Top Things to Do in Harbin
A chill city gets less love from people. However, Harbin attracts many visitors to come to see its ice sculptures and feel its unique culture which combines Chinese and Russian culture. It is romantic that a city is full of snow and ice and enjoys history and special culture. Harbin is this kind of city that people cannot help fall in love with this purity and beauty.
Top Attractions in Harbin
1. Sun Island
Taiyang Island is besieged by water. The scenery on the island is original. Four seasons are distinct on Taiyang Island. In spring, flowers blossom, birds fly and rivers take off white ice coats. In summer, the fragrance of flowers spread, grass and trees turn green and rivers flow vividly. Visitors to Sun Island increase day by day. In autumn, leaves of some kinds of trees turn golden. Maple leaves turn red and pines and cypresses are still green. When visitors set foot on this island, they find themselves in colorful heaven. In winter, snow starts dancing. Everywhere becomes white and rivers take on their beautiful white coat to compete which river is the prettiest one.
2. Harbin Ice and Snow Amusement World
Ice and Snow World is the essence of ice and snow art in Harbin. The night scene and sunset scene are more beautiful than the day scene. The mild light of sunset shining on sculptures makes them vivid. Visitors will see the highest, the prettiest, the most magnificent, and the grandest ice art. There are about 30 activities in the park-like ice bar, climbing ice rock, ice hotel, football on ice, and so on.
3. Sophia Square
There are many pigeons walking on the square of fly above the square and music fountains on the square as well. St. Sophia Cathedral is located on Sophia Square, which is one of the grandest constructions in Harbin. It is the biggest orthodox cathedral in China. This was built in a typical Byzantine architecture style. Covering 721 square kilometers, it was built in 1903 with 53.35 meters high. Suffering rain and frost for almost 100 years, St. Sophia Cathedral was restored and has been named Municipal Architecture Art Museum in 1997. There are 4 doors to enter in or come out. The walls were built with red bricks. The top of the cathedral is the vault.
4. Central Pedestrian Street
Central Street was built in 1900. It is still one of the major business streets in Harbin. Xinyang square and Flood Prevention Cenotaph square by the Songhua River are 2 ends of this street. The road on this street is paved by square bricks with 1450 meters long and 21.34 meters wide. This is the longest pedestrian street in Asia. There are a lot of department stores, fashion shops, and featured restaurants along 2 sides of this street. The buildings on the two sides of the street are in all European styles like Renaissance architecture style, Baroque architecture style, eclecticism, and so on. There are always a lot of people on the street to tour or shop.
5. Siberian Tiger Park
Siberian Tiger Park is the biggest breeding base for Siberian tigers in the world, which is built to protect the endangered Siberian tigers. There are lions, leopards, ligers, white tigers, and so on. Visitors are in the caged van to be taken into this park. Visitors can see and feed animals through barriers windows. Siberian Tiger Park is located on the north bank of Songhua River, which is separated from Taiyang Island by the Songhua River.
6. Zhaolin Park
On the Ice and Snow Festival, Zhaolin Park is the smaller version of the Ice and Snow Amusement World. This park is great for younger people, as there are a lot of interactive ice sculptures and slides in this park. Scenes of this park in summer and winter are totally different.
In summer, this is a nice place to avoid heat. This place is also an amusement park. In winter, Ice Light Garden Party is held in this park every year. This place becomes a wonderful world for ice and lights. Light shows in the night are gorgeous. There are numerous ice sculptures in here which are beautifully illuminated at night.
7. Yabuli Ski Resort
Yabuli Ski Resort is a nice place for visitors who like skiing. The resort is surrounded by snow hills. There are many skiing clubs in Yabuli that visitors can choose from. Pick a trusted one to join.
As the best and largest ski ground in China, Yabuli Ski Ground is around 190 kilometers east of Harbin. There are many influential games held in Yabuli International Skiing Center such as the third Asian Winter Games in 1996, the Fifth National Winter Games, and the Eighth National Winter Games.
