Yabuli Forest Park

Yabuli Forest Park

　Yabuli National Forest Park is situated within the operational area of the Yabuli Forestry Bureau and is one of the 400 national forest parks planned and constructed by the country. The park covers a total area of 12,053 hectares. It embodies the essence of ice-snow and forest eco-tourism. The world-renowned national ski resort and China’s leading ski brand—Yabuli Ski Resort—are located within the forest park. Following the 5th and 7th National Winter Games, in February 1996, it successfully hosted the 3rd Asian Winter Games. The then President of China declared the opening of the 3rd Asian Winter Games and watched freestyle skiing and ski jumping competitions. The park has also hosted major domestic and international ski competitions such as the Heilongjiang International Ski Festival over the years, and has been designated as the permanent venue for the Annual Meeting of the China Entrepreneurs Forum. This has made Yabuli National Forest Park and Yabuli Ski Resort widely renowned, earning it the title “China’s Davos.”

Yabuli National Forest Park is located in the middle section of the western foothills of the Zhangguangcai Mountain Range, part of the Lesser White Mountains within the Changbai Mountain system. It is 193 kilometers from Harbin, the provincial capital, and 120 kilometers from Mudanjiang City, with direct access via the dedicated snow resort route of National Highway 301. The park is equipped with comprehensive facilities including water, electricity, roads, communications, postal services, and an airport. With convenient transportation and a superior geographical location, it boasts stunning natural landscapes. The forest-based pristine ecological communities provide abundant forest tourism resources, and its rolling mountains are filled with mystery. The park features three connected peaks of the Zhangguangcai Mountain Range—the Daguo’kui, Erguo’kui, and Sanguo’kui Mountains, which are part of the Changbai Mountain system. The highest peak, Daguo’kui Mountain, stands at 1,374.8 meters above sea level. The mountaintop is home to the rare plant species Korean pine, and features alpine rocky seas formed during tectonic movements. Majestic peaks and vast snowfields create the unique northern scenery here.

The park's scenic area planning adopts a three-tiered sightseeing system. The park is divided into various tourist zones, including the Ski Tourism and Holiday Zone, Forest Scenic Area, Mingyue Lake Scenic Area, Qixingta Scenic Area, Guo’kui Mountain Scenic Area, and Qingyun Recreation Area. Each zone offers distinct scenery and rich content for “four-season tourism,” including winter ice and snow activities, snowfield sightseeing, spring sightseeing and water play, summer vacationing and fishing, forest bathing, and other distinctive forest eco-tourism experiences.

The developed area of the forest park spans 381.35 hectares. Within the park, the Yabuli Ski Tourism and Holiday Zone is among the first batch of national AAAA-level four-season leisure resorts. It serves as an optimal destination integrating skiing, sightseeing, vacationing, reconnecting with nature, and offering comprehensive facilities for “eating, accommodation, travel, touring, and entertainment.” Currently, the resort area consists of 13 development entities, including the Yabuli Ski Resort under the provincial sports bureau, Windmill Villa by China International Futures Holding Co., Ltd., Traffic Villa, Telecom Villa by the provincial telecom bureau, Power Villa by the Harbin Electric Power Bureau, and Hong Kong Huiyang (Yabuli) Industrial Co., Ltd., among others.

Address: Near the Yabuli Ski Tourism and Holiday Zone, Yabuli Town, Shangzhi City, Harbin.

Transportation and Access

Train: K479 departs Harbin Station at 8:00 and arrives at Yabuli Station at 10:54; K481 departs Harbin Station at 14:00 and arrives at Yabuli Station at 16:54. After disembarking, you can take a shuttle bus directly to Windmill Villa, which runs every 20 minutes.

Bus: Opposite the train station square, Longyun Bus Station operates direct tourist buses to Yabuli Windmill Villa at 7:30 AM, 10:00 AM, and 1:20 PM daily, with each one-way trip taking approximately 3 hours.

Food

In Yabuli, you can enjoy traditional Northeastern Chinese cuisine. A highly recommended dish is Di San Xian (three fresh things), which is a healthy and delicious stir-fry made with three vegetables grown in the ground. Windmill Villa has its own restaurant. Additionally, there are several restaurants run by local farmers within the Yabuli ski area. Dining at a farmer’s home often involves sitting on a heated kang (a traditional brick bed), and enjoying large plates of hearty Northeastern dishes in this warm setting feels especially cozy. Other common dishes include scallion and pork-filled pies, rice cakes, pounded rice cakes, tofu pudding, fermented rice, and cornmeal pancakes.

Accommodation

Yabuli is a ski destination with many accommodations at various price levels. Options include Yabuli Windmill Resort Hotel, Yabuli International Convention and Exhibition Center, and Yabuli International Radio and Television Center.

Shopping

Local specialties in Yabuli include wood ear mushrooms, wild mountain vegetables, bee products, forest frogs, hazel mushrooms, yuan mushrooms, monkey head mushrooms, and schisandra berries, among others.