Ice sculpture

Harbin is most famous for its Ice and Snow Festival. Held every January, it showcases impressive sculpture work by Chinese and international artists, all made from ice. It began in 1963, and is now the largest festival of its kind, although similar ones have popped up in Japan, Norway, and Canada in recent years.

The period over the month or two when the festival is taking place is the busiest time of year for Harbin in terms of tourism. Thousands of people come from all over the world to see the monumental ice sculptures that take over large parts of the city. With so many people and so much activity, it can be easy to get lost or forget some important safety procedures. Here’s a quick guide for how to best enjoy your visit to the Ice and Snow Festival.

Getting to the venues

The two main venues for the festival are quite close to central Harbin at Sun Island Scenic Area and Ice and Snow World, although there are often other sculptures at Zhaolin Park and outside the city at Yabuli International Ski Resort. The first three venues are within the city limits and are all reachable by public transport (metro, bus or ferry), while Yabuli is almost 200 kilometres from the city and will require private transport to get there.

You can also easily take taxis in Harbin from one location to another. This is a convenient option when the temperatures are so low and you don’t wish to spend extended periods of time outside. If you do use taxis, make sure the driver turns on their meter, as is required by law, because sometimes drivers take advantage of the heavy influx of tourists during the festival by overcharging them. Also, try to pay with precise change, as it is possible that you may get fake notes from taxi drivers if asking for change.

Things to consider

Ice festival There are several things to consider when visiting the Ice and Snow Festival to make it a comfortable and enjoyable experience. Since the weather is so cold in Harbin in January (the average high is -13C!), take care of the following:

Wear appropriate clothing – ensure that you are well dressed for such low temperatures as you will be outside to enjoy the sculptures but won’t want to get frostbite or hypothermia! This means wearing multiple layers, including thermal underwear, a heavy duty jacket, gloves, hat, scarf, earmuffs, and even a face mask to avoid numbness in your nose.
Bring sunglasses – it is often very sunny in January in Harbin, and since you’ll be looking at sculptures made of ice, they reflect a lot of light! Be sure to protect your eyes from the glare by wearing sunglasses or even a ski mask.
Drink plenty of water – as well as being very cold, the weather in Harbin at this time of year is also extremely dry, and it can be easy to become dehydrated without noticing.
Protect your batteries – if you’re using a camera with rechargeable batteries to take photos of the sculptures, be aware that it may not last very long due to the extremely low temperatures. Therefore, it is advisable to keep your camera well protected and you may even try removing the battery if it runs out and warming it up under your clothing to get a few more photos out of it.