Northeast

Jilin Province travel guide

吉林省 · 3 cities · 28 places

Rime (Soft Rime) Scenery, Jilin · AI illustration for China Trip

Cities and areas in Jilin

Jilin

Held once a year in Jilin City in January, the festival centres on Jilin rime ice, one of China's four great natural wonders. The festivities last about a month. During this time there are grand Northeast yangge dance gatherings, lantern floating and colourful lanterns on the Songhua River, a parade of decorated boats, fireworks evenings, and international and national ice and snow sports competitions including skating, skiing and ice hockey.

Overview

Jilin Province

Self-Guided Travel:

Northern Ice and Snow Journey

Rime Ice → Songhua Lake Ski Resort → Heavenly Lake

Ethnic Culture Journey

Wulajie Manchu Town → Aladi Korean Village → Goguryeo Capital City, Royal Tombs and Aristocratic Burial Sites

Self-Drive Tour:

Experience Korean Ethnic Culture

Jilin → Jiaohe → Antu → Yanji → Hunchun → Wudaogou → Chunhua → Dongning → Suifenhe → Mudanjiang → Harbin

Beijing → Tonghua → Erdaobaihe → Jingpo Lake → Volcano Forest Park → Jilin City → Siping → Beijing

Journey to the Heavenly Lake of Your Dreams

Beijing → Shenyang → Fengcheng → Dandong → Kuandian → Tonghua → Changbai Mountain

Places in Jilin

Rime (Soft Rime) Scenery

Jilin · 1–2 days

Known colloquially as “shuguà” (tree hanging), rime ice forms when fog and water vapour freeze. It appears in deep winter along the Songhua River in Jilin and is one of China’s Four Great Natural Wonders. Jilin City’s rime ice is mostly crystalline in form, renowned for its long duration and spectacular beauty. Rime Corridor: The southern and northern suburban counties of Fengman District and the Songjiang Road area in the urban centre are celebrated as the “Rime Corridor” and are among Jilin City’s most famous places to view rime ice.

Heaven Lake (Tianchi)

Changbai Mountain · 2–3 hours

A sacred body of water that has captivated people for centuries, Heaven Lake is not only magnificent but also mysterious. It is China’s largest volcanic crater lake, formed naturally by volcanic eruptions. Visiting Changbai Mountain without seeing Heaven Lake would be a lifelong regret. The area is often shrouded in mist, giving it an otherworldly quality. The lake’s water is clear and calm, as if it came from beyond the human world, which highlights its spiritual charm. Because Changbai Mountain’s weather changes quickly, Heaven Lake often appears and disappears from view, adding to its alluring, fairy-tale mystery. Even in winter, the frozen white surface of the lake, set high in the mountains, is so pure that it will leave you breathless. As the iconic landmark of Changbai Mountain, Heaven Lake is best visited in September, when the autumn scenery shows its unrivalled beauty.

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