6 of the best winter wonderland views in Asia

Lantern-lit villages, mountain-backed lakes and a region so beautiful it is said to have inspired a whole genre of art

By Tiffany Lam 22 December, 2010

Every January, Harbin transforms into a city of technicolored ice.

Harbin, China

The illuminated ice sculptures at the Harbin International Ice and Snow festival have been luring people to the Heilongjiang city for almost three decades.

The ice lantern garden party at Zhaolin Park is a festival highlight, featuring close to 1,500 larger-than-life translucent ice structures that shimmer with multicolored lights at night. The ice lanterns are designed with a different theme each year and vary from famous landmarks around the globe, to mythical beasts.

The Harbin International Ice and Snow festival 2011 opens on January 5 and will last for a month.

The Yabuli ski resort, located near Harbin, is a great favorite among powder hounds for having China’s largest ski terrain. Club Med recently opened its first Chinese resort at Yabuli.

Getting there: Travelers can fly in to Harbin from over a dozen domestic airports. There are also international flights to Harbin from Hong Kong, Russia, Niigata, Japan, Seoul, South Korea, Khabarovsk ,Vladivostok and Los Angeles