A sparkling wonderland of joy

China's geographical proximity to Siberia gives its northeastern winters a distinct bite. The long, harsh cold season gives rise to a stunningly raw and unspoiled environment of vast snowy expanses, frozen rivers and forests. As the three northeastern provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin, and Liaoning have continued to upgrade infrastructure and introduce celebrations to create immersive winter experiences, the region is now at the heart of the country's winter tourism.

Sporting activities at world-class ski resorts, displays of massive ice and snow sculptures, wildlife observation, and a wealth of folk traditions are part of a rich mine of winter wonders.

The northernmost province of Heilongjiang allows visitors to experience the winter the way it should be experienced.

The provincial capital, Harbin, is an ideal first stop. The Harbin Ice-Snow World offers winter fun with sound and light shows over an area of 1 million square meters this year.

Some 300,000 cubic meters of ice and snow were used in the design and construction, which tips its hat to the 9th Asian Winter Games that will open in Harbin in February. This includes ice re-creations of landmarks from the members of the Olympic Council of Asia, among them Cambodia's Bayon temple.