Friday, August 28, 2015

China (Harbin, Heilongjiang) Aug 2015

Total expenses incurred (3 days) : CNY415
Hostel (2 nights): CNY80 (dorm)
Food : CNY65
City bus: CNY8
Long distance bus: CNY166 (Harbin>Heihe) + CNY96 (Harbin>Mudanjiang)


Map of  Harbin, Heilongjiang

My first visit to North Eastern China was in August 2011, mainly to Harbin, Changbai Shan, Jilin, Shenyang & Manzhouli. As for this particular visit, I went further north of Heilongjiang to towns like Heihe & Wudalian Chi and down south to Mudanjiang, Jingbo lake & Suifenhe. But I skipped Mohe & the Arctic Village, China's northern most town as I was unable to buy a sleeper train ticket from Harbin as the summer month of August was a peak tourist season for students & holiday makers.

I took a comfortable high speed train from the Beijing main railway station to Harbin and the journey took about 6.5 hrs. On arrival, I checked into Harbin Russia Youth Hotel and spent the afternoon visiting the St Sophia Church and the nearby commercial / shopping area.

In the next morning, I took a long distance bus for my visit to Heihe, a border town close to the Russian border. The bus ride took about 8 hrs.

After my visits to Heihe & Wudalian Chi, I returned to Harbin and stayed for one more night before leaving for Mudanjiang in the following morning. While in Harbin, I had some spare time and visited the Heilongjiang Provincial Museum, the Flood Control Monument, Stalin Park, Song Huajiang river and a brief visit to the Sun Island Park. The commercial center of Harbin has a number of Russian design architectural buildings for you to admire & appreciate.

If you are planning a visit to Vladivostok, the eastern city in Russia, you can take a train to Suifenhe and from there another train or bus ride to Vladivostok. Alternately, you can opt for a high speed train ride from Harbin to Qiqihar and then by a normal train or bus to Manzhouli for a overland border crossing to Ulan Ude.

1) Boarding a high speed train from Beijing to Harbin 




2) Harbin Train Station, Heilongjiang


3) Daoliqu & Zhongyang Dajie, Harbin, Heilongjiang













4) Parkson Departmental Store, Harbin - a leading departmental store, Malaysian owned !


5) Heilongjiang Provincial Museum, Harbin




7) Church of St Sophia, Harbin, Heilongjiang


Stalin Park, Harbin, Heilongjiang



8) Flood Control Monument, Harbin, Heilongjiang 


9) Songhua Jiang (River), Harbin, Heilongjiang






10) Sun Island Park, Harbin, Heilongjiang - took a ferry ride from a nearby jetty in a waterfront area in Harbin. 




11) Eating in Harbin, Heilongjiang


Seafood wan tan CNY6
Clay pot of chicken rice CNY15 

12) Morning street market near my hostel in Harbin, Heilongjiang








13) Russia Youth Hostel, Harbin - my basic 2 nights stay ! 


CNY40 (dorm)

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