Hot spring tourism gains steam in icy NE China

SHENYANG - As the golden hues of dusk washed across the sky, Xu Xin wrapped up her day of skiing at the Changbai Mountain Wanda International Resort in Jilin province, Northeast China, and headed for a bath in an outdoor hot spring.

"The combination of chilly weather and a hot spring is a unique experience. I immersed my whole body in the steamy water while watching snowflakes fall against a pristine white landscape. Eventually, my fatigue dissolved," said Xu, who hails from Shandong province, East China.

Recently, this fusion of "hot and cold" has been gaining popularity on the itineraries of winter tourists flocking to China's northeastern provinces, namely Jilin, Liaoning and Heilongjiang.

Cultural tourism feast

At the mountainous village of Naitoushan in Jilin's Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture, visitors often unwind in hot springs after hiking through snow-draped trails, admiring ice sculptures or marveling at rime-covered branches, even as temperatures plunge below minus 20 degrees Celsius during winter.

"Most of our visitors are from southern China. While international travelers primarily come from Malaysia, Singapore and the United States," said Yang Lina, an operator of the village's cultural tourism project. She noted that about 31,000 visitors arrived during the eight-day Spring Festival holiday this year.