10 tips for skiing in Chongli

1. When searching for the best deals, all the resorts suggest to use WeChat mini programs to find them. Each resort has its own mini program as well as others that offer deals across all the resorts. There are deals available on the main Chinese travel websites, but they are not as extensive as those offered on WeChat. When it comes to booking, you will find most deals include a hotel room plus two breakfasts and two ski passes.

2. WeChat wallet is essential for many of the resorts for everything from picking up ski passes to buying food to renting a locker. Some places also accept AliPay but not all. Before you visit, make sure you have WeChat set up on your phone with the wallet activated. You will also need to have internet access on your phone so consider buying a sim card at the airport or setting up a roaming deal beforehand.

3. As the resorts are close together, consider booking more than one resort to add variety. If you are used to skiing in Europe or North America, you may find the Chinese resorts quite limited in size, but it's very easy to move from one to another within Chongli district.

4. Although there are some English-speaking staff, most of the staff you will encounter will not be able to help in English. A translation app on your phone can make communication possible. We found chatting up fellow skiers helps resolve simple concerns.

5. Although all the resorts we visited do provide English ski lessons, it is not always possible to get ski lessons in English on the spot. For this, we suggest contacting the ski school in advance.

6. On average, skiing in China tends to be colder than other popular places in the world. Bring plenty of layers and a good pair of gloves to make sure you are not caught out by the cold.

7. Although lockers are available in each resort, we found most of the local skiers just leave their belongings out in public areas. As we normally only needed to store our shoes, we suggest bringing an old pair of shoes you can leave out to save the hassle and price of renting a locker.

8. Food at the resorts is generally expensive. Consider staying close to the town so you have more eating options rather than eating in the hotels every meal. There are also supermarkets in most resorts that allow you a cheaper option for lunch. We asked advice from the local ski instructors who were able to point us to more food options hidden around the resorts.

9. Some of the resorts also offer night skiing. This is a great option if you want to enjoy a lie in or some local shopping in the town without having to miss out on your daily ski. Look out for ski and dine deals that include a restaurant evening meal with the night ski pass.

10. We did not find the crowds to be an issue in the week that we reported this story, but prices do rise significantly at the weekends and on Chinese national holidays. If you can, plan to arrive on a Sunday night and leave on a Saturday to get five full days skiing at the best price.