About this place

Greetings skiers and snowboarders in China! I’m writing this to try to give some clear info about the ski situation here in China, especially Yabuli ski resort in Heilongjiang Province.  I recently planned a trip there (March 2012), and I found that it was difficult to find clear information online, so I hope this will be helpful.  Arranging a trip to Yabuli is a little confusing if it’s your first time there.  Thankfully, once you get there everything is very convenient.  The biggest problem is that Yabuli is in fact not one ski resort, but several.  Basically there are two main resorts worth visiting, Sun Mountain (阳光度假村) and Xin TiWei （新体委）.  The two mountains are literally side by side, and equally tall, but Sun Mountain is by far the better of the two.  Some websites may tell you that TiWei is the best, but this is simply not true.  TiWei is considerably cheaper, but you will not regret the extra expense of Sun Mountain.  Sun Mountain has far better rental equipment, more trails, a better snowboard park, nicer facilities, better service, and better snow!  Beginners may be ok saving money at TiWei, but experienced skiers/boarders should head directly to Sun Mountain!  Sun Mountain even has English-speaking trainers available.  If you really want to try both places, I would suggest doing a half day at TiWei and a full day at Sun Mountain.  At any Chinese ski resort it’s a good idea to make a reservation at least one day in advance.  The “list prices” are ludicrously high, but almost no one actually pays these prices because you can get a 50% or more discount by booking in advance.  You can book online, but beware that many websites don’t state clearly which resort you are booking, but just list it as “Yabuli Ski Resort” or something similar.  It’s better to call ahead to be sure what you are getting.  Search online for “Yabuli ski hotline” or something similar.  These people are actually “tour guides” that can set you up at either Sun Mountain or TiWei.  They will also pick you up at the train station, give you whatever transport you need around the ski village, and make any other arrangements you need.  Don’t let the “Chinese tour guide” tag scare you!  It’s actually very straightforward and convenient.  If you choose to go without a reservation, there are people at the train station offering rides (some speak English).  It seems to be a reliable system, as long as you agree on the price beforehand.  A full day at Sun Mountain, including rentals, should cost you no more than 400 yuan (I paid 360 on a Sunday, weekdays should be cheaper).  TiWei should be around 200.  Rumor has it you can get lower prices if you join a tour group from Harbin.  You may also be able to get better deals if you buy a two-day ticket.  At TiWei, if you’re an experienced skier/boarder, be sure to specify that you want the “advanced ticket” (高级雪道).  Beginners can pay a lower price, but you are limited to only the bottom portion of the mountain. There is accommodation available at all price ranges.  Sun Mountain is affiliated with Club Med hotel, but you don’t need to be a hotel guest to ski there.  The Club Med looks to be very nice, but if it’s out of your price range, there are plenty of other choices, starting around 150 yuan per night.  Your “guide” can arrange a hotel for you at your desired price range.  Note that the cheapest hotels may not have 24-hour hot water.  All hotels are located very near the ski slopes, so you needn’t worry about that.  Dining options are pretty limited and a bit overpriced, but not unreasonable.  Transportation to Yabuli is quite convenient.  Be aware that there are two Yabuli train stations.  Yabuli South Station is right at the foot of the mountain, just a five-minute drive from the resorts.  Yabuli Station is located in Yabuli Town, which is about 25 minutes away from the mountains.  There are buses and taxis going from Yabuli Station.  If going from Harbin, there is only one train daily (around 8 am, two hours) to Yabuli South Station.  There is one daily train returning to Harbin (4:30 pm), so it’s possible to do a day-trip from Harbin, but you’d only be able to ski for about four hours.  If you’re worried about crowds, going on weekdays is your best bet.  Also, there will be considerably more people when the students are on winter holiday (approx. mid Jan--Mar 1).  If you can only go on a weekend, don’t worry too much; there are plenty of hotel rooms available, and the gondola moves people very efficiently so you never have to wait in line for more than a minute or two.  At the top of the mountain, the crowd disperses enough, so it’s not really a problem.  I hope the above information can clear up any confusion you may have about making your trip to Yabuli!  There is some debate over which ski location is “China’s best.”  Most Chinese people believe that Yabuli is the most famous and therefore the best.  In fact, for experienced skiers, and especially experienced boarders, Beidahu (北大湖) in Jilin Province is probably superior.  It has more trails, more lifts, moguls, and an awesome snowboard park including a full-size half-pipe.  The downside is Beidahu lacks budget accommodation and is not serviced by trains.  My advice for choosing Yabuli or Beidahu: try them both and decide for yourself!