Top Places to Eat
1. Lao Dao Wai Street (老道外)
Mentioning featured food in Harbin, lots of people will recommend the snacks in Lao Dao Wai Street. This street enjoys a hundred years of history. There are many renowned vintage restaurants on this 500 hundred meters street like Beishang Restaurant and Qi Mei Wei. On this street, visitors can have a taste of Harbin dumplings, braised pigs, and so on.
2. Ma Dieer Office Of Cold Drinks (马迭尔冷饮厅)
Recommended: ice cream; yogurt; bread; fried chicken; Creamy vanilla ice cream and Ma Dieer ice cream.
It is one of the most famous eating places in Harbin. Many people including Western people and Chinese people say this place sells the best ice cream in this city. Snacks in this place are cheap and yummy. Sometimes, there are many people waiting outside of doors just want to buy one ice cream.
Address: ZhongYang Main Street 89, MaDieEr Hotel, Harbin, China (黑龙江省哈尔滨市中央大街89号马迭尔宾馆)
3. Hamamas Kofi Haus（快乐窗咖啡屋）
This coffee shop serves high-quality food, deserts, and drinking at a fair price. Hamamas is small but it gives people a warm feeling and always full of people. The atmosphere is very relaxed here. If visitors miss western food, they can go to this place to find the home feeling.
Address: Room 104 No.2 Mugong Street Nangang District, Harbin, China (黑龙江省哈尔滨市南岗区木工街2号104室)
4. King Of Oriental Dumplings (Sofia) 东方饺子王 (索菲亚店)
In this place, visitors can see how workers make dumplings. The serves here are very good and the place is very clean. King of Oriental Dumplings is a chain store. There are many different dumpling flavors. Many other dishes on the menu are good as well.
Recommended: dumplings; beef; mushroom soup; fish; cold noodle salad.
Top Places for Shopping
1. Jinan international Shopping Plaza
This shopping Plaza is in the center of Central Pedestrian Street. Goods price in there is fair.
Address: ZhongYangDaJie 69Hao JinAn GuoJi GouWuGuangChang Jin ZhongYang ShangCheng, Harbin, China (黑龙江省哈尔滨市中央大街69号金安国际购物广场)
2. Parkson Shopping Center (central street)
Goods price in here is fair. Visitors can find almost all famous cosmetic brands in this center.
Address: ZhongYangDaJie 222Hao Jin YouYiLu, Harbin, China (黑龙江省哈尔滨市中央大街222号)
3. Guogeli Dajie (Gogol Street)
Guogeli Dajie (Gogol Street) was built in 1901 with a history of more than 100 years. It is located in the center of the Nangang District. Started from south of Cheong Street and ended from north of Cayman Street, this street is 2642 meters long in total. This area around is dotted with Russian buildings and huge shopping malls. It was originally a non-government trading street for Russian goods, so Russian styles could be seen almost everywhere. The goods there are various and most of them are of high quality and famous brands.
Address: Gogol Street, Nangang District, Harbin (黑龙江省哈尔滨市南岗区)
4. Underground Shopping Mall of Golden Street
The underground shopping mall of Golden Street is a comprehensive shopping mall with integration of different functions including shopping, touring, and catering. Its total building area is about 15,000 square meters with two floors and is separated into a fast food restaurant and 6 business halls. These 6 business halls mainly sell all kinds of clothes at every range coming from Korea, Japan, America, Italy, France, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Shanghai and Guangdong, and so on. The goods there always lead to the consumption trend of Harbin city. This street builds a good identity in local people's hearts. And it has been bright scenery of Harbin.
Address: Near Gogol Street, Nangang District, Harbin (哈尔滨市南岗区果戈里大街361附近)
Tailor-make a Trip to Harbin
If you want to visit these attractions above or any other places you are interested in within China, China Travel can tailor-make a tour based on your own needs and requirements, which will save your time, money, and trouble. Please feel free to contact us and tell us your tour ideas.