A one-day itinerary for China's Snow Town

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Located 280 kilometers southeast of Harbin, the capital city of northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, Snow Town, as the name suggests, is the best place in China to enjoy winter white scenery. If you're short on time, below is one-day itinerary for visiting China's Snow Town:

China's Snow Town in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. /VCG Photo

7:00 a.m. – Yangcao Mountain

Wake up early to enjoy the sunrise at Yangcao Mountain. At about 1,250 meters above sea level, it's the tallest peak in the region and known as the most beautiful place in Snow Town. With its rare trees, it is the best spot to view sunrise and sunset. If you want to enjoy the sunrise view, do remember to come early, as the sun rises at 6:30 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. in winter.

Sunrise view on top of Yangcao Mountain. /VCG Photo

As the dividing line for Snow Town and Snow Valley, Yangcao Mountain is also a good choice for snow hiking. It takes roughly five hours on foot to finish the whole path from Snow Town to Snow Valley, 15 kilometers in total. If you want to save energy, a horse-drawn sleigh is highly recommended as it is a typical winter activity you must try here. For a more exciting experience, you can ride a snow motorbike to hike to the peak.

On top of the mountain there is a large platform where you can take photos, enjoy the spectacular view and even start a snow fight with your friends.

12:00 p.m. – Local cuisine

After the long hike, you'll likely be hungry for local food. Nothing is better than having an authentic local meal in the Snow Town. Speaking of the cuisine in northeast China, there are many dishes to try. To get you started, chicken stewed with mushrooms, fried pork and braised pork with vermicelli are the three dishes that you can't miss here.

Fried pork /VCG Photo

2:00 p.m. – Dream Home Studio

The Dream Home Studio is one of the most attractive spots in China's Snow Town and a must-see place for photography enthusiasts.

Hiking up to the slope of hill, you can see lots of "mushrooms," "rabbits" and "turtles" in the town, which are "transformed" by the thick snow covering them. Moreover, the red lanterns hanging under the eaves create a joyful and dreamlike atmosphere to the landscape. The entrance fee to the studio is 198 yuan.

An aerial view of China's Snow Town. /VCG Photo

4:00 p.m. – Errenzhuan performance

Errenzhuan performance is a local folk dance and song form in northeast China. It usually involves two performers, one male and one female. They sing and dance, using folded fans or square-shaped red handkerchiefs, which are twirled along as the songs are performed. Watching an Errenzhuan performance may be the best and fastest way for you to truly engage with the local traditional culture. The performance costs 150 yuan and lasts for two hours.

Errenzhuan performance in Harbin, northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, April 30, 2007. /VCG Photo

7:00 p.m. – Xueyun Street

Night falls quite early here in winter and all the red lanterns are lit at night, making the entire town more dreamlike. The 500-meter-long Xueyun Street is the town's central street and is lined with grocery stores, restaurants, hotels and theaters. You can find almost all kinds of local snacks here, such as frozen pears, frozen persimmon and Bingtanghulu, a snack made of sugarcoated haws and other fruit on a stick, etc.

Snacks sold on the Xueyun Street in Snow Town. /VCG Photo

9:00 p.m. – Kang bed

Having a sound sleep in the freezing cold weather is never a problem in Snow Town thanks to the kang bed, a brick bed heated with a fire underneath. But the accommodation can be very tight during peak seasons like Christmas, New Year's Day and Spring Festival, so you must book in advance.

An aerial view of China's Snow Town at night. /VCG Photo

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(Cover: Night view of China's Snow Town, Heilongjiang Province. /VCG Photo)