Brunch: Zhang Bao Bao (¥30); Dinner: Lao Chu Jia (¥80)
Route: Maitian Hostel — Sofia Cathedral — Ice and Snow Carnival (on Songhua River)
Accommodation: Maitian International Youth Hostel (¥51)
Daily average cost: about ¥400
St. Sophia Cathedral
Originally we planned to visit Sofia Cathedral, then have lunch and go early to Ice and Snow World. But we found Sofia Cathedral was under renovation, fenced off, only the spire visible, so we just did a quick check-in.
Songhua River
Songhua River
Songhua River
Songhua River
On the recommendation of a Harbin taxi driver, we went to the 'Ice and Snow Carnival' on the Songhua River—right on the river, yes on the river. It's like a large amusement park with snowmobile, snow bumper cars, various slides—all ice-based activities. Quite entertaining—we played until dark! I especially loved the slides and the 'shake together' thing—I could play on the slides for a year!!
Harbin Ice and Snow World
We didn't go into Ice and Snow World because we arrived quite late. We took a distant look—it seemed huge, with many people at the entrance. I heard there's an extremely long slide inside—if you go early, you can try it~
Tip01: Harbin taxi drivers are very enthusiastic and introduce various attractions. I think it depends—if you don't have a plan, you can listen; if you already have a plan, compare. So it's important to do your homework before going out, because they don't know your specific situation and preferences.
Tip02: Remember to bring your student ID—Ice and Snow World has student tickets, much cheaper. Same for Snow Township later. Of course, we didn't go to Ice and Snow World; we arrived too late. But I heard there's a super long slide inside—you can go early.
Tip03: Keep warm when going out; shoes must be slip-resistant. A certain classmate Yuan fell countless times in one day.
Day03 Snow Valley
Location: Snow Valley
Lunch/Dinner: Guesthouse farmhouse meals (about ¥35 per meal per person)
Route: Harbin — Snow Valley (private car round trip ¥300)
Accommodation: Wuchang Snow Valley Ding Zihan Fashion Family Guesthouse (Snow Valley Evergreen Forest Farm ¥55)
Daily average cost: about ¥450
We booked the bus to Snow Valley directly at the hotel; round trip seemed to be ¥300, as I recall a slight discount, roughly that price. It's quite far; we departed at 7 am, left our luggage at the hotel, and brought a lot of food—enough for a day or two—worried that food there would be expensive and not good. We arrived around noon. I have to say, the Northeastern driver drove really recklessly, especially on the road into Snow Valley—90-degree turns without any braking?? We almost flew out!
This is beautiful Snow Valley! Because there wasn't much snow last year, only sparse patches of snow in the mountains. I heard previous years were completely covered in silver.
There's a kind of small move called 'itchy hands', and a creature called 'straight male'!! Exposing your atrocities here!
Hahaha, we also took a set of eye-stinging Northeastern floral padded jackets. The clothes were provided free by the guesthouse; the owner was really nice!
Snow Valley
Snow Valley
Snow Valley
In the evening, there was a small bonfire party, but not many people that night, a bit quiet. The four of us set off fireworks and then opened some Harbin Beer in our room, playing games and snacking with 'room temperature' Harbin Beer. The sausages were really tasty. So if you go to Snow Valley, think about how to spend the evening—it's a bit cold outside.
Tip01: I've read online that Snow Valley has two forest farms: Dongsheng and Evergreen. Dongsheng is closer to the crossing point and more bustling; Evergreen is farther, with fewer people. We stayed in Evergreen, a very rustic and beautiful place. The owners were very warm, prices low, and the food tasted good. The owner drove us to the crossing point in the morning.
Day04 Crossing Yangcao Mountain / Snow Township
Location: Yangcao Mountain, Snow Township (¥58 student ticket), Dream Home (¥100)
Lunch/Dinner: Self-brought (about ¥20 per person per meal)
Route: Snow Valley — Yangcao Mountain — Snow Township (8-hour hike)
Accommodation: Snow Township Xue Shanbin Family Guesthouse (Snow Township ¥117)
Daily average cost: about ¥320
Crossing Yangcao Mountain was uncertain for a long time—there's not much information online, and honestly, hiking for six hours in the snow was a new experience. But when we got to Snow Township, we found many people also crossing, and some doing the reverse from Snow Township to Snow Valley. So our courage grew—if a five-year-old could do it, so could we!
First thing in the morning: pour boiling water into ice!!! The long-awaited 'boiling water to ice' trick, only possible in the north. That morning around 6 or 7 am, the sun had just risen. I remember the temperature was about -16 or -17°C. At first we worried it wasn't cold enough for a good effect, but 'force creates miracles'! The small-mouthed thermos was a plus—it let the water spread fully. You need freshly boiled water, then swing it hard. There was a kid who also wanted to try, but wasn't strong enough; some water splashed on him. So be careful when trying.
