Ten best Ski Resorts to visit in Asia

Most people know that the biggest continent on the planet, naturally also hold the biggest, steepest and most majestic mountains on the planet.

When thinking about high mountains in Asia, one automatically reflects upon the seemingly unapproachable mountains within the Himalayas.

However, although steep and beautiful, the backyard of Tibet is not really the ideal spot for developing a top ski resort.

When looking beyond the Himalayans, Asia does indeed offers some of the world’s most amazing ski resorts.

Ski resorts in Asia are on the road to glory as they have been witnessing an increased tourist influx over the past couple of years.



Skiers, snowboarders, and extreme snow sports enthusiasts who previously have been visiting Australian, European and American ski resorts for snow adventures have begun turning their heads towards Asia, when deciding where to spend their ski holidays with friends, colleagues, and families.

Clearing out any prejudice regarding visiting Asian Ski Resorts

The big hurdle when deciding whether or not to change your ski destination, compared to where you vacated last year - does the new resort have all the things I like?

The quick answer to that question is that allthough the general service at ski resorts across the globe in increasing, one can never be certain. This goes for the best european ski resorts, just as it does for the top ski resorts in Asia.

Naturally the ski resorts in Asia will have their own individual characteristics.

Some Asian ski resorts have the big terrain but the vague nightlife.

Some resorts offer English speaking ski school and some don't.

And then again, some has excellent ski-in/ski-out opportunities, others you need to get in a bus before you can finally hit the slopes.

In other words, this is no different than any ski resorts located in Europe or North America.



Most ski resorts in Asia have something of value to offer to everybody, from an incredible skiing experience to having an amazing time on the mountains, from after-ski sight-seeing to having a brilliant night-life.

The best resort does offer a complete all-round package that helps you transform your trip into an unforgettable lifetime memory.

We've browsed through this great continent and give you the 10 best ski resort in our book.

10th Place - Changbaishan International Ski Resort - China

Chinas southern region features a lot of snowfall in November and December. During wintertime, it becomes a natural hotspot for extreme sports activities and winter fun.

Located in Fusong County, Baishan City, Jilin Province, the Changbaishan international ski resort covers an area of 21 sq. km.

Changbaishan ski resort features hot springs, water amusements parks, deep powder, golf course, Tiandi Changbai show, six-star brand hotels, holiday town, and amazing sight-seeing opportunities within the resort and nearby places.

There is approximately 40 km of slopes available for skiing and snowboarding and the ski resort is capable of hosting up to 8000 skiers for a day

When it comes to ski trails, out of a total of 43, 20 are for primary skiers, 14 for intermediate skiers and nine for professional skiers.



In terms of accommodation, plenty of international hotel branches like Sheraton, Ibis, Holiday Inn and Hyatt Regency are located in Changbaishan.

Although it would not be 100% correct to state that ski/on - ski/out opportunities exists in Changbaishan, the surrounding possibilities for accommodation are very close to the ski lifts.

For a list of hotels/apartments accommodation opportunities close to the slopes: click here.

9th place - Sky Ski Resort - Mongolia

You may not have heard of this site before as it opened in 2009. The resort is not huge (to say the least) but added with other adventures, it can add a lot of fun into your winter adventure.

Located near Ulaan Baatar, Mongolia in the region of Bogd Khan Uul, Sky ski resort provides a year-round recreation with a wide range of outdoor activities.

Besides a generally low price level in Mongolia, the exceptional tour packages at affordable rates make Sky ski resort a very budget-friendly resort.

As far as the stats of this resort are concerned, it has a vertical drop of 191 meters, a top elevation of 1570 meters, and a base elevation of 1379 meters.

There are nearly nine runs with the longest run of 1.07 kilometers. When taking the mobility factor into consideration, you should know that it is located just 13 kilometers away from Ulaanbaatar.

Chinggis Khaan International Airport is the closest airport to the sky ski resort area.



The resort is evidently not among the biggest in Asia. It is however undoubtedly among the cheapest. This resort is for the globetrotter who wants to see a new exciting part of the world while experiencing a brand new skiing experience at affordable rates.

As the resort is not far from the capital (Ulaanbaatar) its most like easiest to find a hotel or apartment there for the night. We recommend staying by the opera house, as the rent is cheap and the neighborhood is buzzing with activity.

For accommodation near the opera house in Ulaanbaatar: click here.

8th place - Jisan Forest Ski Resort, Iceheon, South Korea

The smallest resort on our list. Nevertheless extremely popular, which explains why Jisan Forest makes the cut at 8th place.

Jisan Forest ski resort is located in the Southwest of the city in Gyeongii-do province just outside Seoul.

The ski resort is ideal for a one-day trip, especially for people visiting from Seoul who just have to travel for 40mins straight.

Whereas the ski resort does not cover a very large ski area, it does have something for everybody with many impressive base facilities.

As far as the mountain stats are concerned it a highest lifted point and lowest skiable point are of 304m and 100m respectively.

It has a vertical drop of 204m, the longest run of 1.2 km, along with a total of eight runs and five lifts.

Jisan Forest ski resort opens up in the last week of November and closes its trails in the mid of April.

The resort is primarily for the families, who seek a day of skiing with the toddlers during the weekend.

