The trip to Harbin, Northeast China's Heilongjiang province, in the summer of 2024 left a deep impression on Malak Hatem, an Egyptian travel and education content creator. It inspired her to return to the province in early January to explore its snowy wonderland in full.

"Traveling here (Heilongjiang) is like being a child for one week. The ice and snow is like a fairy tale, a wonderland that you've been put in for a week," she told China Daily website.

The influencer's week-long trip to Mudanjiang, Suifenhe, and Harbin in deep winter enabled her to marvel at the lifelike ice and snow sculptures, experience ice fishing on the frozen lakes, and savor a variety of delicious northeastern Chinese cuisines.

"I want to create a whole bunch of content to help my followers come here and show them the hospitable vibes that I am living in because I don't want to be selfish and just live it alone," she said.