Event: China - Harbin

Harbin Ice and Snow World

When:	5 Jan - 8 Feb 2008 (annual)
Where:	Zhaolin Park
Costs:	RMB80; children RMB40
Opening Hours:	9am-10pm

The city of Harbin makes the most of its freezing winters by hosting an impressive ice festival. Blocks of ice are carved into sculptures and buildings and lit from within to provide glittering lights of ice.

In the past, structures have included tall towers, Buddha statues and even restaurants made of ice. The super-fast ice slide is also an annual feature, and don't worry, there's little chance of the constructions melting, as Harbin's location near the Russian border provides icy temperatures for most of the year. Remember to wrap up warm!

Harbin is the capital of Heilongjiang Province, in north-east China. There are some amazing places to visit too - if you decide to go for the Ice Festival, make sure you check out the five Grand Lakes of the Volcano Park, and the Jingpo Lake, a barrier lake in high mountains.