First Impressions
This winter, I finally fulfilled my dream of visiting Harbin! As someone who grew up in southern China, I had long yearned for the ice and snow of the north. I was so excited when booking my flight that I couldn't sleep, fearing I might miss this opportunity. To my surprise, I wasn't alone as a "southern potato" - over half the passengers on the plane were tourists from the south!
The moment I stepped out of the airport, the cold air hit my face, and I immediately wrapped my down jacket tighter. Despite all my preparation, the temperature still shocked me. However, the tourists around me seemed to be enjoying themselves, with some eagerly taking off their gloves to snap photos with their phones. Seeing their excitement, I was instantly caught up in the atmosphere.
On the bus to downtown, I couldn't take my eyes off the snow-white scenery along the way. The trees were adorned with glistening icicles that sparkled in the sunlight, making it feel like a fairy tale world. I heard a little girl behind me excitedly ask, "Mommy, is this like the scene from Frozen?" This made many people on the bus laugh, but indeed, the scenery was unreal in its beauty.
Where People Come From
At the Ice and Snow World, I truly experienced what it means to be packed with people. Just queuing to enter took nearly an hour, but everyone remained patient. I noticed many people wearing fashionable ski wear, holding selfie sticks, with faces beaming with anticipation.
According to staff, the park welcomed nearly 640,000 visitors in just 20 days from December 11-31, 2024. This number shocked me. Given that the entire park is only 1 million square meters, this meant an average of over 30,000 visitors daily. Most surprisingly, staff mentioned that the visitor demographics had significantly changed, with an increasing proportion of southern tourists.
While queuing, I chatted with nearby tourists and found they came from all over the country. There were white-collar workers from Shanghai who specially took annual leave to experience the northeastern ice and snow; a family of three from Shenzhen bringing their child during winter break to experience a real winter; a couple from Guangzhou with the woman wanting to take wedding photos in the Ice World; and even photography enthusiasts who flew in from Hangzhou specifically to capture the Ice World's night scenery.
The Tourism Ministry's recent launch of 12 premium ice and snow tourism routes couldn't have come at a better time. These routes include not only traditional northeastern ice and snow attractions but also extend to Beijing, Chongqing, and even as far as Xinjiang. Such planning not only conveniences tourists but also builds a bridge between northern and southern ice and snow tourism.
What to Do
Upon entering the park, I understood why it's called the "Ice and Snow World." The entire park used 300,000 cubic meters of ice and snow in its construction - to put this in perspective, that's equivalent to 120 standard swimming pools! These ice blocks weren't randomly cut either, but precisely crafted using smart ice-making equipment specially developed by Harbin Institute of Technology, with each piece being crystal clear and truly artistic.
The park's theme is "Winter Dream, Asian Love," with ice sculptures showcasing Oriental charm everywhere. The most attractive is the 40-meter-high main tower, which becomes a kaleidoscope of colors under the lights, truly an ice castle. I saw many tourists taking photos here, some even changing into hanfu to create an interesting contrast with the Oriental ice architecture.
Beyond viewing, the park offers various interactive activities. The most popular is the ice slide - the thrill of swooping down from height is addictive. I was scared on my first try, but seeing how much fun the kids next to me were having gave me courage. Once I tried it, I was hooked and queued several times just to experience that rush again.
The nearby Mudanjiang is also competing, having planned 15 special tourism routes. These routes connect Harbin with the Yabuli Ski Resort, allowing tourists to experience multiple attractions in one trip. Yabuli's ski resort is considered top-tier in China, and many southern tourists make special trips there to experience professional-grade skiing facilities.
The Ice and Snow World at night is breathtakingly beautiful. Multicolored LED lights embedded in ice blocks transform the entire park into a city of light and shadow. I saw many tourists taking videos, including professional photographers setting up tripods. A girl from Guangdong told me her video of the Ice World at night received hundreds of thousands of likes on social media, showing me just how influential ice and snow tourism is among young people.
Southern Developments
Surprisingly, southerners' enthusiasm for ice and snow sports rivals that of northerners. Indoor ski resorts in places like Shanghai and Shenzhen have become new trending spots, often requiring advance bookings for weekends. I learned that membership cards at a certain Shenzhen indoor ski resort were sold out, with many young people even forming ski clubs for regular practice.
Ski hotels are also hard to book. A friend working in Guangzhou told me that young people in his company now discuss the merits of different ski venues rather than beach vacations. Weekend trips to indoor ski resorts have become a new trend. This phenomenon is understandable - in the south, ice and snow sports hold special appeal for young people due to their novelty and excitement.
Many southern cities have developed ice and snow themed cultural products. For instance, I saw ice and snow themed cafes in Shenzhen that not only mimicked winter wonderland in their decor but also offered specially designed beverages and desserts. These creative products often spark discussions on social media, further driving interest in ice and snow culture.
Promising Future
The State Council's 24 measures to promote ice and snow economy development show great foresight. These policies focus not only on hardware infrastructure but also on improving soft power, such as training professional ski instructors and enhancing supporting services. The ice and snow industry is expected to reach new sales peaks by 2027.
Most excitingly, even places like Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan have joined the ice and snow tourism trend. Thanks to newly built high-speed rail and unique glacier landscapes, this area has quickly become a new trending destination. I've seen many travel bloggers recommending it for its dual appeal of ice and snow plus Tibetan culture.
Technological advances have made ice and snow sports no longer limited by geography. Today's indoor ski resorts use the latest refrigeration technology to maintain ideal conditions even in the hot south. These venues generally feature smart teaching systems to help beginners master techniques more quickly.
My trip to Mudanjiang left a deep impression. Beyond traditional ice and snow festival activities, you can experience unique winter fishing culture. Watching fishermen cut ice and fish, and tasting freshly caught fish cooked on site - this combination of sport and culture particularly attracts tourists. I noticed many southern visitors showing strong interest in this authentic northeastern culture.
Final Thoughts
This Harbin trip gave me a deep appreciation for ice and snow tourism's appeal. Seeing tourists from across China laughing and playing in the ice and snow, I realized this might signal a profound transformation in our country's tourism industry.
Technological progress has broken geographical limitations, making ice and snow sports accessible. Cultural integration has added new meaning to ice and snow tourism. I believe that with continued improvement in facilities and service quality, China's ice and snow tourism will have an even more brilliant future.
While writing this travelogue, I keep receiving messages from friends asking about Harbin travel tips. It seems the ice and snow tourism boom is just beginning. I look forward to seeing more people find their own joy in the ice and snow in the near future.
Do you have any memorable ice and snow tourism experiences? Welcome to share your stories in the comments!