Travel Itinerary Harbin ( 哈尔滨 ), China Nick Xie Travel Date: 02/13/2009 Powerpoint Date: 02/22/2009

Research Baidu (Google not useful in China) Ctrip, Yododo, HKCities (forum), Becod Chinese blogs (sina, etc) Ability to read Chinese a must Well, get someone who can read Chinese

Baidu (Google not useful in China)

Ctrip, Yododo, HKCities (forum), Becod

Chinese blogs (sina, etc)

Ability to read Chinese a must

Well, get someone who can read Chinese

Harbin Itinerary Overview Best come in Dec – Jan, and no later than mid Feb Friday Overnight Train from Beijing (Z or T train) Leave @ 9pm, sleep, and arrive @ 7-8am Harbin City Ice-Lantern Festival (Zhaolin Park) Church of Hagia Sophia Zhongshan Street Sun Island Walk across Song Jiang River on ice (fun) Eat Song Jiang Fish on Wood Stove (must eat) Snow Sculptures Siberian Tiger Park (must see) Ice and Snow World (must see) Other attractions not recommended by Chinese (who know better!!)

Best come in Dec – Jan, and no later than mid Feb

Friday Overnight Train from Beijing (Z or T train)

Leave @ 9pm, sleep, and arrive @ 7-8am

Harbin City

Ice-Lantern Festival (Zhaolin Park)

Church of Hagia Sophia

Zhongshan Street

Sun Island

Walk across Song Jiang River on ice (fun)

Eat Song Jiang Fish on Wood Stove (must eat)

Snow Sculptures

Siberian Tiger Park (must see)

Ice and Snow World (must see)

Other attractions not recommended by Chinese (who know better!!)

Route to/from Harbin Take train at Beijing Train Station 420 RMB one-way for soft-bed One-night sleep Often difficult to buy return ticket, fly back if you can’t get tickets (Honestly) one train experience is good enough, I like my bed more than train’s Take bus from Harbin Train Station Bus 103, 1 RMB, about 3 stops Walk straight and turn right after a couple blocks to Zhongshan Street Stay at HomeInns near Zhongshan Street (2 blocks off) HomeInn is decent Chinese economy stays (e.g. think HolidayInn) 200 RMB per night, decent, clean, well managed Fly back from Harbin Airport Expect 120 RMB taxi to airport from city

Take train at Beijing Train Station

420 RMB one-way for soft-bed

One-night sleep

Often difficult to buy return ticket, fly back if you can’t get tickets

(Honestly) one train experience is good enough, I like my bed more than train’s

Take bus from Harbin Train Station

Bus 103, 1 RMB, about 3 stops

Walk straight and turn right after a couple blocks to Zhongshan Street

Stay at HomeInns near Zhongshan Street (2 blocks off)

HomeInn is decent Chinese economy stays (e.g. think HolidayInn)

200 RMB per night, decent, clean, well managed

Fly back from Harbin Airport

Expect 120 RMB taxi to airport from city

Harbin Routes (do-able in 1 day) Start from Church of Sophia Walk to Zhongshan Street (10 min) Walk down Zhongshan street Russian-style buildings Shopping Arrive Anti-Flood Park Walk Across SongJiang River on Ice See Snow Carving Festival Take a private taxi Eat SongJiang Fish for lunch See Siberian Tiger Park (2 hr) To Ice and Snow world (~4:30pm) Taxi/bus back to Zhaolin park Ice sculpture Check out Zhongshan Street at night Ice sculptures with lights Leave Harbin (10pm flight) Song Jiang Fish Restaurants

Start from Church of Sophia

Walk to Zhongshan Street (10 min)

Walk down Zhongshan street

Russian-style buildings

Shopping

Arrive Anti-Flood Park

Walk Across SongJiang River on Ice

See Snow Carving Festival

Take a private taxi

Eat SongJiang Fish for lunch

See Siberian Tiger Park (2 hr)

To Ice and Snow world (~4:30pm)

Taxi/bus back to Zhaolin park

Ice sculpture

Check out Zhongshan Street at night

Ice sculptures with lights

Leave Harbin (10pm flight)

Church of Hagia Sophia Russian Style Only remaining authentic church 15 RMB to get inside not worth it nothing original inside Nice to walk around in the plaza

