Show summary Hide summary
Two weeks in China delivered extremes: an otherworldly frozen festival in the far north and a leafy, tea‑centred culture in the southeast. The contrast between Harbin’s ice creations and Fujian’s mountain tea terraces shows how varied a single trip to China can be.
Harbin: the city of ice
Bermuda travel: pink-sand beaches, cave spas and fried fish
Glovers Alley reopening timetable — what diners need to know
Harbin, nicknamed the Ice City, stages one of the world’s most striking winter festivals. The Harbin Snow and Ice World, open from late December to February, is constructed from some 220 million cubic feet of ice harvested from the Songhua River.
Walking among cavernous ice castles, winding frozen slides and oversized snow sculptures feels surreal. There are raves with an après‑ski vibe, illuminated sculptures and cold so extreme it becomes part of the attraction.
Temperatures can drop to around -30°C at night. Disposable hand and foot warmers proved essential; I even found myself reaching for them during cold snaps after I returned home.
The city offers more than the festival. A scenic cable car links Sun Island and downtown, floating above the frozen Songhua and delivering views of castle‑like terminals that house cafés and shops. On Zhongyang Street, the famous Madie’er ice pops are a local rite of passage—difficult to eat in subzero air and, in my case, resulting in a painfully memorable run‑in with frozen lips.
Harbin also carries a musical pedigree: it was designated a UNESCO City of Music, the first in Asia. Concerts and performances appear in unexpected places, from the Grand Theatre to small balconies. I attended a Peking Opera show in the city’s Baroque quarter and, to my surprise, was pulled onstage to join in—an impromptu experience I won’t forget.
Fujian: flowers, tulou and tea
After four nights in Harbin’s deep freeze, Fujian felt like stepping into an entirely different China. In the coastal town of Xunpu, near Quanzhou, women tradition‑ally wear floral crowns known locally as Zanhuawei. Villagers say the crowns link beauty in life to beauty in the afterlife.
I visited a small flower shop run by a local woman known as Aunty Bailan. She quickly gathered my hair into a bun and placed a delicate halo of blooms on my head. Her pleasure in sharing local custom was obvious and contagious.
Inland, Fujian’s characteristic communal dwellings—tulou—offer a glimpse of a different social architecture. These fortified, often circular buildings, associated with the Hakka and Minnan peoples, once protected whole communities. From the Tianluokeng viewpoint you can see a cluster of tulou arranged in a dramatic pattern; at the Yongding sites I glimpsed how residents historically shared living spaces, a freshwater well and collective food stores.
The Wuyi Mountains have made Fujian renowned for tea. Often described as China’s tea capital, the region is closely linked with the origins of black and oolong teas. At Shijiamingyuan Tea Estate I learned the basics of leaf picking and observed a traditional tea‑serving ritual in the fields.
For a different kind of adventure, bamboo rafting on the nine‑bend stream lets you drift through spectacular scenery while nimble fish occasionally leap from the water. The mountain vistas along the route are striking and singular.
Practical tips for travelling in China
Many visitors worry about internet restrictions, but practical workarounds simplify travel. Buy an e‑SIM before you go so your phone can access Gmail, WhatsApp and other services; providers such as Airalo are easy to activate and, in some cases, include a VPN service. Still, expect a short verification process when setting up local payment apps.
WeChat is essential for messaging and, together with Alipay, dominates digital payments. You should complete most app verifications in advance; however, Alipay requires a facial scan that can only be done inside China. Once set up, payments are typically handled by scanning a seller’s barcode or showing your own.
Credit cards, Google Pay and Apple Pay are less widely accepted than in Europe. I carried cash for remote areas, but small vendors often lack change—mobile payments are the norm in many places.
Navigation can be uneven: Google Maps is unreliable in some areas, while Apple Maps worked better for me. Consider downloading AMAP Global if you plan to travel without a guide. Always keep your passport close: it’s frequently required for ticket collection, attraction entry and train check‑in.
Visiting China may seem daunting at first, but most practical hurdles are straightforward to overcome. If you’re willing to adjust to local systems, the rewards are considerable: distinctive landscapes, living traditions and plenty of memorable moments—plus the risk of coming home with an overfilled suitcase of souvenirs.
Note: The opinions in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of RTÉ.
