Harbin Snow Fair
Harbin Snow Fair
4.5
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4.5
141 reviews
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Lynn L
Beijing14 contributions
Jul 2012 • Family
It was a boiling summer day. My brain stopped thinking. My whole body was telling me not to work anymore. So the best thing to do was escaping from Beijing once adorable in Spring, now unbearable to stay. I ran downstairs to a ticket booking office.
“Where to go?” the agent asked me.
“Anywhere in the north, tomorrow.” I gave a shrug.
“All tickets are sold out except for D-train to Harbin”.
“That’s fine.” I nodded eagerly.
The next day I was on the 2nd class soft-seat direct train from Beijing to Harbin. It was a 9 hour journey and the train ran like an arrow all the way up to the north. I arrived in same day afternoon. The wind is soft and chilly. The air is a bit sweet. Harbin people are welcoming. All hints a good start of a wonderful trip.
Harbin had been a small fishing village before the construction of Chinese Eastern Railway in 1898. Russian empire financed the project. In 1910s’ Harbin became an international metropolis of hosting 45,000 foreigners, twice the number of Chinese residents at that time. Harbin was the main centre of white Russian immigrants and there was a big Jewish community. Walking around in St Sofia Orthodox Church, you can imagine how magnificent it was. Inside of the church, I visited an exhibition consisting of more than 10,000 black and white pictures telling the history of old Harbin, all types of churches and the expats life in early 1900s.
Of course Harbin is famed for its’ annually held Ice and Snow Festival which has attracted tens of thousands visitors and competitors to come. The festival site Sun Island itself is very charming. As the largest wetland protection area, Sun Island is a paradise for people to visit in summer. Trees flourishing, flowers blooming and local people were swimming “wildly” means they swim in open water of Songhua River—the Mother River of Harbin city. It was lovely to take a walk there. Harbin people relax themselves in Sun Island just like Londoners in Hyde Park.
When the departing time came, I felt I had left my heart in Harbin. I can’t forget the piano sounds in Central Street, a cruise trip on Songhua River and such friendly and civilized people who never refused to help when a stranger was asking the way.
“Where to go?” the agent asked me.
“Anywhere in the north, tomorrow.” I gave a shrug.
“All tickets are sold out except for D-train to Harbin”.
“That’s fine.” I nodded eagerly.
The next day I was on the 2nd class soft-seat direct train from Beijing to Harbin. It was a 9 hour journey and the train ran like an arrow all the way up to the north. I arrived in same day afternoon. The wind is soft and chilly. The air is a bit sweet. Harbin people are welcoming. All hints a good start of a wonderful trip.
Harbin had been a small fishing village before the construction of Chinese Eastern Railway in 1898. Russian empire financed the project. In 1910s’ Harbin became an international metropolis of hosting 45,000 foreigners, twice the number of Chinese residents at that time. Harbin was the main centre of white Russian immigrants and there was a big Jewish community. Walking around in St Sofia Orthodox Church, you can imagine how magnificent it was. Inside of the church, I visited an exhibition consisting of more than 10,000 black and white pictures telling the history of old Harbin, all types of churches and the expats life in early 1900s.
Of course Harbin is famed for its’ annually held Ice and Snow Festival which has attracted tens of thousands visitors and competitors to come. The festival site Sun Island itself is very charming. As the largest wetland protection area, Sun Island is a paradise for people to visit in summer. Trees flourishing, flowers blooming and local people were swimming “wildly” means they swim in open water of Songhua River—the Mother River of Harbin city. It was lovely to take a walk there. Harbin people relax themselves in Sun Island just like Londoners in Hyde Park.
When the departing time came, I felt I had left my heart in Harbin. I can’t forget the piano sounds in Central Street, a cruise trip on Songhua River and such friendly and civilized people who never refused to help when a stranger was asking the way.
Written 16 January 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Keg065
Waikerie, Australia37 contributions
Jan 2016
My wife and I are in our 50's although it was minus 23 degrees we had an amazing time ! this is well worth the effort ! we stayed at Harbin Holiday Inn Central. This was a great position at the end of the main shopping mall which allows you to walk all the way down to the frozen river where there are many ice and snow activities! (great if you have kids) .The Ice and Snow world is breath taking!!!! the carvings! just amazing!. Make sure you take a zip lock plastic bag for your camera though, remember to zip lock your camera before you go back inside out of the cold!!! otherwise you get a massive amount of condensation in your camera!! could be nasty!!! As you are walking around The Ice and Snow world you are walking on ice!!! so be careful! or do what I should have done and bought a pair of non slip soles to go on your shoes , they are available pretty much everywhere. I didn't slip over but I was very close a few times and I didn't feel safe out on the ice!! Our snow gear for the Australian snow fields worked well with some good thermals and footwear I wore my Magnum boots with home made insulated soles fitted! Go to your local chemist and spend $2-3 on instant hand warmers (your guide will probably have some if you forget) they worked a treat!! The temperature sounds daunting but dress accordingly and you'll be fine! It's certainly one to cross off the bucket list!!! A must see!!!
