lovelife Posted January 31, 2011 at 04:52 PM Report Posted January 31, 2011 at 04:52 PM Hey everyone!!! I am currently planning my move to china, and am trying to figure out which city/area i should go to so i am in a close proximity to a good( or at least decent) winter resort or at least some mountain with winter sports facilities. The main goal is to find and choose a place that will be big enough so i can get a job teaching english and also enrolling on a mandarin course, while having the comfort of a weekend escape to the mountains. I love snowboarding and dont want to sacrifice that just because i want to learn mandarin too. I have heard that there is a big winter resort close to Harbin (yabuli if i am not mistaken), and for the moment this is the only city i am considering as i can study there and there seem to be job opportunities too (apparently, from what i see on the google search). are there any other places at all. honestly, i will be really grateful for any piece of information on the subject. if you've been to yabuli, or anywhere else better or worse,and there is a city nearby that i can get a job- then please speak to me. if you are a mountain lover you will understand my itch. ideally looking to get to china in mid august -september, so if anyone is living the life i was describing above already, or having the same plans, i would be happy to get in touch and may be make plans together, although i am not worried at all about jumping in this alone either, so , you know, only spreading the word and asking for info Quote
frank the tank Posted February 16, 2011 at 10:54 AM Report Posted February 16, 2011 at 10:54 AM I've spent a fair bit of time snowboarding around the Harbin area. I can confidently say you wont get the quality of snow as, say, North America (even Australia actually), but it can be fun and should satisfy. There are a number of ski resorts around but each one usually only consists of one or two runs. There are half-pipes though and a keen contingent of Chinese Snowboarders... some who rip. The positives are that its super cheap to get boards, boots, bindings etc here. Harbin is good because you could easily find a teaching job that gives you lots of free time and the mandarin courses are cheap and pretty well put together. Anything else you want to know just ask...I use to go on a pretty regular basis and would love to find more people into here. Quote
lovelife Posted February 16, 2011 at 05:20 PM Author Report Posted February 16, 2011 at 05:20 PM Thanks for the reply, frank (one of my top comedy heroes too hehe)! Thats some useful info, man. Well, I'm flying to China at the end of August, and not yet sure of the overall plan. I'm in the process of applying for some scholarship for a masters degree there, but if that doesnt work out, im definitely gonna be on the job market in one way or another at some point. Either way, I'd say that it would be great to stay in touch, we may/should do some cruising together. in terms of snow, when does the season start and end in the harbin area. Also in terms of work, i dont know if you are in the teaching business, but do you have any idea roughly if the cash from teaching is gonna be enough to allow snowboarding now and then. From what you are saying it seems that you live in harbin, not sure if i'm correct. But if you do, how do you like the place? Quote
frank the tank Posted February 27, 2011 at 08:23 AM Report Posted February 27, 2011 at 08:23 AM Haha yeah, Franks a good guy. Goodluck with the scholarship and what not, hope it all goes to plan, if not though, teaching is not a bad way to go. You'll easily get enough pay to go snowboarding on your days off plus live pretty comfortably. Just make sure you shop around for the right job. The season usually starts around oct/nov and runs till about march/may.....I really need to stress the quality though, just dont expect knee-deep powder. As for Harbin, its something that you either love or hate. Most people I know come back...its got something about it. Its a super fun place once you get to know it and summer here is great. Quote
Theodora Posted April 10, 2013 at 06:52 AM Report Posted April 10, 2013 at 06:52 AM There are two resorts within relatively easy reach of Harbin. Yabuli has two separate large sets of slopes, one government run, one private: Sun Mountain, the private one, is better maintained and easier for most though the slopes at Yabuli proper are longer and steeper. You can also relatively easily access Beidahu -- bullet train to Jilin, then cab it or take the morning ski bus -- which is IMO better than Yabuli. Quote
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