Harbin Travel Forum

I will be moving to Harbin in a few days, and am looking for apartments. Can anyone suggest good areas, things to ask for or watch out for, and average prices for apartments? Do most furnished apartments come with toilets and washing machines/dish washers? I assume they will be different and to different standards than in the west, but I'm trying to find out what will be somewhat comparable. What about internet connection? Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, John

Hi John,

Renting an apartment in Harbin can be hassle for a foreigner. Not sure whether your move to Harbin is for business or studies. If it is the latter, the best bet is the university hostels first till you are familiar with the place then start to look for an apartment.

If you do look for an apartment, get a local friend to assist you in it. Try to get one near the city center in Daoli (eg. near Shangri-la hotel Zhong Yang Da Jie areas) or Nangang District (eg. near New World Shopping Center). A pretty good 1-2 room apartment in the said districts would cost you about US$150 to US$200 per month. The very good ones will set you back about US$250 per month. Do not under estimate the standards of the apartments there. There are very good comparable to the likes to New York or LA for that matter. I would say these rentals rates are very low comparing to paying US$200 weekly in the West!! Please be prepared for pay 6 months to 1 year rentals in advance.

As for amenities like washing machines, cooking stoves etc. Get apartment that are furbished or bargain for it. For internet connection, you may have to apply for it at the local telco company or get the landlord to apply for you.

Should you need further assistance, can mail me at william_twl@hotmail.com

Hi, thank you for your help. We are actually living here now, we have an apartment near where we are working, down toward the south of the city. We have people working on apartment stuff for us, and may move to another one here in a few days. I guess our question and problem now, is that we need to figure out how cold the apartments get in the winter or if they are generally well heated. We're well aware how cold it gets here... :)

Thanks again!

Hi John,

On the heating issues, it will depend on:
1) which residential district your apartment is located at,
2) how old if the apartment vis-a-vis, the condition of the heat exchangers,
3) how may heat exchangers and how big those are.
4) central boiler capacity (unfortunately this is something you cannot do anything about it)

One of the best heating district is Hesong Xiao Qu at Daoli District. The indoor temp of the apartment is about 26 Deg C during deep winter. I used of stay at that area and personally found the temperature too hot for me. I am moving to another brand new apartment which is undergoing renovation etc. I was told by the neighbors that the indoor temperature in winter is about 18-20 Deg C. A little chilly. That is why I am making some alterations on the heat exchangers system by adding some 20% more plates/tubes. It should raise the temp by 2 Deg C.

In areas where central heating is known to be poor, the indoor temperature can be as low as 14 Deg C!!!

Testing of central heating will start at the end of this month. If would want to do any alterations on the heating system, you should do it now. Once the heating system is tested, it will be fully charged with water. Alternations then will be difficult.

Alternatively, you can go to the Manhattan Shopping Complex (Chinese pronunciation Man Ha Tun) near Sophia Cathedral and buy an electric heater. The prices are very reasonable.

Good luck.

Thank you for your help. We live along Haping Lu, near the Traditional Chinese Medicine University... don't know if that helps or tells you anything. We have moved from our old apartment at the suggestion of our contacts here, as I may have mentioned. I guess we will see what the winter brings! We already have one electrical heater, which I assume means that the apartment is somewhat cool in winter. We shall see. Thanks again!

Another question for you... we have to go to a hospital to get a physical for our residence permit... we are concerned about the supposedly common practice of reusing needles and lack of sanitary practices. Is that common here? Are there hospitals we should avoid or are the standards pretty good? We go tomorrow morning, but I figured I'd ask anyway. Thanks, John

Another question for you... we have to go to a hospital to get a physical for our residence permit... we are concerned about the supposedly common practice of reusing needles and lack of sanitary practices. Is that common here? Are there hospitals we should avoid or are the standards pretty good? We go tomorrow morning, but I figured I'd ask anyway. Thanks, John

Hi John,

Sorry I could not reply earlier as I was traveling.

Re-using of needles is all but hot air as far as I am concern having on drips a couple to times there. Most of the hospital uses disposal syringes and IV sets. Even in small clinics around the estate where I have a house.

As for hospital, the best is Harbin Medical University but is expensive not in the usual way if you know what I mean. Tends to overcharge especially for foreigners. The Traditional Chinese Medical University is OK. Its a long established medical institution. They do carry out full medical.

Best wishes and I hope you are settling & coping well there.

PS: You may wish to stock up some basic medicines from the many pharmacies. Suggest you buy some Amoxillin, Azithromycin, Contact Flu Tabs, Antacid tabs, Asprin and Paracetamol and some cough syrup (cannot remember the name and brand but is foreign brand). The Chinese physicians/doctors have a tendency to apply IV drips even for the most basic illness. You may not be used to it comparing with western medical treatment methodolody.

Thanks a lot for all of your help. We found that whatever medical place the school took us to used new needles, but the same gloves... they changed those at our request and everything went fine so far. Thanks again for your help!

This Saturday we are going to Kashi and maybe Urumqi. Finally we get to do some traveling!

John

Please let me know if I'm asking too many questions, but do you know about the Xin Jiang province and what there is to do there? I know we are going to the Sunday and maybe other markets (we know the Sunday market is very touristy, but want to see it anyway). We will go to Karakul Lake, the highway to Pakistan and so on... that is if we get plane tickets on time. But we're looking for interesting places in that region that you won't find in guidebooks, so if you have any information, it would also be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Hi John,

Spoke to a friend of my whose wife is from Urumuqi. His advice is mainly on the safety aspect. Travel in groups or go to places where there are crowd. Always inform your friends, or local Chinese contacts your whereabouts before departing and arriving at a destination. The region's main region is Islam so you may need to note the cultural sensitivity etc.

Lastly watch out for your belongings and wallets during the festive holidays seasons.

Regards and have a good time!

Billy Tanner.