Written 24 July 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kevin A
Mactan Island, Philippines131 contributions
Oct 2014
This is one of them lifetime events, a lot of people have heard about the ice festyival but few hear of the Snow World. The workmanship and scale as well as the imagination of these works of art are breathtaking. Yes it is cold -27 when we were there, but they have areas in the exhibition which are heated to give you respite. Go on the snow slide there too, great fun
Written 8 September 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Daniel A
Beijing, China35,099 contributions
Feb 2015 • Couples
The festival is broken up into 3 sections now and each is 300 RMB, a pretty penny for locals. If you are on a budget, stick to one park and do it thoroughly but if not go at a quicker pace to see all 3. BUNDLE UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Written 20 March 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Piyali3007
Mumbai, India57 contributions
Feb 2015 • Friends
if you are from a tropical country like me, I recommend a trip to the Snow World, never has white been so exquisite and exciting as in Harbin
Written 22 February 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
B C
Manchester, UK224 contributions
Feb 2015 • Couples
There is some confusion with the naming of the events. This is the Snow Sculpture Art Expo. and not to be confused with the Ice and Snow Festival. Located on Sun Island Park it is a vast parkland with many sculptures together with some snow activities such as snow slides for children, sledge rides, husky rides and an interesting folk museum adjacent from the largest snow sculpture in the park. Entrance ticket price is 240 Yuan/RMB for one adult. You can watch some snow sculpturers carve the design from a block of snow. There are some food and drink outlets and a few toilets. Can be viewed during the day and later in the afternoon. Personally the snow looks better in daylight and around dusk as it highlights the carved form, but that is a personal preference. You can get to the site by taxi and if you want you can get back to central Harbin across the frozen Songhua river on foot or by horse drawn cart or take the cable car gondola from Swan castle (50Yuan/RMB each adult) which has a good view of the area.
Written 19 February 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BeijingTrix
Brisbane, Australia30 contributions
Jan 2012 • Friends
Stroll across the frozen river or take a horse and cart across to Sun Island and check out the snow carvings, worth the visit but rug up.
Written 25 January 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
מוטי ל
Karmiel, Israel614 contributions
Jan 2020
so sad these sculptures don't survive for ever. the works are indeed incredibly creative and innovative.
Written 7 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mandy H
Dubai, United Arab Emirates201 contributions
Jan 2020 • Solo
There are actually 3 different sites for the Ice and Snow Festival. Each one has their own entry fee. 2 are on Sun Island, and one is near the walking street and Sophia church area.
Snow expo - is daytime only (9am-3pm) and at the other end of Sun Island (on google maps, it’s in the “Scenic area” of Sun Island). You need to pick up tickets at the booth that is near PolarLand, and then walk across the bridge to the starting point. There is a little coach on the other side that can take you out to the far side, and then you can walk back, or vice versa. There are amazing snow sculptures, and a bit of sliding available here. I’ll add a more detailed review on the “Harbin Snow Fair” listing. 2+ hours needed
Snow expo - is daytime only (9am-3pm) and at the other end of Sun Island (on google maps, it’s in the “Scenic area” of Sun Island, near a pond). You need to pick up tickets at the booth that is near PolarLand, and then walk across the bridge to the starting point. My Didi driver took me to the hut to purchase the entry ticket (about ¥260+coach tickets for ¥20-¥30) and then drove me over to the bridge. No cars can cross the bridge, everyone needs to walk. There is a little coach on the other side that can take you out to the far side, and then you can walk back, or vice versa. There are amazing snow sculptures, and a bit of sliding available here. 2+ hours needed easily. There is a cafeteria at the far end overlooking the picturesque frozen lake with massive sculptures on it that serves hot chocolate, coffee, and what looked to be a place to add a shot to your hot beverage to give it some punch. Although it is daytime, it’s still cold out. You definitely want to dress in layers - base layer (like a thin turtleneck shirt and long johns), mid layer (like a regular shirt or cotton trousers and heavy cotton ski socks) and then Outer layer (Lined knitted hat that covers your ears, mittens, heavy winter coat, snow pants, snow boots) most outdoor store will have all of that, Uniqlo has good base layers.
