The city of Urumqi, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, had more than 60,000 visitors during the Jan 1 – 3 period who came to enjoy the snowy, icy world at the beginning of the New Year and the region’s tourism activities, such as the 8th Ice and Snow Festival in Bohu county, where people can ski, ride a camel or take part in winter swimming.

The city of Altai also started its 4th Ice and Snow Festival on Dec 28, a 100-day event that attracted many visitors during the holiday, with one of them, from the city of Shenzhen, Guangdong province, who commented, “This is my first visit to Altai and all of us are impressed by its beautiful snow and fresh air.”

Then there were more than 200 people from Sichuan, Hebei and other provinces who rode bicycles in the cold air of the city of Turpan, on New Year’s Day, and nearly 1,000 visitors enjoying themselves at the Tianchi scenic spot on Tianshan Mountain, where they prayed for good luck for the coming year.

By Yang Fan and edited by Roger Bradshaw