Things To Do This Winter To Burn Off Holiday Calories
As they say, winter is coming! I, along with thousands of others within the expat community, have a true passion for winter sports. Luckily, I am not overly vexed by the cold weather, undoubtedly due to my Ukrainian roots. For many a winter lover, there is nothing better than that adrenaline rush you get as you speed down a Black Diamond with the wind blocking out all sounds and feeling on your face. Here is a guide to your winter outings in the Middle Kingdom, although be forewarned, most will involve a northern bound road trip.
Yabuli Ski Resort
Where: Yabuli Ski Resort in Heilongjiang Province in Northeastern China. While this Ski resort is the farthest away from Shanghai it is renowned as one of the best in China and quite possibly Asia as well. Yabuli is a favorite amongst seasoned snowboarders and skiers, but is a good spot for anyone wishing to try their luck against the mountain! The mountain features 11 primary, intermediate, and master trails to suit everyone's ability and preference. Additionally, the resort offers other activities for those trying to avoid the snow, including mini golf and tennis courts.
How to get there:
As the closest major city, you will first want to travel to Harbin. From there you can take D61, D63, T479 or T481 train from the Harbin Train Station to the Yabuli Train Station. Once at the train station, there's a bus to take you to the skiing resort. Alternatively, via private car, you can take the 301 National Highway to the resort.
Beijing Nanshan Ski Resort
Where: Beijing Nanshan Ski Resort is conveniently located about 60 kilometers outside of Beijing. The mountain is a fan favorite due to convenience matched by quality services. Being the closest respite to Beijing, locals and tourists alike spend their weekends and holidays flocking to the massive ski resort to shred the mountain, relax, and pretend that winter isn't so bad after all. Of course, they may retract that thinking when running into an ice patch to find snow in places where the sun doesn't shine. Beijing Nanshan is low on death-defying mountain trails, but the ease of traveling there from Beijing and Shanghai makes up for the slight lack of Black Diamonds and potential deaths.
How to get there from Beijing:
Ski Shuttle Bus
Shuttle buses every day depart at 8:30am from two stops(Sanyuan Bridge and Wudaokou Subway Station)Return fares are RMB 45per person. During the full price days, every Monday, Tuesday there is a special price of RMB25(weekday only).
Feiyang Skating Center
Where: There official address is Yunlian Lu No. 201, Pudong, Shanghai. If you take the metro to Yuntai Road station and then the skating center is only about a ten minute walk. Feiyang Skating center is also the newest location in Shanghai, having only opened in 2013! Take your weekend date night to Pudong for a romantic and fun activity to burn off some of the lazy winter calories you’ve put on already.
Moving away from the realms of skiing and snowboarding leads us to another popular winter activity, ice skating. Whether you're trying to impress that cute girl from your office with a “unique” first date idea, or you grew up near a lake in the middle of nowhere, ice skating is a fun and different way to get out of the house without subjecting yourself to all the same chills as skiing and snowboarding down a windy mountain. The normal price is 40RMB/90 minutes but they have a daily “happy hour” deal which makes it 20RMB/2hours. However, you may not want to follow the frugal path with this one, as the link gets notoriously busy and crowded by scavengers looking for a deal. Regardless of when you decide to go, Feiyang Skating offers an incredible value and an affordable way to get out of the house/office this winter.
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