The accommodation possibilities are limited in Jisan Forest Ski Resort (to say the least). Its recommended finding your accommodation in Seoul.

Shymbulak Ski Resort

Shymbuak ski resort is probably one of the largest ski resorts in Central Asia.

It is located in Kazakhstan in Alatau mountain range (upper part of Medeu Valley) at an elevation of 2200 meters above the sea level. It receives a great amount of snow throughout the winter season, from November till May, making it an ideal winter hotspot for winter adventurers and extreme snow enthusiasts. It has also hosted world-level skiing and snowboarding winter games, including winter Olympics, Asian winter Olympics and more. As far as the skiing information is concerned, it has a vertical drop of 920m and has ski runs, which stretch up to 12km. Moreover, it receives an average snowfall of 1.5m during the season that lasts from November to April. Plus, it has approximately three lifts, which take skiers and snowboarders right back to the mountain top.

Shahdag Mountain Resort

It is Azerbaijan’s first, and largest winter resort, located in the Caucasus range near Shahdag National Park. It is undoubtedly a very beautiful resort that offers an exceptional skiing experience and a spectacular winter holiday with friends, family, groups, and colleagues. The winter season generally starts a bit late in the mid of December and finishes somewhere in the middle of April, depending on the snow conditions and weather. As far as the skiing information is concerned, it has a total area of 128 Hectares with a skiable area of 16.8km. It has a total of 12 lifts and 14 slopes for skiers of all levels. The best thing about this resort is that it offers a lot of winter activities and attractions within the resort and in the nearby places. Plus, it has some of the finest hotels and restaurants where you can find plenty of fun after a busy day on the ski runs.

Yabuli Ski Resort

Yabuli ski resort is one those ski resort in Asia, in the Chinese region to be precise that offers amazing ski jumping facilities and an unforgettable experience to people visiting this resort from all over the world. Located in the Northeastern province of Heilongjiang, it is the largest ski resort in China that offer endless fun and adventure for people of all ages. This resort also hosted the Winter Asian Games of 1996, National Winter Games of 2008, and Winter Universiade of 2009. This resort underwent major improvements and renovations between the 2008 to 2009 winter season; local authorities and ski owners are yet again planning to undergo a major revamp after the 2009 season. It has a top elevation of 1345m and a base elevation of 397m and offers all the winter facilities, which any ski resort has to offer to their potential and privileged customers visiting the resort. The ski runs are manned to perfection to offer an exquisite skiing experience to people, looking to have a smooth adventure.

Masikryong Ski Resort

It’s a North Korean ski resort located some 20km outside Wonsan City in Kangwon province, at the summit of Taehwa Peak. It is an incredible ski resort, which is ideal for people looking to have some skiing adventure in less foot traffic area as tourist influx is limited. So, those people who don’t like visiting busy places, this resort is just right for them. It has a top elevation and a base elevation of 1360m and 768m respectively. It has a total of nine runs, out of which the longest run of 4.8km.

Malam Jabba Ski Resort

Malam Jabba ski resort is Asia’s most well-kept secret ski hotspot, which has recently been explored by international tourists visiting Pakistan’s Northern areas. Located in the Hindu Kush range of Swat Valley, in the province of KPK (Kyber Pakhtunkhwa), it is one of the oldest ski resorts in Asia that has a lot to offer to its visitors and tourists. Besides skiing adventures, there are breath-taking and momentous sights, which can make you forget about everything else in the world. The resort has a top elevation of 2804m and a base elevation of 2469m. It has long-range ski runs, lift system installed to carry tourist back to the top of the mountain. So, it is ideal to plan your skiing trip there as you will be able to enjoy the most out of your time there.

Nashan Ski Village, Beijing, China

It is a winter sports area in China that is well renowned for offering an amazing skiing experience, along with winter fun and adventure. Located in the southern Miyun, some 65km away from Beijing, it has several tourist attractions such as grass skiing, water skiing, ski slopes and more. This resort covers 150,000 hectares of ground and has 21 ski trails for skiers and snowboarders of all levels. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that it has recently become one of the most visited ski resorts in Asia, China to be precise as it offers tourists a complete package, which consists of winter sports and fun-filled activities.

Yongpyong Ski Resort

Yongpyong, sometimes also referred to as Dragon Valley ski resort is located in South Korea in Daegwallyeong-myeon, Gangwon-do--Pyeonchang to be precise. As per stats, it is the largest ski resort in the whole of Korea. The best thing about this resort is that it also offers golf in the summer months. It is an exquisite place with endless ski and sports adventure options, from skiing to snowboarding, from after-ski fun to night-life and beyond. As far as the ski season is concerned, it opens up in early November and closes in the mid of April. The base elevation is approximately 770 meters at above the sea level and it has nearly 31 slopes and ski runs of all levels for beginners, intermediate, and professional skiers. The reason why this ski resort has been able to achieve a significant amount of limelight and media attention is that it hosted men’s World Cup technical events for four seasons (1998, 2000, 2003, and 2006). Also, this resort was one of those Ski resorts in Asia that was one of the three sites of the Asian Winter games of 1999, which was hosted by Gangwon. In short, it is a wonderful ski resort that can help you make a lot of lifetime memories.