One Day at the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival

Layover in Harbin

With subzero temperatures outside and ice freezing up the window panes, most people would not think twice about braving the blizzard brewing outside the train station or airport. In Harbin, however, tourists will gladly bundle up in whatever winter gear they may be carrying to trek through the ice and snow. They won’t be wandering the city of Harbin for just a mere stretch of the legs either. Annually Harbin is home to the International Ice Festival, the largest of its kind in the world.

Before you decide to make a short out of your airport terminal or train station, you will have to consider a few things before you start dragging your feet in the snow towards the Ice Festival. What are you wanting to see in Harbin? How much time do you have?  And how long will it take to get from where you are to the parks and back? You will, of course, want to spend as long as possible in Harbin to take in all of the sculptures, but probably not at the cost of missing your flight.

Looking for more to do in China’s chilly North East? Be sure to check out Dandong!

Getting Around Harbin

Harbin, like most other Chinese cities, is massive. The unbearable harsh winters are not enough to scare the 10 million people who call Harbin home to move south for more hospitable climates. With such a large population and a culture of ice running deep in the city, you can find ice sculptures all over the city during the winter. If you are looking to just wander the downtown, the cheapest option is to hop on the airport shuttle bus number 3 (大巴3号) for 20 RMB and take the bus all the way to Anhong Road (安红街). From there it is easy to walk to the ice sculptures at Sun Island (太阳岛) (150RMB) and Zhaolin Park (兆麟公园) (150 RMB).

If you are a bit strapped on time, you may only be able to fit in a few of the smaller ice sculpture parks. But when it comes down to it, nothing can quite compare with Harbin’s Ice and Snow World (哈尔滨冰雪大世界) (330 RMB).

You can take the same shuttle number 3 from the airport to Anhong Road then double back to Hayao Road (哈药路). At the Jianguo Bus Stop (建国站) take bus numbers 119 or 127 to take you directly to the gates of the Ice and Snow World.

There is also another bus from the airport known as the Rongchunag Shuttle (融创线巴士). After boarding, you will want to get off at the Rongchuang City Airport Stop (融创城机场站). Then change to bus 125 or 126 in front of the Wanda Theatre (万达中央大剧场站).

Either of the two bus routes will take around 2 hours depending on traffic. Alternatively, you could always take a taxi for around 150 RMB.

Want to get off the beaten path in Sichuan? Why not travel to Jiangyou!

Is It Worth It During The Day?

When talking to locals, you may find that people will be baffled that you would only explore the ice and snow sculptures during the day. It is at night when these monumental frozen works of art truly come to life. Especially at the Ice & Snow World and Zhaolin Park, when the sun goes down, the reflective ice is illuminated with an array for neon colors.

Unfortunately for those just getting off of the plan, you don’t have many choices on what to do on a long layover in Harbin. If you happen to be stuck in the city during the day, Sun Island is known as one of the best parks to go to enjoy the sculptures. This may be for the best, because once you see the nightly light shows, you may be tempted to forget about your flight to your next destination altogether.

Thinking about traveling to Hohhot during the winter? You can read more here!

Chinese Culture: Frozen in Time

Being an Internation Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, you will find pieces created by and representing places from around the world. From the iconic Saint Basil’s Cathedral to the Niagra Falls, sculptors from around the world submit their own works of art to compete in the competition. But the real soul of the festival goes beyond the international element of Harbin.

What really makes Harbin magical is the snowy pagodas and elements of Chinese culture enshrined in ice. With such a long and difficult journey, it is breathtaking to see a country with 3,000 years of history get back in touch with their roots. For travelers, it is as if walking through a romantic Chinese wonderland. Sadly, the temples and shrines won’t last forever. As the weather warms, these monuments to the past melt into a puddle. Leaving only the concrete urban city of Harbin.

If you find yourself in Wuhan you won’t want to miss the Guiyuan Temple!

Bigger By The Year

With each coming year, the International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival seem to continue to grow and break world records. The first instance of this holiday being held was back in 1963. But during the Cultural Revolution, the fair, much like the rest of the country was frozen in time for a decade. The festival resumed in 1985 with the Lantern Fair in Zhaolin Park.

In 2001 the festival merged with the nearby international ski competition to double the event in size. Since then, the fair has only continued to grow, bringing more and more artists to the icy tundra. All striving to outdo whatever outlandish masterpieces were constructed the previous year.

Wanting to cross the border from China to Laos? You can read more here!

Harbin in a Day

It is almost impossible to fit all of the sites of Harbin into one single layover. Not only do you have several parks hosting ice and snow competitions around the city, but Harbin has its own unique history which is just begging to be explored. After just a few hours of wandering the exhibits of icy marvels or visiting the Russian quarter of the city, you will be convinced that you will need several days to give this city the time it deserves.

Regardless of how much you will be wanting to forget about your flight and stay in Harbin, the major sites of the city can be checked off in a day. Although you will be rushed, you are sure to be kept warm with that brisk walk that gets the blood pumping. You may only have a few hours to visit the Ice and Snow Festival, but the memories will have you dying to return to the frigid city of Harbin.