*Note for people who didn’t grow up in cold weather - mittens keep your hands warmer than gloves. Denim can trap the cold, so choose other kinds of trousers than jeans. Snow will melt into your jacket / pants and make you colder, so make sure you coat is water resistant in addition to being warm. Technology HATES being cold. At -20c your battery can go from 80% to 0% in about 2 photos.
Ice Festival (called Ice and Snow Expo I think) is only ice sculptures on Sun Island. It’s where all the taxis want to take you when you mention sun island or festival. This is best done from 3pm onwards so you can do the sledding activities but also experience sunset and the lights coming on. You can easily spend 3+ hours here. As the sun drops, so do the temperatures!
The final location (small ice sculptures and little kid activities) is a few blocks from the walking street, and a down the road from St Sophia church. I just walked through it quickly on my way back to the hotel, but there was some nice stuff there.
Snow expo - is daytime only (9am-3pm) and at the other end of Sun Island (on google maps, it’s in the “Scenic area” of Sun Island). You need to pick up tickets at the booth that is near PolarLand, and then walk across the bridge to the starting point. There is a little coach on the other side that can take you out to the far side, and then you can walk back, or vice versa. There are amazing snow sculptures, and a bit of sliding available here. I’ll add a more detailed review on the “Harbin Snow Fair” listing. 2+ hours needed
Snow expo - is daytime only (9am-3pm) and at the other end of Sun Island (on google maps, it’s in the “Scenic area” of Sun Island, near a pond). You need to pick up tickets at the booth that is near PolarLand, and then walk across the bridge to the starting point. My Didi driver took me to the hut to purchase the entry ticket (about ¥260+coach tickets for ¥20-¥30) and then drove me over to the bridge. No cars can cross the bridge, everyone needs to walk. There is a little coach on the other side that can take you out to the far side, and then you can walk back, or vice versa. There are amazing snow sculptures, and a bit of sliding available here. 2+ hours needed easily. There is a cafeteria at the far end overlooking the picturesque frozen lake with massive sculptures on it that serves hot chocolate, coffee, and what looked to be a place to add a shot to your hot beverage to give it some punch. Although it is daytime, it’s still cold out. You definitely want to dress in layers - base layer (like a thin turtleneck shirt and long johns), mid layer (like a regular shirt or cotton trousers and heavy cotton ski socks) and then Outer layer (Lined knitted hat that covers your ears, mittens, heavy winter coat, snow pants, snow boots) most outdoor store will have all of that, Uniqlo has good base layers.
*Note for people who didn’t grow up in cold weather - mittens keep your hands warmer than gloves. Denim can trap the cold, so choose other kinds of trousers than jeans. Snow will melt into your jacket / pants and make you colder, so make sure you coat is water resistant in addition to being warm. Technology HATES being cold. At -20c your battery can go from 80% to 0% in about 2 photos.
Ice Festival (called Ice and Snow Expo I think) is only ice sculptures on Sun Island. It’s where all the taxis want to take you when you mention sun island or festival. This is best done from 3pm onwards so you can do the sledding activities but also experience sunset and the lights coming on. You can easily spend 3+ hours here. As the sun drops, so do the temperatures!
The final location (small ice sculptures and little kid activities) is a few blocks from the walking street, and a down the road from St Sophia church. I just walked through it quickly on my way back to the hotel, but there was some nice stuff there.
Written 27 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jonas L
Manila, Philippines256 contributions
Jan 2020 • Family
Went here with my wife and 5 year old on a feb via a private tour. As expected, place is very cold so prepare proper winter attire. The snow sculptures were amazing and some are really grand in scale. Aside from admiring the sculptures there are also fun activities for young and adults to enjoy. Highly recommend this pace if you visit harbin in winter
Written 24 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi, I hope to visit Harbin middle of February 2018. Is this still a good time to see the sculptures? Thanks
Written 10 August 2017
Hi, that might be cutting it close. I’m currently in harbin with my family and our tour guide mentioned usually the snow fair and ice and snow world runs from Dec to around late feb. From their site i believe it says until feb 25. Hope you’re able to catch it. Both destinations are amazing
Written 24 January 2020
I hope to visit Harbin middle of February 2018. Is this still a good time to see the sculptures?
Written 10 August 2017
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