One of the most celebrated winter festivals in the world is the Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival held in the city of Harbin, China. It is one festival that must be enjoyed by the entire family.
The largest and the capital city of Heilongjiang province, Harbin is one of the most populous cities in China with almost 6 million inhabitants. The city covers 20,463 square miles, and most of its architectural landmarks showcase a lot Russian and European influence. In fact, the city is dubbed as the "Oriental Moscow". Because of its numerous attractions and the International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, Harbin draws in hundreds of thousands of tourists annually. The fastest way to get to Harbin is via the Harbin Taiping International Airport located about 33 kilometers from the heart of the city.
You must visit the city during the month of January so you can enjoy the Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, an annual month-long festival which officially begins every 5th of January. It showcases unbelievably beautiful and intricately detailed ice sculptures. The main venue of the event is at the Sun Island Park, and features an array of ice sculptures . The Ice and Snow World is opened every night and this is where you will find full-size buildings made of ice! You can also check out the ice-lantern exhibition in Zhaolin Garden which is a must see too! A number of ice sculpture experts from all over the world participate in the event which is not to be missed. Aside from the festival, ice sporting competitions are also held. Although Harbin is known for the ice festival, there are numerous attractions that must not be ignored such as the Heilongjiang Science and Technology Museum, Sophia Square, Harbin Polarland, Zhaolin Park, and the Siberian Tiger Park, just to name a few.
A world of wonder awaits you in Harbin. Talk to your travel agent and start planning a trip to this amazing city!