Shangri-La Songbei, Harbin

Harbin or Hā'ěrbīn is the capital of Heilongjiang, China, and the largest city of the province—as well as the second largest urban population and the largest metropolitan population in Northeast China. Harbin has direct jurisdiction over nine metropolitan districts, two county-level cities, and seven counties. It is the eighth most populous Chinese city according to the 2020 census. The built-up area of Harbin has 5,841,929 inhabitants, while the total metropolitan population is up to 10,009,854, making it one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. Harbin serves as a key political, economic, scientific, cultural, and communications hub in Northeast China, as well as an important industrial base of the nation.

The city's most famous attraction is the Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, which takes place every winter. The festival showcases breathtaking sculptures made entirely of ice and snow, ranging from small figures to massive structures. The festival also features various winter activities such as ice-skating, snowmobiling, and ice-fishing.

Apart from the festival, Harbin has plenty of other tourist attractions worth exploring. One of these is the St. Sophia Cathedral, a Russian Orthodox church built-in 1907. The cathedral's unique architecture, including its green domes and redbrick walls, makes it a popular destination for photographers.