Summer Highlights/Pitfalls of Heilongjiang Tourism (From a Southerner's Perspective)

I visited Heilongjiang in early August (mainly stayed in Yichun and Jiayin for a longer period). Here is my summary of the travel experience and some tips for those who plan to visit Heilongjiang for summer vacation in the future—— ·Harbin: 1️⃣ Hongzhuan Street Morning Market is worth visiting. The food is delicious and cheap, but it can be crowded. 2️⃣ Central Street is worth a visit. There are many shops, and it's quite interesting. You can check out other people's notes to explore some niche stores. Don't buy postcards or fridge magnets from the Central Bookstore; they are expensive, and similar or identical items are sold by street vendors or other shops outside. 3️⃣ Saint Sophia Cathedral is boring! The exterior is beautiful, but the church is small and there's not much to see inside. If you're looking to take photos, it might be worth a visit. ·Yichun 1️⃣ Jinshan Deer Park (p1-3) is crowded and littered during the summer holidays, so be cautious! If you decide to go, try to visit early in the morning, late in the afternoon, or on cloudy days because the deer hide in the hills to avoid the sun. The overall experience is quite average. 2️⃣ Wood Sculpture Park is just a park, not much to see. The same goes for the Stone Garden. 3️⃣ Wuying National Forest Park has many chipmunks 🐿️ and nice scenery. It's very cool in the summer. However, apart from these, it's not much different from hiking. Southerners who are used to hiking might find it boring. 4️⃣ Tangwang River Stone Forest Scenic Area requires a lot of time to fully explore, at least a whole day. But it's also a mountain, and it's very tiring to walk around. Wuying Park is a better option. (If you go, don't bother with the waterfall; it's man-made and very small, which made me laugh...) 5️⃣ Yichun Night Market is great! Lots of food, large portions, and cheap prices! ·Jiayin 1️⃣ China-Russia Border (Jiangbin) (p7) can be visited in twenty minutes. You can see Russia across the river. 🔹Other Important Tips🔔 1️⃣ The so-called most beautiful roads are just hype. The roads are pretty much the same, but they are indeed very beautiful. The endless fields and countless pine forests are calming and pleasant. The roads are wide and have no tunnels, and you can see the road climbing over the hills in the distance. The only regret is that the leaves in summer don't have as many layers as in autumn, nor are they covered with snow like in winter. In retrospect, the journey on the road was my favorite part of the trip.😌 2️⃣ No matter which tourist spot you visit during the summer holidays, it will be crowded, and the Northeast is no exception (epiphany). So, if you're considering a summer vacation, Guizhou or Yunnan might be better choices. 3️⃣ Try the bathhouse experience! As a Southerner, it was my first time, and it felt amazing! The people in the Northeast are very warm and friendly! If you don't understand something, just ask them; they are happy to help! 4️⃣ Eat a lot in the Northeast! The food is cheap and delicious! Try all the local specialties! But be sure to order fewer dishes because the portions are large, and Southerners might not be used to it. Summary: The natural scenery of Heilongjiang is indeed beautiful, but I think it's wiser to visit in autumn or winter. The climate is very comfortable, though. Overall, I still like Heilongjiang! However, the aforementioned tourist spots are generally average, so you can selectively avoid them🤪