Harbinisbrash,harsh,roughandunruly.Itisafrontiercity.ThepeoplehereseemtougherthanelsewhereinChina.Harbin’sstatusasanoutpostanditsinhospitableclimatehaveconspiredtomakeitacoarsecity.Butonethatisfascinatingandaddictive.HarbinisuniquewithinChina.
Inwinter,grey,pollutedskiesloomoverthegrey,imposingconcretebuildingsofthesprawlingcity.Butinthemiddleofitallisanoasis:abeautiful,charmingregionofcobblestonestreetslinedwithgrandandcolorfulearly20thCenturyRussianarchitecture.WhiletheRussiancommunityinHarbinhaslargelyvanished,thecityretainsitsRussiancharacterinmorewaysthansimplyitsarchitectureanditsexcellentRussianrestaurants.HarbinhasaverysimilarfeeltoMoscow,bothinitshardnessandinitsbleakbeauty.
HarbinismostfamousforitsIceSculptureFestivalwhichisheldeveryyearfrommid-January.Butthereisfarmoretothecitythanthis.TheSiberianTigerParkisabigdrawcardwhiletheGermWarfareBase,wheretheJapanesecarriedoutgruesomeexperimentsonprisonersofwar,isasoberingplace.Meanwhile,thecobblestoneZhongyangDajiehasanatmosphereunlikeanyotherpedestrianmallinChina–completelyrelaxedandfestive.InsummerHarbintakesonacompletelydifferentfeelwithbeertentsliningtheriverandlocalsmakingthemostofthegoodweather.Thetransformationisremarkable.
Harbinmightnotbeoverloadedwithattractionsbutitdoesofferalotasacity.BravingthepreposterouslylowtemperaturesisanexperienceinitselfandHarbingivesatasteofRussiaforthosewhocan’tmakeitthere.Thenightlifeissurprisinglyactiveandasomewhatwild,whilethetaxidriversareChina’smostrecklessandwillhappilydriveintooncomingtraffic.Butthesearemerelyexamplesofagreateratmosphere:theroughanddirtyatmosphereofafrontiercity.
WhoshouldtraveltoHarbin?
MosttouriststraveltoHarbinfortheIceSculptureFestival.Atthattimeofyear,visitingthecitywouldbewellworthwhileforanytouristswhodon’tmindthecoldandhaveasparefewdaysintheiritinerary.ButHarbinshouldn’tbeforgottenatothertimesoftheyear.Thecityhasenoughcharactertojustifyavisitwithorwithoutthefestival.
HowlongisneededtoseeHarbin?
IfyoujustwanttoseetheicesculpturesandmaybeSiberianTigerParkthentwodaysisenough.Ifyouwanttoseeallthemajorattractionsinthesightseeingsectionofthisguideandhavetimetowanderthecityalittle,thenyouneedthreefulldays.And,really,ifyou’regoingtomaketheefforttoheaduptoChina’snorthernreachesthenyoumightaswelltakethetimetoseeitproperly.