The Sun Island Scenic Area is located in Songbei District, Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province. It is a national 5A-level tourist attraction situated on an alluvial island in the Songhua River. The scenic area features the natural scenery of the river island, ice and snow culture, and folk customs as its core characteristics, with a total area of 88 square kilometers, including 47 square kilometers of land area and 41 square kilometers of water area. It integrates sightseeing, leisure vacations, science education, and ice and snow entertainment, and boasts well-known attractions such as Sun Stone, Squirrel Island, and Swan Lake. The Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Art Expo in winter is renowned both at home and abroad, and it is known as "northern scenery rivaling Jiangnan."
Historical Culture
The name of Sun Island originated in the early 20th century. Because the island was covered with clean fine sand that appeared especially hot under the sunlight, it was named "Sun Island." In the 1980s, the scenic area began large-scale development and construction, gradually forming its current scale and layout.
As an important carrier of Harbin's ice and snow culture, the Sun Island International Snow Sculpture Art Expo has become one of the world's largest and most artistically accomplished snow sculpture events since it was first held in 1988. Every winter, hundreds of giant snow sculptures are exhibited here, with the tallest reaching over 30 meters, attracting millions of tourists to come and admire them, greatly promoting the development and dissemination of ice and snow art. In addition, the scenic area also preserves many buildings and facilities reflecting northern folk culture, showcasing Harbin's unique regional cultural charm.
Main Attractions
Sun Stone
The Sun Stone is the landmark landscape of Sun Island, located at the entrance of the scenic area. The stone is 7.5 meters long, 2 meters wide, and 4.3 meters high, weighing about 150 tons. It is a natural granite boulder. The three large Chinese characters "Sun Island" on the stone were inscribed by Mr. Zhao Puchu. The vigorous and powerful calligraphy complements the huge stone, making it a must-visit spot for tourists to take photos.
Squirrel Island
Squirrel Island covers an area of about 24,000 square meters and is surrounded by water, connected to the outside by a boardwalk. The island is home to nearly 2,000 squirrels of different breeds, including the Eurasian red squirrel and the Siberian flying squirrel. Visitors can feed the squirrels here and have close contact with these cute little animals, experiencing the vitality and energy of nature. A large number of pine trees and shrubs are also planted on the island, providing a good habitat for the squirrels.
Swan Lake
Swan Lake covers an area of about 12,000 square meters and is a man-made lake. It is home to black swans, white swans, greylag geese, and other waterfowl, with a total of more than 200 birds. The lake surface ripples with blue waves, and the banks are shaded by green trees. The swans swim leisurely in the lake, forming a beautiful natural picture. Visitors can stroll along the lake and enjoy the sight of waterfowl playing, or take a boat to observe them up close.
Flower Garden
The Flower Garden covers an area of about 70,000 square meters and is one of the larger flower-themed parks in Northeast China. The garden is planted with peonies, Chinese peonies, tulips, lilies, and other flowers, with a total area of 30,000 square meters and more than 200 varieties. In spring and summer each year, the garden is full of blooming flowers and colorful scenes, attracting a large number of tourists to come and admire the flowers and take photos. The garden also features flower beds, flower borders, greenhouses, and other landscapes and facilities, showcasing different styles of flower gardening.
Sun Island Snow Expo Park
The Sun Island Snow Expo Park is the core area of Sun Island in winter, covering an area of about 600,000 square meters. From December to February of the following year, a grand snow sculpture art expo is held here, displaying hundreds of giant snow sculptures, with the tallest reaching over 30 meters. The park also has an ice and snow entertainment area, a snow sculpture creation area, and more. Visitors can participate in snow tubing, ice slides, and other ice and snow activities to experience the fun of ice and snow.
Tour Route：
Recommended one-day tour route: Arrive at the scenic area at 9:00 a.m., first visit the Sun Stone and take photos (about 30 minutes); then go to Squirrel Island to interact with squirrels (about 1 hour); next, go to Swan Lake to observe waterfowl (about 40 minutes); have lunch at a restaurant in or around the scenic area (about 1 hour). At 1:30 p.m., go to the Flower Garden (in peak season) to enjoy the flowers (about 1.5 hours); afterward, you may choose to take the scenic area sightseeing bus to visit other attractions, such as Stupid Bear Paradise (about 1.5 hours); end the tour at around 4:30 p.m. In winter, focus can be placed on the Snow Expo Park, and it is recommended to arrange 3-4 hours to visit the snow sculptures and participate in ice and snow activities.
Travel Tips：
Best season to visit: In summer (June-August), you can enjoy the river island scenery and flowers; in winter (December-February), you can experience the ice and snow charm of the Snow Expo.
The scenic area is large, so it is recommended to wear comfortable sports shoes and tour on foot; you can also buy a scenic area sightseeing bus ticket (about 20 yuan per person, unlimited rides) to save energy.
In winter, take good measures to keep warm, wearing down jackets, scarves, gloves, snow boots, etc.; in summer, pay attention to sun protection and bring a sun hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen.
During the Snow Expo, there are many tourists, so it is recommended to buy tickets in advance and avoid peak times on weekends and holidays.
When tasting local food, you can choose to go to Harbin Central Street, where more specialty restaurants and snacks are gathered.
Precautions：
Protect the scenic area environment, do not litter, do not pick flowers or trees, and do not harm animals.
In animal habitat areas such as Squirrel Island, follow the rules and feed only designated food, and do not touch or startle the animals without permission.
In winter, icy and snowy roads are slippery, so pay attention to safety when walking and playing to avoid slipping and falling; when participating in ice and snow entertainment projects, follow the instructions of staff.
Some areas in the scenic area may have water, so stay away from the shore when playing and pay attention to your own safety.
Keep personal belongings safe and be more vigilant in crowded places to prevent items from being lost.
Transportation：
Bus: You can take Harbin city bus routes 29, 47, 80, 119, 125, 126, 211, 212, 213, 215, 216, 219, 346, 551, 552, etc. to Sun Island Daokou Station or Sun Island Park Station and get off, then walk to the entrance of the scenic area.
Ferry: Take a ferry from the pier at Jiuzhan Park or Stalin Park in Daoli District, Harbin, to Sun Island Pier. The journey takes about 10-15 minutes. It operates in peak season (May-October), and the fare is about 2 yuan per person.
Self-driving: From downtown Harbin, drive through the Songhua River Highway Bridge or Yangmingtan Bridge into Songbei District, then follow roads such as Songbei Avenue and Sun Avenue to reach the scenic area. There is a parking lot in the scenic area, with a charging standard of 5 yuan per hour for small vehicles and 10 yuan per hour for large vehicles.
Tourist shuttle: Near major attractions such as Central Street, there are tourist shuttle buses directly to the Sun Island Scenic Area, with a fare of about 10 yuan per person.
Opening Hours：
The opening hours of the Sun Island Scenic Area in peak season (May 1 to October 31) are 8:00-17:30; in off-season (November 1 to April 30 of the following year), the opening hours are 8:30-17:00. The opening hours of the Sun Island Snow Expo are usually from mid-to-late December to the end of February of the following year, with daily opening hours of 9:00-21:00 (the specific time is subject to the official announcement of that year). The scenic area may adjust the opening hours according to holidays and weather conditions. Tourists are advised to check official information before traveling.
Tickets：
Admission is free, but some attractions within the scenic area require separate tickets.