Lying on the north bank of Songhua River covering an area of 9,390 acres, the Sun Island Scenic Area is an oasis of crystal waters, exotic animals, rare flowers and Russian culture. In the winter, the Harbin Ice and Snow World held here & like much of Harbin, Sun Island Scenic Area becomes a paradise of ice & snow. In the summer, much of the foliage comes into bloom and the park becomes a restful escape from summer heat. The area had a boost in recent years, after the song "Beautiful Sun Island" was a huge hit for much-loved Chinese singer Zheng Xulan in the 1980s.
Sun Island Scenic Area, (encompassing Sun Island and a number of smaller islands) can roughly be divided into three parts: the northernmost area of Animals World, the central part which focuses on exquisite flowers and snowy wintry landscapes, and the southern part which presents Russian architecture, art & cultural displays and the elegant curved lines of Sun Gate.
Animals' World covers the north and west of Sun Island Scenic Area. It has several gardens named after the creatures which live there. Squirrel Island is a favorite with children who enjoy feeding the critters with food which can be bought on-site. Bird-watchers are particularly drawn to Swan Lake, where large numbers of elegant black swans, swan geese, huge whooper swans, black-billed tundra swans, mandarin ducks and other aquatic birds gather to honk and flap. Deer Garden is a more contemplative area where deer can be spotted running through the trees and playing on grassy slopes.
The central section of the garden is a wonderland for horticulturalists in the summer, who flock here to see the flower garden, planted according to zodiacal signs, the fragrant clove garden which features twelve varieties of the flower and the Harbin-Niigata Friendship Garden: a Japanese courtyard garden whose graceful trees blossom in the spring amongst streams and wooden bridges.
This area also features the Cloud Water "Gloriette" ("little glory") an elevated building jutting out over the water of Sun Lake providing unrivalled views.
In this central section of Sun Island Scenic Area, is the largest indoor Ice & Snow Hall in the world. It exhibits the ice sculptures for which Harbin is famous all year round, in a hall covering more than an acre, ensuring that visitors who miss the International Ice and Snow Festival can still experience these intricate works of art.
The southernmost part of Sun Island Scenic Area is a treasure trove of Russian culture. The Russian Artist Village, Russian Streets, Russian Restaurants and the largest private collection exhibition hall in China - the Russian Art Exhibition Hall – showcase Harbin's long-running links with Russia. Russian films are shown, Russian songs are sung and Russian food is eaten in this unusual but unforgettable enclave. Another feature of the southern part of Sun Island Scenic Area, is Sun Gate, an enormous curved bow of stone flanked by elegant towers, under which visitors can wander on their way to Sun Stone.
Visitors can swim in the Songhua River, camp by its banks, picnic on the shores or simply soak up the sun at one of the scenic areas. The list of winter sports available here includes ice-hockey, ice-skating and sledding.
Ferry: Ferries leave from Jiuzhan, Flood Control Monument (April to November)
Ropeway: Take Bus No. 13, 79, 101, 102, 103 and get off at Jiuzhan; then take ropeway (RMB 50 for a round trip).
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