The world’s largest indoor ice and snow theme park has officially opened its doors to the public, giving visitors to the northeastern Chinese city of Harbin the chance to enjoy winter temperatures all year round.
The country’s northernmost metropolis, Harbin, is the capital of Heilongjiang Province. Also known as the Ice City, it experiences long, cold, snowy winters with short, cool summers. The annual Harbin Ice and Snow Festival started in 1999 and takes place every year from December to early March.
A Guinness World Records official awarded the Harbin Ice and Snow World Company the certificate for the world’s largest indoor ice and snow amusement park during the opening ceremony this month.
Ironically, the opening coincided with a heat wave in Harbin, with temperatures outside reaching 29 degrees Celsius (84 degrees Fahrenheit), while temperatures inside the indoor theme park remained cool: -8 to -12 degrees Celsius (17.6 to 10.4 degrees Fahrenheit).
The new Harbin Ice and Snow World Park, which opened on July 6 and covers an area of 23,800 square meters, is divided into nine thematic sections with 13 interactive projects. The park uses advanced ice sculpting techniques and combines advanced lighting, sound and interactive technologies, offering an immersive experience.
The ice used to build the park’s attractions came from the Songhua River, with a total ice volume of 20,000 cubic meters. Once inside, visitors can enjoy a magical atmosphere full of ice, light, entertainment, gourmet food and cultural creations. There are also vivid ice sculptures of fruits, ice cream and cakes made with edible dyes through an environmentally friendly special coloring process.
Harbin’s annual Snow and Ice Festival draws tens of thousands of tourists from China and elsewhere. However, this new attraction is intended to extend the city’s tourist season and make it a year-round destination.
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