Malaysian family discovers an 'icy fairyland' in Jilin, China

A horse-drawn sledge ride offers a great time for the family. — Photos: HOO BAN KHEE

The snowfield was dazzling white under the mid-day sun. Except for the fluttering of small colourful buntings strung around the farm houses to usher in the Chinese New Year, it was dead silent as people stayed indoors. The temperature was -15°C even under the blazing sun. It was 1pm in Wusong Island near Jilin City, capital city of Jilin Province, part of former Manchuria of China, a well hidden gem largely missed out by foreign tourists.

I took a walk outside my homestay farm house, Zhao Si Hotel. The pathway was carved through the snow with the shoved up snow piled up to two to three feet high on both sides. It was snow for as far as the eye could see, carpeting cars, roofs, every flat surface and blanketing fields and mountains.