Russian Style

Only remaining authentic church

15 RMB to get inside

not worth it

nothing original inside

Nice to walk around in the plaza

Anti-Flood Park Nice view of the lake Walk across river or take the cart (30-40 RMB) Recommend walking across (10 min and hear the cracking noise = fun)

Nice view of the lake

Walk across river or take the cart (30-40 RMB)

Recommend walking across (10 min and hear the cracking noise = fun)

Snow Carving Festival Best viewed in Dec to Jan, no later than mid Feb Everything made in snow (man-made) Natural snow don’t get to this tall 

Best viewed in Dec to Jan, no later than mid Feb

Everything made in snow (man-made)

Natural snow don’t get to this tall 

Song Jiang Fish (Must Eat) Fatty fish from under the river (look at the size of that fish head) Very tasty (expect 400-500 RMB per fish) You will see Hong Kong or Taiwan food connoisseurs coming to eat Only eat at places with wood stoves (traditional cooking)

Fatty fish from under the river (look at the size of that fish head)

Very tasty (expect 400-500 RMB per fish)

You will see Hong Kong or Taiwan food connoisseurs coming to eat

Only eat at places with wood stoves (traditional cooking)

Siberian Tiger Park (must see) > 600 tigers (they release some back to wild every year) Biggest Tiger Park in the world Watch shows where they feed on cows You will pay more for taxi because they wait for you there

> 600 tigers (they release some back to wild every year)

Biggest Tiger Park in the world

Watch shows where they feed on cows

You will pay more for taxi because they wait for you there

Siberian Tiger Park (cont.) Many tigers napping Next to each other for warmth (too cold?) Lazy afternoon

Many tigers napping

Next to each other for warmth (too cold?)

Lazy afternoon

Siberian Tiger Park (cont.) Extremely rare white tiger Extremely rare Liger (1000-1 chance) – mix of male lion and female tiger

Extremely rare white tiger

Extremely rare Liger (1000-1 chance) – mix of male lion and female tiger

Ice and Snow World (must see) Ice all taken from the Song Jiang River Magnificent buildings built from ice Represent famous buildings from around-the-world

Ice all taken from the Song Jiang River

Magnificent buildings built from ice

Represent famous buildings from around-the-world

Ice and Snow World (cont.)

Ice and Snow World (cont.)

Ice and Snow World (cont.)

Ice-Lantern Festival (optional) Smaller version of the Ice Snow World Have ice sculpture contests with teams from around the world More for kids, in the city

Smaller version of the Ice Snow World

Have ice sculpture contests with teams from around the world

More for kids, in the city

Ice-Lantern Festival (cont.)

Ice-Lantern Festival (cont.)

Zhongshan Street at Night Best viewed at night Walk around, see the ice sculptures

Best viewed at night

Walk around, see the ice sculptures

Backup Slides Mission Backpacking Explained

Mission

Backpacking Explained

Mission Share photos, stories and experiences What to see Where to stay How to have fun (not go with Chinese tours) Inspire enthusiasm about our globe Gain a world view Appreciate cultural differences Take initiatives (one day) to see the world

Share photos, stories and experiences

What to see

Where to stay

How to have fun (not go with Chinese tours)

Inspire enthusiasm about our globe

Gain a world view

Appreciate cultural differences

Take initiatives (one day) to see the world

Backpacking Explained How Backpack on your shoulder Money/credit card/passport in your pockets Use credit card whenever you can (cash is king!!) Stay in highly rated hostels What to bring 1 credit card Cash Camera Netbook or iTouch/iPhone (if you like to surf internet) Battery-powered alarm clock Travel-sized daily necessities (toothbrush, etc) Medicine (cold, cough, anti-itching creams, etc) Bath towels 1/3 to ½ of cloth needed for trip (throw-away socks)

How

Backpack on your shoulder

Money/credit card/passport in your pockets

Use credit card whenever you can (cash is king!!)

Stay in highly rated hostels

What to bring

1 credit card

Cash

Camera

Netbook or iTouch/iPhone (if you like to surf internet)

Battery-powered alarm clock

Travel-sized daily necessities (toothbrush, etc)

Medicine (cold, cough, anti-itching creams, etc)

Bath towels

1/3 to ½ of cloth needed for trip (throw-away socks)