Harbin travel guide
Photo by chen on May
Located in northern China, Harbin is known as the "Kingdom of Ice and Snow". Many people are nostalgic for her silver-covered scenery, indulged in her exotic customs, and marvel at her countless gestures...
But Harbin in spring and autumn also has a charm and a different kind of beauty~
Today I recommend these attractions that are also suitable for National Day or May Day holidays:
There are also a few niche check-in Easter eggs in the article~
■Central Street
■Sun Island
■Polar Museum
■Grand Theater
■xxx Barbeque Restaurant (to be honest)
01
Central Avenue
When it comes to the largest and longest pedestrian street in Asia, Central Street is well-deserved. It is located in Daoli District, Harbin, and is also the "heart" of Harbin. (The red mark below is Central Street, the yellow mark is Sophia Cathedral)
Founded in 1900, the street architecture includes 71 buildings in various styles such as Renaissance and Baroque, full of exotic style~
Photo by chen on May
I went there during the May Day holiday. The weather was good during those days, but the temperature difference was quite large. I wore a sweater and a jacket. I went to Sophia Cathedral first. Since the interior was under renovation, I could only watch and take photos outside~
There are also quite a few people going to Harbin on May Day.
Children blow bubbles in the square~
After that, we walked along the road to Central Street. This street is indeed very long. The shops on both sides include Central Shopping Mall, Central Bookstore, Russian-style Western restaurants, etc. There are also more Russian handicraft shops, Daoli Qiulin shops, etc., and of course there are also authentic A specialty store of Madiel Popsicles!
It has to be said that the handicrafts in the Russian Commodity City are relatively expensive, and it is not easy to bargain.
The most distinctive feature is that this street is entirely paved with square stones, which has a unique flavor. May Day is also approaching summer, and the big trees on both sides of the road are lush. Walking on the stone road and tasting the milky fragrance of Madier popsicles will make you feel happy. Harbin is the most lively at this time!
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Of course, the special delicacies and snacks are also amazing, and queuing up does not affect people’s love for food! (The picture on the left is Madier popsicles, and the picture on the right is Northeastern specialty pot-roasted meat and fish!)
It is worth mentioning that there are two post offices in the middle of Central Street, where you can buy a postcard as a souvenir.
Don’t miss Central Street at night either.
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There are many churches in Harbin, such as St. Alexeev Church, located near Gogol Street in Nangang District. Typical Russian architecture, red bricks, Baroque towers, occupying a small area is not large, and there are not many tourists in the square, so it is considered a niche attraction. Those who are interested in architecture can go to , which is also super fun to take photos.
Churches are usually only open when religious activities are held and are not open to visitors during normal times.
There is also a famous check-in spot on this street: Gogol Bookstore. I went there twice and had different feelings each time.
Unlike many modern bookstores, this one is hidden among densely packed street shops and is full of European classical art. The bookstore's intentions can be seen in every corner, making it unique and charming. The bookstore has three floors. The first floor is a small foyer. You usually check in on the second floor. The third floor seems to be only open to VIP customers.
There were a lot of people when I went there both times. Most of them were taking photos and checking in, and those reading books were probably locals. I remember one time I met a little girl holding a book at the door. She must have come here to study from nearby, and she was also very envious.
02
sun island
Located on the north bank of the Songhua River in Harbin, Sun Island is undoubtedly one of the must-visit attractions for tourists. There are so many attractions on the island that you can't finish them all in one afternoon. Moreover, Sun Island is relatively close to Harbin Polar Museum, so you can check in together!
Songhua River in May
I went to Sun Island during the May Day holiday. After visiting Central Street in the morning, I went straight to the Songhua River and went west to the cableway ticket office (near Harbin Friendship Palace) .
Except for the Russian-style town, the rest of the island is free of charge (this was the case when we went, but some attractions on the island were not open at that time) , Combination tickets for the town can also be purchased at the ticket office. The ticket to the town is a passport, which I will talk about later~
One way fare
There are really many people queuing up to take the cable car, and the queue is winding from upstairs to downstairs.
You can click on the map of Harbin’s attractions (not all photos taken) to take a look.
Of course, you can choose to go there by big boat or yacht. Big boat tickets are very cheap (about a few dollars) and one boat can carry hundreds of people; yachts are a little more expensive. You can freely choose the big boat we will take when we go back.
