My notes for the Harbin trip
I packed layers for the cold, bought my flights and sorted out the visa. The trip took me to Harbin, Yabuli and Snow Town, with stops in Shanghai and Beijing.
2024–2025 · 10 STORIES
Harbin 🇨🇳
A winter trip through northeastern China, from snow-covered streets to the ski slopes of Yabuli.
Shanghai → Harbin → Yabuli → Snow Town
Start at the beginning. The stories are in the order they happened.
I wanted snow, so I booked a flight to Harbin
I stopped in Shanghai on my way north, joined a short layover tour and reached Harbin late that night in the freezing cold.
Snow everywhere in Harbin
I’d wanted to see snow for a long time. Once I was in Harbin, just walking the streets and watching it fall felt like enough.
I went back to sleep and missed the early train to Yabuli
I went back to sleep and missed the early train. I tried another station and still made it to Yabuli in time to see the snow falling that evening.
Skiing on my own in Yabuli on 31 December
On 31 December I headed for the slopes in Yabuli and spent the last part of the afternoon skiing on my own.
I nearly lost my phone in the snow
It was snowing hard on the way to Snow Town. I lost my phone while snow tubing and found it again before carrying on.
Another night in Snow Town while I figured out a ticket
I couldn’t buy a bus ticket out of Snow Town. With a bit of help I got a ticket for the next day and stayed the night.
A place to warm up and charge my phone in Harbin
I arrived back in Harbin with a dead phone. A couple let me sit in their warm shop, charge it and get hold of my hostel.
Out for a game of pool on my last day in Harbin
Friends picked me up on my last day in Harbin. We went for a meal and ended up playing pool.
Thirteen hours in Beijing before heading home
On the way home from Harbin, I used a long Beijing layover to walk around the city one more time.