Harbin Ice Festival and Chinese New Year

An annual winter carnival has opened in the north-east China city of Harbin. The month-long Harbin ice and snow festival is one of the world's largest.

Harbin Ice Festival

Showcasing both the magnificent ice sculptures of local artists and those from around the world, the Harbin Ice Festival has now been running for over 20 years. Soaking up the vibrant and creative atmosphere of the festival we enjoy the amazing ice works, many built on an awe-inspiring scale, and watch the incredibly dexterous sculptors at work. Ice art subjects can include well-known buildings, animals, gardens and scenes from Chinese folklore.
After dark, the sculptures come alive in a dazzling display of light and colour from the thousands of tiny lights lying hidden within.

 

Chinese New Year

New Year is the biggest event on the Chinese festival calendar and in Hong Kong people mark the occasion with a unique fusion of ancient customs and modern fun in the world's largest Chinese New Year celebration. Like many families in the city, we will enjoy a special celebratory Dim Sum lunch before heading out to enjoy the colourful spectacle of the New Year Parade. Selected by the Lonely Planet 'Bluelist' as one of the world's most fascinating attractions and celebrations, we have reserved seats from which to enjoy this extravaganza. The following day we can join the crowds as they make a pilgrimage to local temples or the throngs flocking to the flower markets looking for an auspicious bloom or plant for the New Year. In the evening the waterside is the place to be as an exciting firework display lights up the whole of the Hong Kong's magnificent harbour.

Great Wall and Warriors

In Beijing we explore the famous open expanses of Tiananmen Square and the adjoining Forbidden City with its maze of palaces and gardens. Journeying out to Mutianyu, we encounter the always impressive Great Wall of China, and have the chance walk the ramparts for just a couple of its 2700 miles! We fly to Harbin, in China's North East; bordering Siberia and with temperatures well below freezing in winter, this former Russian enclave is the ideal setting for the winter ice festival. Next it's off to Xian, famous for its Terracotta Warriors, a vast army of thousands of life-size models of soldiers, horses and chariots which were buried along the Qin emperors to protect them in the after world. We also discover the city's old Muslim Quarter and the famous Big Wild Goose Pagoda. We arrive in Hong Kong, the unique and dynamic harbourside city in time to join in with the celebrations for the Chinese New Year.