Imagine a city thats lowest recorded temp is -36F (-38C). My mind can't even fathom what -36F would feel like. I had no idea how to prep for a city so cold that an ice and snow festival is possible for 3-4 months out the year. So far, Harbin has been my number one favorite China trip. Spending Christmas in a winter wonderland was the best choice. The people were so kind. Shout out to the Chinese woman who grabbed my arm when she saw me almost slip and helped me walk across ice. Also shout out to the random Chinese woman who took really good pictures of us and then sent them on Wechat. Harbin is also super easy to navigate. Everything is on Didi. I also love that you can tag everywhere in Harbin on Instagram...which is rare for China.
Harbin is very unique. It's located in China's northernmost province, Heilongjiang. Like Sanya, which is located in China's southernmost province, Harbin has a strong Russian influence. Harbin was supposed to be an example of Russian imperialism.
What to do:
There are many things to do in this frozen wonderland. So much so that there were things we missed, or didn't even know about until several friends of ours went after us. My first recommendation is to take a look at the beautiful St. Sophia Cathedral. This church is the largest Orthodox church in the East. It was built in 1907, however, it now functions as a museum. When we came to the cathedral, there was a nearby tent store we checked out. It's full of Russian chocolates, alcohol, and items to help you keep warm. Nothing warmer than passing around a bottle of Russian vodka in a circle of about 10 people.
While at the cathedral, you can also try famous Harbin ice cream. The one by the cathedral offers durian (for you adventurous folk), some kind of green flavor, and original which is what I tried. To me, it just tasted like a milky pineapple and I ended up throwing it away. Don't worry though, there are other flavors at Zhongyang Street. Speaking of Zhongyang Street, that brings me to my next must do. This walking street is 100% worth going to. It's full of Russian shops (and non Russian stores), men making ice sculptures, street food, twinkling lights, and bars.
Before heading to the ice fest, we went to the world's largest indoor skiing/snowboarding resort. For 188 ¥ ($26US), you get to ski (or snowboard) for three hours. Not only do you get to ski for three hours, but this ticket also includes: your gear, snow pants, and a jacket. Everything you need, except gloves. I quickly learned skiing is not my forte after falling and skiing into a wall. However I plan to try again...but with an instructor.
Finally, the real reason anyone endures -11F weather for fun: The Harbin Ice and Snow Festival. This was something I had really been wanting see with my own eyes. It felt so surreal to be walking through life size ice castles, seeing giant animals carved out of ice, and watching people ride ice bikes. The Harbin Ice and Snow Fest has a revenue of up to $4.4 billion (US) a year in just a few months!! You can spend your time here in awe, but also sliding down ice slides, tubing down a snowy hill, or watching Chinese performers to a live DJ, OR you can also wait in a long line to watch a show of acrobats, tricks, and what not. I personally didn't see the show, but some of my friends did and they really loved it. The Ice Fest is a 10/10. I can't wait to go back next year and see it in the day time, though.
What to eat:
The biggest worry for me when we go anywhere is "what are we going to eat?" I'm personally not a fan of traditional Chinese food. Luckily, Harbin didn't disappoint. We ate at a few places, but the main one worth recognizing is a small but cute Indian restaurant and hookah lounge called Peacock. The owner was handsome, the food (as we youngins say) slapped, the prices were on point, and so was the service. This was some people in our group's first experience with Indian food and one became a believer. Pic below may cause hunger:
