Picture a city of castles built from blocks of river ice, lit from inside in pink, green and electric blue, at minus 20 degrees. That is the Harbin Ice Festival, and it is as unreal in person as it looks in photos. It is also one of the coldest trips most of us from the tropics will ever take, so the planning matters more than usual.
This guide covers the Harbin Ice Festival 2027 season: when each park opens, what tickets cost in yuan and pesos, how to fly there from Manila, the China visa Filipinos need, and what it really takes to stay warm. Facts were checked on 4 November 2026. The 2026-27 opening dates and ticket prices were not announced yet at that point, so we show last season’s numbers and say clearly where they may change.
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Harbin Ice Festival 2027 at a glance
- Where: Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang province in northeast China.
- When: the main park, Harbin Ice and Snow World, is expected to open around 20 to 24 December 2026 and run to late February 2027. These dates were not official as of 4 November 2026. The festival’s opening ceremony is traditionally on 5 January.
- Main ticket: Ice and Snow World cost ¥328 for an adult last season (about PHP 3,127). The 2026-27 price was not published yet.
- Weather: January averages about -13°C by day and -25°C at night.
- Visa for Filipinos: yes, you need a Chinese L (tourist) visa. From PHP 2,898 in Manila for a single entry.
- Flights from Manila: no direct flight. One stop, usually through a Chinese hub or Seoul.
When is the Harbin Ice Festival 2027?
“The Harbin Ice Festival” is really several things running at the same time across the city, and they do not all open on the same day.
Harbin Ice and Snow World is the giant night park on the north bank of the Songhua River, the one in every photo. As of 4 November 2026 its operator had not announced the 2026-27 opening date or ticket release. Going by past seasons it opens in late December, and travel sites expect around 20 to 24 December 2026. Last season it closed in late February.
The official festival is the Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival, whose opening ceremony has been held on 5 January. New Year’s Eve fireworks on 31 December are another big night.
Sun Island Snow Sculpture Expo and the Zhaolin Park ice lanterns usually open in late December too and close in late February or early March.
Our advice: aim for the first three weeks of January. Everything is open, the sculptures are fresh, and you avoid the Chinese New Year crowds in February. If your dates are fixed, wait for the official announcement (usually a few weeks before opening) before booking non-refundable park tickets.
Harbin Ice Festival tickets and what each park costs
These are last season’s (2025-26) prices. The 2026-27 prices were not published on 4 November 2026, so treat them as a guide.
| Park | Ticket (CNY) | About (PHP) |
|---|---|---|
| Ice and Snow World, adult | ¥328 | PHP 3,127 |
| Ice and Snow World, concession | ¥240 | PHP 2,288 |
| Sun Island Snow Sculpture Expo, adult | ¥198 | PHP 1,888 |
| Zhaolin Park ice lanterns | free last season | free |
Rate used: ¥1 = PHP 9.533 (4 November 2026). Concession at Ice and Snow World covered children aged six or over and taller than 1.2 m, students aged 24 or under with ID, visitors with disabilities and Harbin residents last season; children under 1.2 m or under six and visitors aged 65 and over entered free.
One thing that catches foreigners out: the park’s own online booking has been open only to people with a Chinese resident ID card. With a Philippine passport you buy at the gate or through a reseller, and timed entry reservations open on a rolling basis a few days ahead. Booking ahead saves you queuing at -20°C. See Harbin Ice and Snow World tickets on Klook once the 2026-27 dates are released.
The parks: what to see and when to go
Harbin Ice and Snow World
This is the one to plan your trip around. Full-size buildings, slides and towers are cut from Songhua River ice and lit from within. The lights usually come on between 4 and 4:30 pm, so arrive mid-afternoon, see it change from white to neon as night falls, and leave before your toes give up. Metro Line 2 has an Ice and Snow World station. Plan on two to three hours and at least one warm-up break inside.
Sun Island Snow Sculpture Expo
Sun Island is the daytime show: huge white snow sculptures, best in sunlight. It sits on the same side of the river as Ice and Snow World, so many people do Sun Island in the morning and the ice park in the evening. That is a long, cold day, so only pair them if you are fit and dressed for it.
Zhaolin Park ice lanterns
The original Harbin ice lantern show, smaller and in the city centre near the river. Last season it ran from 30 December 2025 to 19 February 2026 and was free. It is an easy evening walk if you do not want a second big ticket.
Central Street and Saint Sophia
Central Street (Zhongyang Dajie) is a long pedestrian street of old Russian-era buildings, with ice sculptures along it in winter. At one end you reach the Songhua River, and a short walk away stands the onion-domed Saint Sophia Cathedral, lit up at night. A taxi from Ice and Snow World to Central Street costs about ¥20 (about PHP 191). For more cold-weather trip ideas, see our list of best cold-weather winter holiday destinations.
China visa for Filipinos going to Harbin
This is the step to start first. As of November 2026, Philippine passport holders need a visa for mainland China, and Harbin is on the mainland. The Philippines is not on China’s 30-day visa-free list or on the 240-hour visa-free transit list, and the 30-day visa-free entry Filipinos do have applies to Hainan only.
For a festival trip you apply for an L (tourist) visa. In Manila, the total for a single entry with regular service starts at PHP 2,898 (visa fee plus the visa centre’s service fee), paid in cash, and pickup is on the fourth working day after you hand in your passport. Forms are now filled in and checked online first. Our full China visa guide for Filipinos has the document list, the Cebu option and every fee.
Apply in November or early December. Mid-December to early January is busy at the visa centre because of Christmas and New Year trips.
This section is general information, not immigration advice. The Chinese embassy and consulates make the final call, so check their pages for your own case.
Flights from Manila to Harbin
There is no direct flight from Manila (NAIA) to Harbin Taiping International Airport (HRB). You connect once, most often through Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen or Xiamen on Chinese carriers (China Eastern, Air China, China Southern, Shenzhen Airlines, Xiamen Airlines, Juneyao), or through Seoul on Korean carriers, or through Hong Kong. Flying time is about 5 hours 45 minutes to just under 8 hours, plus the layover.
If you connect inside mainland China, that connection is your entry into China, so you clear immigration there with your L visa. Connecting through Hong Kong is another option: Philippine passport holders can visit Hong Kong visa-free for 14 days, which makes a stopover easy. Our Hong Kong budget trip from Manila covers that side.
On 4 November 2026 Trip.com showed one-way fares from about PHP 7,700 for mid-November dates, with one stop. Late December and January fares are higher, so book once your visa plan is clear.
Check Manila to Harbin fares on Trip.com
From Harbin airport to the city: the airport is about 39 km from Ice and Snow World, around 50 minutes by car. Airport Bus Line 4 runs towards Ice and Snow World for about ¥20 (PHP 191), and a taxi costs about ¥120 to ¥150 (PHP 1,144 to 1,430). Coming from Beijing instead? The fastest high-speed trains to Harbin West take about 4 and a half hours.
Where to stay in Harbin
Stay near Central Street in Daoli District. You get restaurants, the river, Saint Sophia and the metro on your doorstep, and Ice and Snow World is a short taxi or metro ride away. Staying near the parks across the river is quieter but leaves you far from food and the old town at night, which matters when it is -25°C.
Rooms are not the expensive part. On 19 October 2026 one travel site found double rooms for the night of 5 January 2027 from about US$26 (PHP 1,652), a median of about US$55 (PHP 3,494) among the cheapest, and about US$150 (PHP 9,528) for a well-reviewed central hotel. The catch is availability: the good central rooms go first, so book refundable rooms early. Compare rooms around Central Street, or use the map below to see live prices.
Harbin Ice Festival cost from Manila
A rough 4-night budget per person, using last season’s ticket prices and the rates of ¥1 = PHP 9.533 and US$1 = PHP 63.52 (4 November 2026).
| Item | Local price | About (PHP) |
|---|---|---|
| China L visa, single entry (Manila) | – | 2,898 |
| Flights Manila to Harbin, return | varies | check Trip.com for your dates |
| Hotel, 4 nights (half a US$55 double) | US$110 | 6,987 |
| Ice and Snow World ticket | ¥328 | 3,127 |
| Sun Island ticket | ¥198 | 1,888 |
| Airport bus, return | ¥40 | 381 |
| Local meals, 2 a day at under ¥50 each | under ¥400 | under 3,813 |
| Taxis and metro | about ¥200 | 1,907 |
Before flights, that is roughly PHP 21,000 per person. Add your fare and any winter gear you need to buy. A simple local meal in Harbin can be well under ¥50, and dumplings and hot pot are exactly what you want after a night at minus 20.
What to wear when you come from the tropics
Harbin in January averages about -13°C in the day and -25°C at night, and the wind makes it feel colder. For most Filipinos this is colder than anything we have ever stood in, so dress in layers and do not improvise.
- Base layer: thermal top and leggings, wool or synthetic, not cotton.
- Middle: fleece or a wool sweater.
- Outer: a long, windproof down coat with a hood.
- Feet: insulated boots with real tread. The paths are ice, not snow. Thick wool socks, and a spare pair.
- Hands and face: thin liner gloves under warm mittens, a balaclava or face covering, and a hat that covers your ears.
- Extras: stick-on hand and foot warmers, and lip balm.
Batteries drain fast in deep cold. Keep your phone and power bank in an inside pocket, close to your body, and take photos in short bursts. Go inside to warm up before you feel numb, not after. For a gentler first snow trip, our guide to Japan winter destinations is a good comparison.
Practical tips for Filipinos in Harbin
Paying: China runs on Alipay and WeChat Pay. Foreign tourists can verify their passport in Alipay and link an international card, with no Chinese bank account needed. Set it up and test it before you fly, and carry some cash in yuan as a backup.
Internet: many apps Filipinos use every day, such as Google, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, are blocked on Chinese networks. A travel eSIM that routes data abroad is the simplest fix. See China eSIM plans on Airalo and install it before you leave Manila.
Insurance: slipping on ice is the most common way a Harbin trip goes wrong, and without insurance you pay any hospital bills yourself. Check what SafetyWing travel insurance costs for your dates before you go.
Timing around the Philippine calendar: January after the holidays is the sweet spot. Chinese New Year falls on 6 February 2027, which brings domestic crowds and higher prices to Harbin, so avoid that week unless you want the crowds. Our Chinese New Year destinations guide covers other places to celebrate it.
Frequently asked questions
When does the Harbin Ice Festival 2027 start?
Ice and Snow World is expected to open around 20 to 24 December 2026, but this was not official as of 4 November 2026. The festival’s opening ceremony is traditionally held on 5 January.
How much are the tickets?
Ice and Snow World cost ¥328 for an adult last season, about PHP 3,127. Sun Island was ¥198 and Zhaolin Park was free. 2026-27 prices were not announced yet.
Do Filipinos need a visa for Harbin?
Yes. Harbin is in mainland China, so you need a Chinese L visa. In Manila it costs from PHP 2,898 for a single entry.
Is there a direct flight from Manila to Harbin?
No. You connect once, usually in a Chinese city or Seoul.
How cold is Harbin in January?
About -13°C by day and -25°C at night on average.
What is the best time to go?
The first three weeks of January, after the parks open and before Chinese New Year crowds.
Is the trip worth it?
If you have ever wanted to see snow done at its most extreme, yes. Nowhere else builds a whole lit-up city out of ice every winter. Get your China visa sorted first, book refundable flights and a room near Central Street, wait for the official park dates, and pack like you mean it. Then go see it at night, when the ice starts to glow.
Featured photo: Shanghai killer whale / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
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About the Author
Bianca Rei is a Filipino traveler, entrepreneur, and problem-solver who has called Serbia home for many years. She has been following Two Monkeys Travel Group since 2014, back when she was simply a reader dreaming, traveling, and collecting stories of her own, so being able to contribute to the blog now feels a little like coming full circle.
Bianca runs Rodi Solutions, where she helps people and businesses navigate life and business in Serbia, alongside website design, development, and management. When she is not working, she is usually traveling, boxing, chasing another adventure, or spending time with her family.
Find her work at rodi.consulting, or get to know her beyond work at biancarei.net.
