Harbin, China
Harbin: A City Built of Ice and Light
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Every January, the northern Chinese city of Harbin builds an entire world out of ice. The Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival is the largest of its kind — vast illuminated palaces, castles and slides carved from blocks of frozen river, glowing in every colour after dark.
What to see
The colossal Ice and Snow World, the giant carvings at Sun Island, and the delicate ice lanterns of Zhaolin Park — plus Harbin's Russian-influenced old town.
Brace for cold
Temperatures drop to −25°C or lower. Wear serious thermal layers, cover all exposed skin, and keep spare batteries warm — the cold kills them fast.
Day-by-day itinerary
Harbin
Fri, 8 JanCentral Hotel, Zhongyang Street
中央大街步行街
8 Jan, 8:30 am
Delhi → Harbin
Delhi (DEL) → Harbin (HRB)
8 Jan, 6:00 pm
Saint Sophia's Church
church
88 Tou Long Jie, Dao Li Qu, Ha Er Bin Shi, Hei Long Jiang Sheng, China, 150020
中央大街步行街
point of interest
Daoli District, Harbin, China, 150020
Songhua River
river
Songhua River, Mulan County, Harbin, China, 151937
Harbin
Sat, 9 JanCentral Hotel, Zhongyang Street
中央大街步行街
8 Jan, 8:30 am
Harbin Ice & Snow World
point of interest
China, Hei Long Jiang Sheng, Ha Er Bin Shi, Dao Li Qu, 兆麟公园 邮政编码: 150036
Sun Island Scenic Area
park
China, Hei Long Jiang Sheng, Ha Er Bin Shi, Song Bei Qu, 江北临江路24号 邮政编码: 150010
Harbin
Sun, 10 JanCentral Hotel, Zhongyang Street
中央大街步行街
8 Jan, 8:30 am
Zhaolin Park
park
377 Sen Lin Jie, Dao Li Qu, Ha Er Bin Shi, Hei Long Jiang Sheng, China, 150020
Harbin Ice and Snow Art Center
event venue
15 Ai Jian Lu, Dao Li Qu, Ha Er Bin Shi, Hei Long Jiang Sheng, China, 150010
Deep-freeze kit
- Heavy down jacket, thermals & snow boots
- Insulated gloves & a balaclava
- Hand & toe warmer packs
- A spare power bank (cold drains batteries)
- Lip balm & moisturiser
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