As global warming increasingly disrupts traditional winter seasons,
travellers seeking snow-filled vacations face growing uncertainty. To
address this, Harbin, the capital of Heilongjiang province in northeast
China, has opened the world's largest indoor ice and snow theme park.
The Harbin Ice and Snow World Park, which debuted on 6 July 2024, was
officially certified by Guinness World Records during its opening
ceremony.
Covering 23,800 square metres, the park maintains temperatures
between -8°C and -12°C, providing a stark contrast to the outdoor heat
wave that coincided with its opening, when temperatures reached 29°C.
The park features nine themed sections with 13 interactive projects,
utilising advanced ice sculpting techniques and incorporating modern
lighting, sound, and interactive technologies. The ice used in the
attractions was sourced from the Songhua River, with a total volume of
20,000 cubic metres.
Visitors can experience ice sculptures, including representations of
fruit, ice cream, and cakes made with edible dyes through an
environmentally-friendly coloring process.
Harbin, known as the Ice City, has hosted an annual Ice and Snow
Festival since 1999, typically running from December to early March. The
new indoor park aims to extend the city's tourist season and transform
Harbin into a year-round destination.
"Once inside, visitors can enjoy a magical atmosphere filled with
ice, light, entertainment, gourmet food and cultural creations," stated
the park's management.
This attraction builds on Harbin's reputation as a winter tourism
destination, offering a solution to the unpredictability of outdoor
winter conditions and ensuring visitors can live out their winter
wonderland dreams in Harbin at any time of year.