Points for Attention: Harbin

1. Harbin Time

In winter, the daytime sunshine duration is 7:30-16:30, and shops are all closed at 20:30. Most buses will stop operating around 19:00, so you’d better go out as early as possible.

2. Cold Weather

Some people thought that their body could not stand the very cold weather with tens of Celsius degrees below zero, but in fact Harbin is not as cold as you imagine. As long as you have made good preparations in advance by wearing a hat, scarves and other warm items, then coldness is never a factor to influence your relaxations. When going to such ice-based activity places as Ice and Snow World, please remember to wear thick down jacket, thick trousers, snow boots or non-slip shoes with some wool inside; besides, do not forget to wear thick gloves and a hat covering your ears.

3. Dry Winter

Generally there is a dry winter in the north, and Harbin is no exception. Skin and lips chap easily, so you should prepare skin care products in advance, especially lip balm and hand cream.

4. Electronic Products

In Harbin, the temperature is at tens of Celsius degrees below zero, so any electronic product must be kept warm, such as cameras, mobile phones, and psp; you must be extremely careful in this regard.

5. Internal Heat from Heated Kang

If you have the honor to become a guest in a local family, you can experience dining on the heated kang, but you may easily have internal heat if sleeping on the kang for a night; for example, when getting up early you may have a sore throat, a dry mouth and so on. You can resolve this trouble by drinking plenty of boiled water, eating more fruits and trying to sleep at the ends of the kang.

6. Dish Servings

Usually the servings in Harbin are larger, so you should consider appropriate amount when ordering dishes and try not to waste food. Moreover, the northeastern dishes in winter are mainly based on stewed food, which is less convenient for a portable package.

7. Shopping Tips

Harbin merchants, especially those selling special products usually set very high nominal prices, so you should cut down prices as low as possible when purchasing them. Also try not to go to the stores along the streets, because products there are often more expensive; you can go to Toulong small commodities wholesale market to purchase small items.