Set off! The crossing entrance has a stone tablet saying 'Brave Crossing'. Along the way there were similar signs and directions, quite amusing hhhh. We set off around 7:30 am and walked for about eight hours—we stopped a lot for photos, which took time, but it was fun.
Snow Township National Forest Park
Look, this is a Huawei phone at -20°C, still with battery to record the trip—simply luxurious.
Snow Township National Forest Park
Snow Valley
Fully armed. Of course, this isn't us—we are the 'pink-green sisters selfie maniac' combo. When shooting, we thought everything looked so beautiful. After taking photos, we wondered why we took so many selfies in one place.
A certain shadow brother forced his way into the frame. In the end, the cool pose failed. Sorry, I tried my best—there was no light on your side, nothing I could do.
A tribute photo for the photographer brother. Not sure if the snowman's ugly face contrasts with Xiao Xian, or... no 'or', definitely that way (actually makes him look a bit thinner, okay).
Gradually we reached the top. You can look into the distance, and also it's the entrance to Snow Township. There's a large rest area where you can rest, then you need to buy a ticket to enter Snow Township. Student ticket seemed half price. This small mountain—cross it and you'll reach beautiful Snow Township. But in the end, we found that the best and most fun part of the Harbin trip was the mountain hike.
Snow Township National Forest Park
Snow Township National Forest Park
Going downhill all the way, we saw more and more snow, like soil. Gradually we arrived at Snow Township!
Snow Township National Forest Park
Snow Township National Forest Park
Snow Township Dream Home
Snow Township Dream Home
Snow Township Dream Home
Snow Township National Forest Park
Snow Township at night is indeed dreamy, but there were quite a lot of people—totally different from Snow Valley. We specifically went to Dream Home, but because there wasn't much snow this year and many visitors, the 'mushroom houses' there weren't as pretty.
Tip01: Luggage transfer—you can have your luggage shipped from the crossing point to Snow Township, meaning your luggage takes a vehicle while you walk. It seemed to be about ¥50 per bag; you then pick it up at Wuchang Mountain pass. Quite convenient, since carrying luggage up the mountain is tough.
Tip02: Crampons—essential! You can buy them in advance or at the guesthouse, about ¥10 a pair. Because it's a real mountain trail, snowy road, with many ups and downs and no steps. Crampons provide grip and make walking much easier.
Tip03: Along the way there are ATVs or horse-drawn sleds. If you really can't handle the hike, you can take them (cost unclear), but I encourage you to try to walk—you can do it!
Tip04: Dream Home in Snow Township requires a separate ticket. I heard its observation deck is the highest point, offering a panoramic view of Snow Township. But we went at night—super crowded. Going at night isn't recommended; it feels like a waste of the ticket. The morning is better. The 'errenzhuan' (folk performance) inside Dream Home was... not impressive. So evening visit is not recommended.
Day05 Snow Township / Harbin Central Street
Location: Snow Township, Harbin (Central Street)
Breakfast: street stall (¥20); Lunch: self-brought (¥20); Dinner: Zhang Fei Braised Meat (¥40)
Route: Return private car to metro station entrance
Accommodation: Harbin Baihe Holiday Apartment (near Harbin Central Street ¥57)
Daily average cost: about ¥160
To capture beautiful morning views of Snow Township, we braved -40°C and got up early (I heard you can get up at 4:30 am to go to Yangcao Mountain summit for sunrise). Since we were 'older', we didn't go for sunrise; we went out around 7-8 am. There were quite a few people on the viewing plank road, but compared to nighttime it could be called 'tranquil'.
Snow Township National Forest Park
Snow Township National Forest Park
Snow Township National Forest Park
Snow Township National Forest Park
Snow Township National Forest Park
Snow Township National Forest Park
The morning cooking smoke rising from each house combined with the mushroom houses gives the illusion of a magical forest from ancient times. I found it hard to blend into the scenery—taking photos of people seemed awkward, except for fairies, like... us...
Snow Township National Forest Park
Snow Township National Forest Park
Can't be beautiful alone; together we are beautiful. Morning in Snow Township: 'plastic couple flower' (I think the sunglasses didn't match the snow scene, making the photo look weird—can't blame us).
Central Street
Central Street
Modern Cold Drinks Hall
They say the most expensive thing on Central Street is the bread-shaped cobblestones under your feet. So we walked Central Street many times?? There are lots of lights, ice sculptures, and snow sculptures along the street. The most famous is the Modern ice cream bar, ¥5-25, various flavors, not from a freezer.
Tip01: Snow Township in the morning is incredibly beautiful—ethereal, like not of this world. Snow Township is good for scenery, not for entertainment; food and activities are expensive. One day in Snow Township is enough; look for good food back in Harbin.
Tip02: Snow Township is indeed crowded; tour buses come one after another. So consider the time—avoid holidays or weekends—and return to the city early as Harbin has serious traffic jams.
