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Harbin is full of surprises. The snow-capped onion domes and facades are more Petersburg or Paris than Peking, and with winding cobblestone streets, fantastically lit winter ice castles and modern Chinese economic vitality, Harbin is an incredibly warm and welcoming place for a city situated on the edge of Siberia.
Best known for the annual Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival (more commonly referred to as the Harbin Ice Festival, plain and simple), this unique city is beginning to make a name for itself for its other qualities, from the distinct Russian architecture typified by the Church of St. Sophia, to nearby skiing hotspots like Yabuli, to the concession-era "gallery of European architecture" found along Zhongyang Dajie, a cobblestone-paved pedestrian street.
Harbin's shopping is easily the best in northeastern China, the local cuisine is an intriguing blend of Russian and northern Chinese, and the surrounding Heilongjiang countryside—the province was part of historical Manchuria—is one of China's better-kept secrets, full of forests, lakes and mountains that have yet to feel the sting of overdevelopment and overcrowding.
Beijing to Harbin flights are cheap and quick, and an excellent modern airport is well served by flights to Harbin from throughout China (Harbin flight schedule), making a quick weekend getaway a snap. Its relative remoteness makes train travel and bus slower propositions, but an outstanding road and rail infrastructure in and around the city ensure a fairly smooth approach.
History
Originally a small Songhua River fishing village, Harbin became a city when Russia obtained permission to construct a railway into China in 1897. The border region of extreme terrain of mountains, fields, and forests was mirrored in the town's rough and ready population of railroad workers, nomads and traders from around Asia, including a Russian community that peaked around 200,000. After the Russian Revolution, a number of White Russians made Harbin their permanent home. The city fell under Japanese control during World War II, causing much of the the foreign population to flee. The Chinese regained control of Harbin in 1946 after a brief period of Russian rule following the end of the war.
Today, a number of Russians are returning to Harbin. Along with the rest of China, Harbin is experiencing economic boom times, though not without cost—in 2005 a factory accidentally dumped huge quantities of toxic benzene into the Songhua River, temporarily shutting down the city's water supply and making Harbin a prime example of China's need to balance environmental protection with industrial growth.
Climate
Harbin has long, cold winters and cool, short summers. Between July and September, the city becomes a pleasant summer resort, averaging temperatures of 20 ºC (68 ºF). Harbin winters can be very cold, with temperatures plummeting as low as -40 ºC (-40 ºF). Snow starts as early as November and the coldest month is January. However, the winter months are a great time to visit Harbin, when the city is a fantastic world of snow and ice. Dress in plenty of layers, and punctuate your visit to the festival with frequent trips inside for a hot drink or hearty stew.
Harbin's proximity to Russia gives visitors a wide selection of Western cuisine along with plenty of unique Chinese dishes. You can find several restaurants that serve filling Russian-style soups and meals. Try the Russian dishes at the highly recommended Huamei Restaurant or Café Russia known for its delicious piroshkis (stuffed Russian buns) and cabbage rolls.
If you prefer to stick with Chinese food, there are many different cuisines available. Lanterns hanging outside the Chinese restaurants indicate the food offered within, a practice unique to Harbin. Red lanterns denote typical Chinese food, while blue lanterns mean Muslim food (no pork). It is also said that the more lanterns a restaurant has, the higher the standard of cooking it has to offer.
The fare is tasty as it is varied. Enjoy cheap BBQ at the loud Mingjie Kaoroudian or the steamed dumplings at Oriental Dumplings King. Some local Harbin dishes you may wish to try: Harbin Red Sausage Harbin red sausage has a pleasant smoky taste. It is usually eaten with "big bread" (da lieba) and beer. Buy the red-colored sausage at the sales stands of the Harbin Meat-packing Store (Harbin Roulianchang). These chains can be found along any street in Harbin. Chicken Stewed with Mushrooms This is a famous Dongbei dish. Fresh chicken and mushrooms are stewed with ginger and shallots, creating a delicious meal that warms city dwellers during the cold winters.
Another winter treat: Pickled Chinese Cabbage Stew. Pickled Chinese cabbage is a common condiment for families of northeast China. Families preserve vegetables when it gets too cold for the open-air markets. As winter approaches, local people fill big clay pots with cabbages, adding water and salt. They then place a large stone on the top of the jar. After about a month, the cabbages ferment and grow sour, and can be eaten throughout the winter. These pickled cabbages make delicious meals when cooked with meat.
As one of the largest cities in northeast China, Harbin enjoys an ideal geographic location convenient for all means of transportation to and from the city. Harbin also acts as one of China's gateways into Siberia, Russia and northeast Asia.
Getting Around
Harbin boasts a well-organized public transportation system. There are over one hundred public bus routes connecting all important spots to the rest of the city. The best way to travel by bus is to pick up a local map with all the updated bus routes and schedules as soon as you arrive. The easiest way to get around is by taxi. Thousands of taxis roam the streets. It should not cost you more than 20 RMB to reach most destinations within the city.
To and from Harbin
Air
In addition to convenient air connections to most of China's major cities, Harbin also has regular flights to cities in Russia, South Korea, and Japan. There are shuttle buses to and from the airport available every twenty minutes from the CAAC office on 224 Zhongshan Lu.
Train
Numerous trains depart and arrive in Harbin every day. From Harbin, direct trains run to Dalian, Shanghai, Beijing, Wuhan, Changchun, Tianjin and Shenyang. There are also express trains to other provincial destinations in Heilongjiang such as Jiamusi, Qiqihar, Suihuan and Mudanjiang. There are two major train stations in Harbin: Harbin Main Station and East Harbin Station. Most of the inter-provincial trains use Harbin Station in the northeast of the city on Tielu Jie. The main train ticket center is in the train station (Train information: 642 0115). Harbin has a telephone reservation center (360 2828), that you can use to book train tickets. Into Siberia & Russia From northern Heilongjiang there are border crossing points into Siberia. From Harbin, take train Y215 to Heihe (leaves daily at 6:30 p.m.). From here, you can get into Russia (with the right paperwork). Train Y216 leaves Heihe and heads back to Harbin at 9:00 p.m. daily. You can also take the train from Harbin to Suifenhe (departs at 9:15 p.m.) where a ten-hour bus journey takes passengers on to Vladivostok. Be warned that all these routes are long and arduous. Visas for Siberia and Russia should be arranged in Beijing, although some travelers have reported they managed to get them in Shenyang. To get a Visa, all accommodation in Russia must be prearranged; it can become quite costly. The most straightforward way to get into Russia is on the Trans-Siberian express to Moscow. A trip on this train is a real experience (see Paul Theroux's novel, Riding the Iron Rooster). The train stops in Harbin every Friday morning.
Bus
Because of the remote location of Harbin, it is not easy to travel to and from central China to Harbin by bus. However, regular buses link the city with other provincial capitals such as Changchun and Shenyang. There is also access by bus from here to Mudanjiang, Jiamusi, Daqing and Hegang.
Generally speaking, overnight accommodations in Harbin are relatively inexpensive when compared to other Chinese tourist destinations. The city offers a range of hotels and hostels with a small collection of top of the line hotels all the way down to the cheap backpacker's hostels. If you're on a budget, check out the conveniently located Little Fir Hostel. For something elegant and historic check out the unsuitably named Modern Hotel which features elegant, old, European style rooms, restaurants and amenities. For a familiar favorite and at a moderate cost, try the Holiday Inn located in the heart of downtown and fixed with a helpful English-speaking staff.
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