Skiing has become increasingly popular with Chinese as well as international ski travelers seeking new mountains and lower prices. Here¡¯s a directory of the best ski resorts in China both indoor and outdoor.
1. Alshan Alpine Skiing Resort
- Notes: Resort surrounded by forests
- Location: On the border of Inner Mongolia (Province) in China and Mongolia itself
- Season: Nov 1 through Apr 1
- Skiing Market: Beginners to advanced
- Getting There: From Beijing by air to Ulanhot, 3-4 hours by bus/train to resort
2. Beijing Huaibei Ski Resort
- Notes: Largest ski resort accessible from Beijing
- Location: 70km outside of Beijing
- Season: Dec 1 through Mar 1
- Lifts: 4
- Trails: 6
- Skiing Market: Beginners to Advanced
- Cost: Skiing from US$50/day
- Getting There: About 1 hour by car from Beijing to the resort
3. Beijing Nanshan International Ski Slope & Resort
- Notes: Purports to have the first international standard half-pipe in China, China¡¯s first advanced mogul trail as well as the first snow football field
- Location: 80km outside of Beijing
- Season: Dec 15 through Mar 15
- Highest Mountain: 600m
- Snowboards: Yes
- Accommodation: Yes, on site ski-in and out
- Skiing Market: Beginners - Advanced
- Cost: Skiing from US$50/day
- Getting There: About 1.5 hours by car from Beijing to the resort
4. Changchun Beidahu Ski Resort
- Notes: Purports to have the first professional ski slopes in China with international standards
- Location: Jilin Province
- Season: Nov 1 through Apr 1
- Highest Mountain: 1400m
- Lifts: 6
- Trails: 6
- Platforms: 4
- Snowboards: Yes
- Ski Instruction: Yes
- Skiing Market: Suitable for all
- Cost: Skiing from US$30/day
- Getting There: From Beijing flight to Jilin, then travel by car 1.5 hours from Jilin
- Read about Beidahu on China Ski Tours.
5. Erlongshan Longzhu Ski Resort
- Location: Near Harbin
- Season: Dec 1 through Apr 1
- Highest Mountain: 266m
- Lifts: 1
- Trails: 8
- Skiing Market: Beginners
- Cost: Skiing from US$50/day
- Getting There: From Beijing by air to Harbin (2 hours), 1 hour by bus/taxi to resort
6. Jilin Changbeishan Ski Resort
- Notes: Located in Changbeihan Nature Reserve
- Location: Jilin Province
- Season: Nov 1 through May 1
- Highest Mountain: 1820m
- Lifts: 1
- Trails: 4
- Snowboards: Yes
- Ski Instruction: Yes
- Skiing Market: Suitable for all
- Cost: Skiing from US$30/day + US$5 entry to reserve area
- Getting There: From Beijing by air to Yanji airport
7. Ping Tian Resort
- Notes: Phase I slated to open November 2008 boasting "China's first world class, luxury ski resort" in Xinjiang provinces Tianshan mountain range.
- One hour outside Urumqi, Xinjiang
- Slope: 2 detachable lifts, 75 ha (185 acres) of skiable terrain, and close to 2,000 vertical feet
- Opening hours: TBD
- Cost: TBD
- See what China Ski Tours, a leading ski tour website, has to say about it: Ping Tian Resort.
8. Qiaobo Ski and Snow World
- Notes: Named for Ye Qiaobo, a medal-winning Winter Olympian
- Location: 6 Shun¡¯an Road, Beijing
- Slopes: 2, 200m beginner and 300m advanced
- Cost: Mon-Fri 180rmb (US$22), Sat-Sun 230rmb (US$28) for two hours
9. Wanlong Ski Resort
- Location: Hebei Province, four hours from Beijing.
- Season: Nov 1 through Apr 1 (high elevation allows for a long season)
- Lifts: 4
- Trails: 5
- Snowboards: Yes
- Ski Instruction: Yes
- Accommodation: new 3-star ski-in hotel
- Cost: Skiing from US$50/day
- Getting There: 4-hour car or bus from Beijing.
- Read about Wanlong on China Ski Tours.
10. Yabuli Ski Resort
- Notes: China's largest ski resort
- Location: Heilongjiang Province.
- Season: Dec 1 through Apr 1
- Highest Mountain: 1375m
- Lifts: almost 1 - according to China Ski Tours, the lone lift is closed for the 2007-08 season for refitting so all intermediate/advanced terrain is inaccessible. There are plans for many more lifts in the future...
- Annual Snowfall: 300 inches (but expect man-made snow)
- Snowboards: Yes
- Ski Instruction: Yes
- Accommodation: 10 hotels and hostels, e.g. Windmill hotel and villas, Qingyun Villa, Dianli Villa, Jiaotong Villa.
- Cost: Skiing from US$55/day
- Getting There: From Beijing to Harbin by air (1.5 hours), train to Yabuli (2.5 hours), bus to resort (30 min)
- Read a personal account of skiing at Yabuli by Mishi Saran.
11. Yinqixing Indoor Skiing Site
- Location: 1835 Qixin Road, near Gudai Road, Shanghai
- Slope: 1246 feet long, 262 feet wide
- Opening hours: daily 9:30am ¨C 9pm
- Cost: Mon-Fri 198rmb (US$24.50), Sat-Sun 218rmb (US$27) for unlimited time
This compilation was completed with the help of chinaskitours.com and 4panda.com's ski index.