Tip03: Central Street is basically tourists; locals don't come out in winter. There are many shops; it's okay to browse.
Day06 Unit 731 Museum / Gogol Street
Location: Unit 731 Museum (free with ID card), Gogol Street
Breakfast: street food cart (¥10); Lunch: stewed iron pot (¥56); Dinner: Jingangshan BBQ (¥67)
Route: Bus to and from museum
Accommodation: Harbin Baihe Holiday Apartment (near Harbin Central Street ¥57)
Daily average cost: about ¥200
We decided to go to the Unit 731 Museum on the spur of the moment, strongly recommended by the two guys. It mainly tells about the poison gas laboratory the Japanese army built there long ago—huge, using real humans for experiments, yes, Chinese people. The museum leaves you with a heavy heart. If you're interested in history, go check it out—you'll gain something. Gogol Street was mainly for visiting Fendou Grocery to buy local specialties—more down-to-earth than Central Street. As we came out, snowflakes started falling—I realized snowflakes really do have six petals—amazing!! Flake by flake.
Day07 Return
I don't really remember where we went on the last day—probably nowhere. Attach a return photo! We really did go together as four, even though we couldn't find a single group photo of the four of us.
Harbin Railway Station
Special Food Chapter
Northeastern Dumplings: Fan Yongji Dumplings, Dongfang Dumpling King, Xi Jia De Dumplings
Northeastern Cuisine: Lao Chu Jia
Northeastern BBQ: Jingangshan
Northeastern Iron Pot Stew
Other Northeastern Specialties: Zhang Bao Bao, Zhang Fei Braised Meat, Immortal Vermicelli, Snow Valley Home-style Dishes...
Northeastern Special Products: Modern ice cream bar, red sausage, hazelnuts...
Northeastern Dumplings: Fan Yongji Dumplings, Dongfang Dumpling King, Xi Jia De Dumplings
There are many dumpling shops in Harbin; these are famous locally and easy to find. Each dumpling has generous filling, great taste. A southern kid like me didn't notice a huge difference—all were delicious.
Northeastern Cuisine: Lao Chu Jia
At Lao Chu Jia we ordered several famous Northeastern dishes. Toward the end we found them a bit sweet and greasy—remember to order a balanced combination.
Jingangshan BBQ Restaurant
Northeastern BBQ: Jingangshan
Northeastern BBQ is also famous; there are many BBQ places. This one is a chain—we were lazy... Huge menu!!! Control yourself not to order too much, or you'll waste food. This place is popular—go early or you might not get a seat. If you can't eat spicy, remember to specify. We survived on snow pear to cool the heat.
Northeastern Iron Pot Stew—really, really fragrant~ Initially our Northeastern friends worried we wouldn't like it (too oily), but it was fine! We ordered beef pot—no bones to pick hhh. Generous portions.
Other Northeastern Specialties: Zhang Bao Bao, Zhang Fei Braised Meat, Immortal Vermicelli, Snow Valley Home-style Dishes...
Northeastern vermicelli is very good—highly recommended. When eating steamed buns, they order by 'basket'—one basket has several big buns, quite substantial. Every meal in the Northeast left us stuffed—really generous portions. The only thing we weren't used to was the lack of vegetables. I especially want to mention the meals we had in Snow Valley—many dishes were unfamiliar, wild mountain greens, but very tasty. The guesthouse owner also let us try their frozen persimmons and frozen pears—tasted like ice cream~ The above are only some of the foods we tried. The Northeast has many other specialties, but due to our schedule we missed many, like 'Da Feng Shou' (Grand Harvest) or Western food—you can try them all!
Modern Cold Drinks Hall
Northeastern Special Products: Modern ice cream bar, red sausage, hazelnuts...
Of course, I don't recommend packing ice cream sticks. The red sausage here is very tasty—you can eat it raw! For buying specialties, we went to Fendou Grocery on Gogol Street; they have almost all Northeastern specialties. There's a red sausage shop with long lines, and they have gift boxes for giving—very convenient and tasty. You can taste first and then decide whether to buy. Whether to bring specialties depends on your needs.
Finally, to summarize: Harbin has many winter tourists. I recommend going between December and mid-January, avoid holidays, especially for Snow Township. Plan your route in advance; you can buy tickets before booking the itinerary. Don't take hard seats—it's tough, even though it saves money hhhh. For activities, I recommend Snow Valley; for mushroom houses, go to Snow Township; for food, stay in Harbin. Many attractions and activities require tickets; bring your student ID—otherwise it's expensive (even student tickets are still expensive). The food is very hearty hhhh. Last but not least, since this trip was a year ago, there may be some omissions or confusion. Use the guide as needed. Perhaps we still have a childlike heart, or maybe friendship never fades and youth is eternal! This Harbin trip was super satisfying, except that one classmate's birthday was spent in the train dining car—make up for it!! So grateful to have such lovely friends. Looking forward to the next trip~
