Ice Park on Sun Island 太阳岛

One of the reason why I decided to go to Haerbin, was to catch the yearly Snow and Ice festival(哈尔滨国际冰雪节)! There are a couple of similiar festivals held around the world(Sapporo Japan, Quebec Canada, Ottawa Canada, Brugge Belgium, Taebaek and Hwacheon, South Korea)

The festival officially starts on 5 January and lasts for a month! It is spectacular to catch the impressive icy structures at night. Most hotels can arrange for transport to and fro from the different festival grounds. Therefore do check with your hotel whether it is possible.

I caught the shuttle service to visit Ice Park on Sun Island. Here you can catch sight of Frosty replicas of famous landmarks. For 1 1/2 hours, I found myself trotting around the globe and visiting spots around Asia pacific, America and Europe at a cost of JUST 75rmb! If only they were the real thing!

Remember to bundle up, as the temperature is way below freezing point. Another thing, please wear a pair of non slip shoes, as the ground can be quite slippery. So do walk with caution. Other than walking around, visitors can slide down ice slides and take a ride on a horse drawn carriage.