Source: stdaily.com

At the annual Harbin International Ice & Snow Sculpture Festival, you can fulfill your craziest dreams of becoming Elsa from “Frozen” by running around an icy landscape while belting the iconic “Let It Go”.

via GIPHY

I mean, just look at this place...

Source: The Atlantic

Harbin’s renowned winter festival is the largest of its kind in the world, where the wintertime festivities are in full swing from December to February. Every year, massive sculptures and structures made of ice and snow are assembled to create a beautiful winter wonderland that one could easily take hours to explore. The park is divided into multiple areas with different activities to do, so here’s a brief rundown on it.

Ice and Snow World

Source: Shutterstock

When you search “Harbin Snow Festival” on Google, 80% of the images you’ll see are taken at the Ice and Snow World. This sprawling kingdom of winter is filled with towering ice structures that reflects real life buildings like Buddhist pagodas, the Roman Colosseum, and even Russia’s iconic Saint Basil's Cathedral. You’ll feel like you have walked into the Narnia version of our own world.

Source: World Travel Guide

And that’s not all to it! Nightfall is when the party really gets started... thanks to a whole lot of LED lights. While the pristine white landscape at daytime is stunning on its own, the ice kingdom is painted in a whole new light at night, lit up by colourful lights that shine from within the ice.

Many would say that the view at night is the best time for Insta-worthy shots and dream-like photos. If you’re not one for the camera, you can have loads of fun going down the ice slides or even tour the ice kingdom on a horse-drawn carriage like royalty.

Source: The Beijinger

Source: Smithsonian

Source: @ichbindewi / Instagram

Source: Harbin Ice

Here’s our top recommendation on what to do here:

via GIPHY

International Snow Sculpture Art Expo

(Dec 20, 2019 - Feb, 2020)

Source: Kiwis On The Go!

Located at Sun Island Park in downtown Harbin, the annual Snow Sculpture Art Expo is mainly composed of gigantic snow sculptures, making it the best site for sweeping panoramic shots. From cute cartoons to dragons to god-like entities, the snow giants in the background will give you some of the most amazing vacation photos. In addition to the large constructions, there are also smaller snow exhibits - some of which are roped off to be admired from a distance, whereas others are interactive.

Source: The Atlantic

Source: Perfect Little Planet

Songhua River Ice Snow Happy Valley

(Jan 1- Feb.5, 2020)

Source: CHINA TODAY

The winter festivities are naturally incomplete without some on-ice shenanigans. When Harbin’s Songhua River freezes during winter, we are blessed with plenty of space for more than 50 ice and snow activities. This includes ice skating, sliding, snowmobiling, dog sledding, skiing and so on. If you’re up for some solo action, do try going around the rink on an ice bike, which is totally kid-friendly to boot!

Source: People's Daily

Source: Harbin Ice Festival

So what are you waiting for? Make plans to visit Harbin this holiday season and get ready to--

via GIPHY

To get right to the source of China’s best winter adventures, visit our website to get a free quote or call us at +603 - 2742 7889 for enquiries. Our experienced travel planners are here to help make your dream vacation a reality.