Harbin's Winter Wonderland - the Ice & Snow Festival

The China Guide is showing tourists what China's winter has to offer http://www.TheChinaGuide.com/harbin
BEIJING, Nov. 4 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- When considering China's best attractions for travelers, Harbin's Ice & Snow Festival stands out as one of the top events. With a history dating back to 1963, this international competition in ice carving attracts experts and travelers from all countries. The work of ice craftsmen from China and around the world turns Harbin into a real winter wonderland. Zhaolin Park hosts the international ice competition, with smaller sculptures done in fine detail and lit up at night. Visitors can see the sculptures that have won awards.
There are a number of venues to visit in Harbin starting with the spectacular Ice World, a city of ice buildings. Here, visitors can go inside the buildings and exit on the ice slides which are lit up with a rainbow of colors at night. Next door is Snow World, best seen in the day, where buildings are made of snow rather than ice blocks from the river. Along the Harbin Songhua River there are horse- and dog-drawn carriage rides, skating, sleds and other winter activities.
Harbin is a city with a huge Russian influence seen along the Zhongyang Pedestrian Street in its architecture, food and shops. There are plenty of Russian cafes and restaurants to visit for indulging in a bit of vodka, steak, salad, cheese and potatoes. Visitors can shop for statues of Stalin, Russian dolls and military souvenirs. Saint Sofia Russian Orthodox Church is also worth a visit; a fantastic piece of well-kept architecture. If visitors are lucky they might even catch the Chinese chorus singing. The church is a nice place to warm up and has museum displays inside.
For those wanting something completely different, The China Guide recommends a trip to the Siberian Tiger Park, which leaves the adrenalin pumping. The park is one of the world's largest breeding sanctuaries boasting over 1000 tigers. Visitors get driven through the park in caged buses while the tigers wander around. When purchasing tickets, visitors can select live animals to feed to the tigers (if any). Peter Danford, Managing Director of The China Guide commented, "We did not choose any animals but some people selected a few chickens for about $5 which were thrown out of a caged-in car and devoured by the tigers. I also saw a cow fed to the tigers. Goats and a few other small animals are on the menu. Witnessed by my small children, it did not seem to do them any long-term damage."
The China Guide (http://www.TheChinaGuide.com ) provides travel itineraries to take part in the Ice & Snow Festival in Harbin. Travelers can plan a trip to Harbin as part of a longer China itinerary over the holidays or arrange it is a single-city trip. "The Harbin Ice and Snow Festival is one of those once-in-a-lifetime experiences. If you can manage to get there you should. I would venture to say it ranks with that of Disneyworld," adds Danford.
Ice and snow festivities start at the beginning of January, lasting for about one month. Trips can be arranged by plane or overnight train from other Chinese cities. The China Guide will also recommend hotels based on their years of experience with Harbin travel.
The China Guide displays a range of festival photos at http://www.TheChinaGuide.com/harbin
The China Guide
The China Guide, http://www.TheChinaGuide.com , is a Beijing based travel agency, American owned and operated. Specializing in western-style service and quality with hassle free web bookings, they work with clients to customize tours that match their travel style. Operating only in China, they have up to date knowledge and offer exciting experiences for travelers including their famous Sleep on the Great Wall tour. The China Guide avoids the common factory shopping stops that are not reflective of the true China.
SOURCE The China Guide