It's still a bit hot during the days.
What better way to cool off than to visit the Harbin Ice Festival out in Tai Tong (Yuen Long)!?
How to get there:
1. From Long Ping Station, take Exit B1
2. Walk along the sidewalk that runs along under the MTR station
3. You'll pass The Story of Milk Tea and soon spot a Pizza Hut Take Out Delivery
4. The bus stop is to the right on the main street
5. Hop onto bus K66 to Tai Tong
6. The ride is about 10 - 15 minutes through Yuen Long and onto Tai Tong Road
7. Get off at the STOP below (right next to a public restroom, which you'll see on your left)
8. Then you just follow the signs all the way to the Ice Festival
The lines to get in aren't so long right now, which was lucky for us.
When we purchased our tickets, we were given a paper that told us the time that we could enter the main complex. It looked like people could enter the complex for 30 minutes before the next group of visitors could enter. That, I thought, was a good idea…to regulate the flow of traffic.
Because the inside of the actual ice sculpture complex is so incredibly cold, we were all given coats to wear. The ice sculptures were pretty impressive, especially the way that they were lit up. It really felt like a Winter Wonderland inside.
Like most Hong Kong attractions, there were plenty of sculptures to take photos by. My favorite was the Tea Cup and Pot Merry-Go-Round sculpture! It's a shame that it didn't revolve around because that would be such a great ride.
Besides checking out the ice sculptures, which was totally the main draw, there are other activities around the space that people could check out:
1. The game booths: The prizes aren't as great as those at Ocean Park, but it is fun to try your luck at.
2. The snacks and food selection were, as usual, so delicious! Booths offered popcorn, cotton candy, pizza, HK street food snacks, fresh fruit drinks, bubble tea, and more.
3. One really great thing about the space was that there were a lot of places to sit and rest. I think, if there were more things to do at the Ice Festival, I could have stayed longer than just two hours…because I could always rest at one of the benches.
4. The other really fun thing at the Festival was the go-kart racing area. Definitely all right for both kids and adults. I don't drive a lot, mostly because there's no need to drive in Hong Kong. Public transportation is just so amazing. Anyhow, when I do get an opportunity to get behind the wheel…I am all for it. (Yup, I'm also one of those people who have to do the bumper cars every time I head out to Ocean Park!)
5. This next section of the park was a bit sad…It was sad because there were goats trapped within barricades who nibbled on food that children handed to them. I think I just didn't like the entire idea of this petting zoo.
If I could go again, I would. I might even head out in December because there are some special events listed on their website. Two thumbs up from me for the Harbin Ice Festival!
