Ever imagined drinking vodka in a hotel made of ice, having a sauna besides an ice-covered sea or watching an aurora light up the night sky?

 

These are experiences being offered by Finland's Beijing Bureau, which has just launched a new travel programme called "polar ice breaking." The first group of tourists from China will start their journey on December 28.

 

The eight-day itinerary includes riding in a sleigh with Rudolph and co, a meeting with the man himself, Santa Claus, a night spent in a hotel made of ice, fishing on the frozen sea, a walk over the Arctic Circle and of course, an authentic Finnish sauna.

 

In Rovaniemi, Santa Claus' hometown, tourists will get the chance to visit the Santa village and tell the bearded globetrotter all their wishes.

 

Visitors will even get to send postcards from the only Santa Claus post office in the world.

 

A Christmas Garden, Christmas carrousel, Christmas helicopter and Christmas roller coaster will also add to the festive feel.

 

Visitors will embark on Sampo, the only icebreaker in the world open to tourists at Kemi. During the four-hour trip, they will witness how the 3,540-ton gigantic ship slices open the frozen sea.

 

When the ship arrives at an area of hard ice, every tourist will face the frosty challenge of jumping into the sea.

 

Everyone will be wrapped into full-length waterproof rubber clothes, to keep out the cold. Floating in the sea, with snowflakes dancing in the sky and ice blocks floating around, it is billed as one of the highlights of the trip.

 

The last stop of the journey is Helsinki, the capital of Finland and home to Temppeliaukion Church, the only church in the world made from a single stone and the statue of Sibelius, the world-renowned Finnish composer.

 

Visitors will also get the chance to explore Suomenlinna, the famous Finnish castle, and the biggest coastal military fortress in the world.

 

The trip costs 19,800 yuan (US$2,475).

 

For more information, go to cits.com.cn or call 8511-8522.

 

(Beijing Weekend January 8, 2007)