Ice cold fun in Harbin

Need to travel to Harbin on a business trip this winter? Consider yourself lucky. Harbin is not China’s most exciting city, but from January to March the bland image brightens, thanks to the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival. China's most famous and popular winter attraction has drawn a combined 28.5 million visitors in the past two years.

Ice sculptors have turned this Northern China city into a true frosty wonderland. Their masterpieces are made from massive ice blocks from the frozen Songhua River, are illuminated with colourful LED lights. The exhibition of extravagant castles, a Colosseum and Empire State Building attracts locals and international visitors.

This year’s stunning highlight is a massive replica of the Hallgrimskirkja church of Reykjavik, Iceland. With its height of 46 meters, it is supposed to be the tallest ice sculpture in China. The church was made with 12,000 cubic meters of ice and offers an exciting 240-meter-long slide for visitors. The Harbin Ice and Snow Festival is a great attraction for business travellers with a few hours to spare after meetings. You can skate on ice rinks and snowboard. The entrance fee is pretty steep ($50) but the ice festival is worth every cent of it.