Harbin's Ice and Snow World
For a Southerner from the Southwest, traveling to the northern winter requires a lot of courage—the outdoor temperatures of minus thirty-something degrees Celsius, and the indoor heating that makes you want to tear your hair out when you return to a room in short sleeves, are quite off-putting for someone who grew up in a place where it's colder inside than outside during the day.
Having said all that, that year we still embarked on the journey to Harbin, taking a slow train to see the ice and snow sculptures we had never had the chance to see before; to taste the sweet ice pops that you don't need to put in a fridge outdoors in the dead of winter; to experience the thick ice on the vast Songhua River where you can play however you like; and to feel the freezing cold outdoors and the scorching heat indoors—the drastic temperature difference.
We arrived that evening, and the next morning, we woke up to the sun rising after a snowfall, ascending among the towering buildings.
We stayed near the Saint Sophia Cathedral, a landmark building in Harbin. It was once the largest Eastern Orthodox church in the Far East and remains the best-preserved Byzantine-style building in China. In the square in front of the cathedral, there are pigeons and a large series of fountains. Here are two photos, one taken during the day and one at night:
The Harbin Ice and Snow World is an absolute must-visit. After all, isn't this why we came—to see those crystal-clear ice sculptures? Since it was close to the Spring Festival and also during the winter vacation, there were many tourists from all over the country. So, booking tickets online in advance or going to the ticket office early to buy tickets is a good way to avoid long queues and save time.
Inside the Ice and Snow World, there are ice sculpture exhibitions with different themes each year. They are definitely not the small ice sculptures you see elsewhere, or a bunch of soulless sculptures in a small room.
Such magnificent and grand ice sculpture groups—if you have the chance, you should not hesitate to travel thousands of miles to see them.
Ice crystal castle under the night sky
Yes, we stayed from opening time in the morning until closing time at around nine in the evening. The place was dazzling and full of endless wonders.
With the ice sculptures paired with flickering, changing lights, the castle transformed from a crystal-clear during the day into a dreamland. Imagining ourselves as princes and princesses in a fairy tale, in such a beautiful place, whether there is a story or not doesn't matter anymore. Keep these beautiful memories in your eyes and heart!
There are several slides, big and small, in the park. The longest one is over 300 meters, and it's the must-do attraction that people queue up for. The animated image shows one of the slides.
As for the Snow Sculpture Expo at Sun Island Scenic Area, it is also one of the highlights of the winter ice and snow theme each year. It is completely different from the crystal-clear ice sculptures of the Ice and Snow World—here is a purely white world.
For the remaining free time, we strolled along Central Street, known as 'Little Paris of the East,' lined with European-style buildings, ate the century-old Maqiudieer ice pops, looked at small ice sculptures, had coffee and Western food; visited the Flood Control Memorial Tower; played on the thick ice of the Songhua River; and visited museums. Before leaving Harbin, we bought some local red sausages, pine nut pork belly, and liqueur chocolates. If you like Matryoshka dolls, you can go to the small commodity market east of Saint Sophia Cathedral.
In this world, there is always a place you want to go or want to revisit. And Harbin in winter could be your top choice this season. Those story-filled ice and snow sculptures are waiting for you!
