1yr world tour!! (from 🇺🇸) travel, lifestyle, & eats

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Tickets can be bought online (e.g. Trip.com), but VIP tickets are only available via WeChat. VIP includes no-wait access to the 521m & 365m ice slides and the Ferris wheel.

WeChat: search 哈尔滨冰雪大世界 → Services → 购票通道. You must be in China/HK to access ticketing.

To reserve slides or Ferris wheel, find the 项目预约 service on the same Wechat acct. Reservations can only be made AFTER entering the park.

Non-VIP tickets require WeChat RSVPs: slides release every 2 hrs, Ferris wheel every hour. Spots are random and not guaranteed (stressful 😅). If it fails, try guest services near the East Gate.

Hours: 10am–10pm. Stay after sunset for LED lights and live shows.
Tip: enter before 2pm and reserve slides right at 2pm.

Bring hand warmers + battery packs—cold kills batteries 🥶. Heated warming stations, food vendors, and bathrooms are inside.

Photographer: WeChat shuifengoooo, Rednote w1274665148.

Enjoy Harbin Ice & Snow World! Follow @dara_venture for more travel tips.

China: Harbin Ice & Snow World

Hotel Details

Here's the link to the 2nd hotel in my Tiger Leaping Gorge series! 

Note: this is an affiliate link and I’d be so grateful if you use it to support my work 🥰 prices are the same, ty!

See my prior link in bio for more info on how to get to Tiger Leaping Gorge, including a shuttle service to get to the gorge (there's a road that leads right to this hotel - so you don't need to hike the gorge if you don't want to).

If you are doing the two day Tiger Leaping Gorge hike, this hotel is NOT at the halfway point where you would end on Day 1. Instead, this hotel is located near Tina's Hostel, or where you'd typically end the hike on Day 2. It's perfect for staying an extra night at the gorge. Or if you prefer to not hike at all --- it's a luxurious getaway easily accessible by car or shuttle with stunning views of the gorge.

Enjoy your travels!

China: Tiger Leaping Gorge - 2nd Hotel

📚 Guides

•⁠  ⁠Trip.com for hotels, flights, trains, esim (this is a must!)
•⁠  ⁠Wechat for scenic tickets, chatting with hotels/drivers, and buying stuff
•⁠  ⁠⁠Alipay for buying things & metro cards - can link to US/intl cards
•⁠  ⁠⁠Amap or Apple maps for directions (Google maps isn't very accurate)
•⁠  ⁠⁠Google translate (best for menus/images) or Papago and/or ChatGPT
•⁠  ⁠⁠Let’s VPN for vpn & using youtube, IG, TT, etc.

What apps to use for traveling in China?

Let's VPN

Enter my ID: 314030682 after installation to get a 3-day membership for free

Let's VPN - 3 Day Trial

Trip.com for Flights, Hotels, & Trains (this is a must!)

🇨🇳 China Apps/Links

Shop my looks!

Book Hotel

How we hiked Tiger Leaping Gorge in Oct 2025:
 
DAY 1:
1. Arrive at Lijiang, Dali, or Shangrila, China
 
2. Take bus to Tiger Leaping Gorge (虎跳峡). Easiest service I found is via WeChat: tubuzhitongche. They have locker luggage storage for a small fee. Bring only a backpack of essentials for the hike.
 
3. Start hike at Naxi Family Guesthouse (纳西雅阁客栈) - bus takes you there.
 
4. Hike 4-5 hrs to Halfway Guest House, where you’ll stay overnight (best views!). Book via Agoda link below. *This is an affiliate link and I’d be so grateful if you use it to support my work 🥰 prices are the same, ty!
 
DAY 2:
1. Hike 3 hrs to Teacher Zhang’s Inn. There’s an optional hike to the riverside, but it was under renovations - lmk if that’s changed!
 
2. Bus picks up from parking lot by Teacher Zhang’s Inn in the afternoon (you’ll have pre-arranged this via WeChat). 
 
p.s. Wechat has auto-translate to English, so you don't need to be able to read Chinese!

Enjoy the views and hike!

China: Tiger Leaping Gorge Trail & 1st Hotel

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hi! so happy you're here. we're Dara & M, a couple from the US on a 1 year world tour!! ✈️ we quit our jobs, packed all our things into a storage unit, and set off in May 2025 with $80K saved to see the world! 🌏 we're sharing our story to help you dream up big goals, plan amazing adventures, and live your life to the fullest!

About Us

dara_venture

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