The Address Magazine Nov-Dec 2013 #92: The Winter Issue

THE SWING
Black Dragon River
Go north, slant east. In China, heading upwards in that prescribed manner
would surely lead you to Heilongjiang province, all OF 460,000 square kilometrEs
and steadily growing in popularity as a holiday getaway. With Mongolia to its
west, Jilin to the south and Russia in the northeast, the notable province had
historically been a major European gateway. Jafri M explores its natural beauty.
photographS CLUB MED YABULI
s u m m e r h o l i d a y – Literally translated as ‘Black Dragon
River’, Heilongjiang sees temperatures averaging from 18C to
23C during summertime in mid-year. The province, generally
flatter in the interior areas, is known for its rich diversity of
wildlife including deer, bears, pheasants, hares, squirrels, badgers,
and wild boars, especially in lush areas like Yabuli.
Indeed, in the early 1990s, the Chinese government upgraded
the protection of much of Yabuli to National Park
status, with sustainable development a major criteria of all
resort plans, like disallowing tree culling and mining.
Summer attractions in Heilongjiang include picturesque
nature spots and lakes to explore like the Fujin National
Forest Park, Zhaolin Park and Sun Island. Golfers often
head for sprawling courses like the Harbin International
Golf Club and Heilongjiang Xudong Golf Club.
The former is the first golf club in Heilongjiang province,
set up in 1999, and offers a 43-acre, nine-hole, par 36 layout
with a golf practicing hall and ski park that opens in winter.
The Heilongjiang Xudong Golf Club, started in 2000, is located
in Pingshan Town of Acheng District in Harbin. Only
an hour’s drive from downtown Harbin, the 494-acre, par
72, 18-hole course is set on hilly terrain amid eight lakes.
Open in summer, it is closed during winter where, as the
first golf course constructed on a snowfield in Asia, it serves
as an excellent ski resort as well.
w i n t e r w o n d e r l a n d – Heilongjiang’s winters are extremely
long and cold, with temperatures ranging from
-15C to -30C.
Seasonal attractions in the area include ski festivals, winter
swimming, sculpture competitions, and stunning ice
lantern displays. The month-long Harbin International Ice
and Snow Festival is dedicated to the fascinating art of ice
sculpture and is always popular with locals and tourists.
The ski season kicks off in November and stretches to
April. The Yabuli area, while relatively unknown in the
West, is widely hailed in China as an especially picturesque
area often used for movie location shoots. Yabuli also
hosted the 2009 Winter Universiade. In fact, the hype in
Heilongjiang has been on the upscale Club Med Yabuli. ➢
78 TA | nov/dec 2013