Huafa Snow World opens in Shenzhen

The massive complex is the world's largest (image courtesy of project architects 10 Design)

Huafa Snow World, billed as the largest indoor ice and snow centre in the world, opens this week in Shenzhen.

Housing the equivalent of 11 football pitches of indoor ski terrain, the massive 100,000 sqm complex is located in the Qianhai Bay area of Shenzhen.

As well as the snow zone, the facility includes office, retail, hospitality and dining options, with a JW Marriott hotel also slated to open soon.

The facility, designed by Hong Kong-founded global architects 10 Design, boasts five competition-level slopes, ski runs up to 440m long, an 83m vertical drop and state-of-the-art snow-making technology. The facility will be kept at a cool minus six degrees year-round.

Snow bunnies of all ages and abilities are catered for at the Shenzhen facility, with a variety of terrain parks, snow play zones and activities for non-skiers. The snow world also features a 33m ‘suspended ice waterfall’ which will also serve as a diving facility. 

If you’re keen to enjoy the facility as the world’s largest snow and ski centre, be quick; the Shenzhen centre looks set to lose this title in 2029 to Taicang Alps Resort near Shanghai as Phase 2 of construction completes with a total cold-zone area of more than 100,000 sqm and 1,777 metres of ski slopes. China doesn’t do things by halves. 

Both faciltiies have been certified by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) for international standards and the FIS has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Hong Kong Ski Association and also the Shanghai Pudong Ski Association.

"The partnership is expected to boost the promotion of snow sports in China, particularly in the southern regions, including Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai and Hong Kong," said Dimitrije Lazarovski, the development programmes director at FIS..

Getting there

Huafa Snow World is located adjacent to the Shenzhen World Convention and Exhibition Centre and Shenzhen Wetlands.

Take the High Speed Rail from Hong Kong West Kowloon Station to Futian Station and transfer to Shenzhen Metro Line 11 to Airport North Station and then Metro Line 20 to Exhibition City Station. A walkway connects the ice and snow world with Metro Line 20. 

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