There are so many people and the capacity is super large
Finally arrived at Sun Island
I was actually quite disappointed when I first entered the island. It was a little desolate, maybe it was spring, but the weather was very sunny and suitable for travel!
The Russian-style town that you go directly to the island has many Russian-style huts, each of which is very unique. They sell some Russian-style souvenirs and display Russian-style residences.
There are also stamps in each small house, which can be stamped on passports and tickets. At that time, we visited almost all the rooms and stamped every page, as shown in the picture above!
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You can take photos with the Russian grandfather who dresses up as Santa Claus. I took the photos secretly. Of course, you can also take photos with the beautiful Russian ladies, all for a fee.
There was also a performance by a Russian girl in the town, which required an additional fee. We were not very interested so we didn't watch it.
Sun Island will be even more charming in summer, with lush trees, a garden in front of the door, a stream behind the house, and charming cottages hidden among them, it’s especially dreamy!
If you are traveling to Harbin in winter, it is not recommended to go to Sun Island, as it will probably be very desolate.
Do you think this is the end?
No, no, no, this is a beginning
In addition to the Russian-style town, Sun Island also has many attractions, such as Sun Falls, Swan Lake, Squirrel Island, Deer Park, and some exhibition halls, etc.
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black swan comparison
There are shuttle buses in Sun Island Plaza, as well as bicycles for two or three people, so you can ride with your friends!
Large expanses of grass can be seen everywhere on the island, and there are also people lying on them to take a nap, which is very comfortable.
Sun Island is like a big park. Not only tourists come here, but also many locals. They can walk around and relax away from the stressful work. There is no need to visit all the attractions in one time period. Tourism, in itself Just be casual.
03
Harbin Polar Museum
Harbin Polar Pavilion is the world's first polar performing arts amusement park and the world's only polar beluga underwater performance. With these titles, you can't miss it!
Tickets are 133 yuan for adults, 110 yuan for college students, and 99 yuan for those with teacher qualification certificates.
Opening hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The most important and must-see performances and venues in the museum include the Beluga Show (a performance in the heart of the ocean), the Sea Lion and Walrus Story (very interesting), the Ice Sea Ray Exhibition, the Polar Bear Pavilion, and the Penguin Pavilion (I like it very much).
schedule
Remember to buy tickets online in advance to make checking in easier. We queued up very early in the morning. After entering, we rushed directly to the beluga whale show at 10:00 am, the ray show at 10:30 and the sea lion and walrus show at 11:00. Each show took about 20 minutes, and then we slowly wandered around the front. pavilion.
"Heart of the Ocean"
sea lion show
The sea lion show requires a long queue, and the queue is from the outside, going around several times.
But the performance was quite interesting, and the balloon blowing competition at the end was very impressive!
Of course, each theme pavilion has different features, and there will always be your favorite marine animals.
cute polar bear
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These are my favorite penguins
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04
Harbin Grand Theater
Harbin Grand Theater is located on the cultural center island of Songbei District. It includes a large theater and a small theater and can accommodate 2,000 people.
The shape is abstract, very modern art, and the streamlined shape is like a ribbon flying on the Songhua River.
A bit like a city blueprint
interior structure of grand theater
We were watching a musical, and we chose it based on the time. We actually wanted to watch other famous operas, but time didn't allow for it.
If you are just traveling, it is recommended to visit from a distance, take photos and stroll around the Grand Theater. Holiday tickets are not cheap.
I was sitting in Area G and liked the atmosphere very much.
requires attention
There are no food and beverage shops near the Grand Theater. There are only marshmallows and candied haws sellers outside the theater. There are desserts in the theater, so it is recommended to bring snacks and mineral water.
05
Mount Kumgang BBQ
How can you go to Northeast China and not eat barbecue?
This time I recommend a very unique and atmospheric barbecue restaurant, King Kong Mountain BBQ, located on Zhongshan Road near the Workers’ Cultural Center. Although it is indoors, it has two floors. The store is very large. There should be hundreds of tables on each floor. The space is really huge.
Like a disco scene
This specialty barbecue restaurant also has singing and dancing performances. It is very lively, a bit like a food stall. The service attitude is also very good, and everyone is very enthusiastic.
I forgot to take pictures of the barbecue, I was so shocked
There were quite a lot of people there during the National Day holiday. There were more than 100 people in line and we waited for about half an hour. The taste is also good, the price-performance ratio is very high, it is worth checking out!
The holiday has arrived
Come and play with her~