Top Ski Grounds in China

Xinjiang's Silkroad Ski Resort. Photo: Agencies

Beijing's Snow World Ski Resort. Photo: Agencies

Jilin's Changbai Mountain West Slope Ski Resort. Photo: Agencies

Harbin's Yabuli Ski Resort. Photo: Agencies

Winter is a season for skiing and snowboarding and China offers an expansive choice of venues for these winter sports. Here is a selection of the best ski grounds chosen by the editors of the travel section at sina.com.cn, the nation's most popular web portal.

Xinjiang's Silkroad Ski Resort

There is nothing more pleasant than gliding down a slope surrounded by natural forest. While in big cities it is impossible for skiers to have this intimate experience with nature, in the open spaces of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region you can be as close to nature as you want.

The Silkroad Ski Resort is located within the Nanshan National Forest Park, some 38 kilometers from Urumuqi city. Capable of hosting ten thousand visitors at a time, the ski resort has trails catering to different levels of skiers from children and beginners to professionals. The resort also has instructors and a section specially designed for snowboarding.

However, what makes the resort stand out from the rest is its magnificent mountain views. The resort has a sightseeing cable car that climbs to the peak at 2280 meters altitude. Long distance visitors can also stay the night at the resort's wood cabins and try some Xinjiang delicacies at its restaurant.

The Silkroad Ski Resort opens from early November to the beginning of May the next year.

Beijing's Snow World Ski Resort

Only 20 kilometres from downtown Beijing, the Snow World Ski Resort is popular with people who want to take it easy. The resort has three trails designed for beginners and a 380 metre snowboard lane. Even the intermediate level trails are gently curved to meet the needs of amateur skiers.

For visitors who are looking for a different kind of challenge, the resort offers a race lane for snow mobiles. And child customers can throw snowballs or make snowmen in a separate section. If you want to escape the crowd during the day, the resort also operates at night.

Snow World Ski Resort is close to hot spring resorts in Changping district. It is strongly recommended that skiers relax into a hot spring after a busy day on the slopes.

Jilin's Changbai Mountain West Slope Ski Resort

The Changbai Mountain West Slope Ski Resort is said to be the largest natural ski resort in Asia. The resort is so large that visitors can enjoy different sceneries resulting from changing vegetation zones on the mountain, ranging from 1700 to 2500 metres. The resort is known for its high quality natural snow which is thickest and best between December and February.

In addition to having a wide variety of trails, the resort also takes advantage of its forest scenery with entertaining programs such as dog-pulled sled rides and snow mobiles. But the most popular attraction is collection of steamy hot springs scattered around the resort which serve as a perfect ending to a day filled with snow.

There are several newly opened holiday resorts close to the ski ground, all equipped with indoor hot springs. And do not miss the local food specialties using wild mountain game.

Harbin's Yabuli Ski Resort

The Yabuli Ski Resort is China's most comprehensive ski resort. It is the competition venue for many international sports events including the Winter Universiade and the Asia Winter Games.

The resort is conveniently connected to Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang province, by highway and rail. Due to its northern location, the resort remains open about 150 days every year. The resort used to be the hunting ground for imperial families in the Qing dynasty. Because of Harbin's close communication with neighboring Russian cities, the resort has a healthy selection of Russian entertainment programs in its hotels and restaurants.

Harbin's Yabuli Ski Resort is a US-China joint venture and a lot of its equipment has been imported to guarantee its quality and ability to meet international standards. The resort also serves as a training base for China's winter sports athletes.

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Orignal From: Top Ski Grounds in China