China's Northeast Snowfields — The Ultimate Frozen Trip to Yabuli

Text & Photography by Li Xinyi

Heilongjiang is China’s northernmost province. When people think of the Northeast, the most memorable images are often the “Three Treasures of the Northeast” mentioned in textbooks — “ginseng,” “marten fur,” and “rush pith.” Nowadays, the new Three Treasures of the Northeast have been updated to “high mountain rhodiola” (a medicinal plant), “Northeast forest frog,” and “immortal grass” (also medicinal plants). January is the coldest time in Heilongjiang, with average temperatures ranging from -15°C to -30°C, but it’s also the busiest season, as the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival and various skiing activities all take place in winter.

Harbin was once occupied by Russia, and the city is steeped in a strong Russian atmosphere, especially evident in its architecture. Yabuli is a city near Harbin, which means “apple orchard” in Russian. It is famous for having some of the best ski resorts in China. Impressed by the environment here, the international resort Club Med has also set up shop, offering ski vacation experiences suitable for families.

On the drive from Harbin Airport to Yabuli, you’ll pass endless snowy farmland and frozen lakes. Occasionally, a train can be spotted in the distance, speeding through the snow-blanketed forests and mountains. The snowy plains of the Northeast in winter leap straight out of the textbooks — more beautiful and much colder than you can imagine...

Experience Life in the Snowy Town of Yabuli

Cold Level: ★★★

In Yabuli’s liveliest town, vendors sell popsicles and fresh fish right on the roadside — with no worries about them melting. You’ll also find candied hawthorn everywhere. Take a bite, and the maltose coating cracks instantly, while the hawthorn inside is so hard it’s like an ice cube, needing to be held in your mouth until it slowly melts, almost like a popsicle version of candied fruit.