If I were to win an insane amount of money on the lottery, here’s how I might spend it. I’d charter a boat (and crew – I’m no sailor), and maybe a guide / interpreter, and go on a slow sea voyage for a couple of months from Busan to Mokpo, taking in some of … [Read More]
Category: Travel ideas
Suggestions about things you might want to do on holiday in Korea
Nine Confucian academies listed at UNESCO
For visitors to Korea (such as myself) who like to try to get round all the UNESCO-listed world heritage sites, the list just got longer. On Saturday 6 July, the World Heritage Committee included nine Seowon, or Neo-Confucian Academies, in the list. The nine seowon are dotted around the central and southern parts of the … [Read More]
South Korea: Earth’s Hidden Wilderness – BBC2 documentary
To complement their coverage of the winter Olympics, the BBC is screening what looks like an interesting documentary covering things you might not often see in coverage of the peninsula. With plenty of Korean experts advising and behind the camera, this should be well worth a watch. South Korea – Earth’s Hidden Wilderness BBC2, 8:00pm … [Read More]
A good list of restaurants in Seoul
It’s so rare to find a list of recommended restaurants in Seoul that focuses on Korean food as opposed to French and other cuisine, and which includes honest, salt-of-the-earth type places as well as the fancy ones with Michelin stars. So I don’t want to lose this particular link, which includes two very humble places … [Read More]
Another way to make sure your Korea trip is very busy
In planning my 2016 Korea trip I found two websites invaluable: firstly, the Cultural Heritage Administration site, which provides a wealth of information as to the various sites of interest throughout the country. I talk about this tool here. Secondly, there is the Korean Tourism Organisation website. This is an obvious place to look, but … [Read More]
A way to make sure you never have enough time in Korea
I’ve just discovered a great way to help plan a trip to a particular part of Korea to make sure you get maximum value from your time in the area. Go to the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA) website, go to Explore Heritage and then Heritage Search. In the search form, select the Location (province or … [Read More]
Namhansanseong joins Suwon fortress on UNESCO World Heritage list
South Korea’s eleventh listing on the UNESCO World Heritage list is Namhansanseong. It was added to the list at the end of a 10 day meeting of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee at Doha on 25 June. According to the summary on the UNESCO website: Namhansanseong was designed as an emergency capital for the Joson dynasty … [Read More]
Travelling the length of Korea by motorbike
For those who haven’t come across this yet: a project by some bold Kiwis to travel the length of the Korean peninsula, from Baekdusan to Hallsan, by motorbike. The journey took place this summer. Here’s a quick (12 minute) podcast they produced just after they crossed the DMZ into South Korea. and a video documentary … [Read More]
The Guardian hikes the Baekdu-daegan
There’s a nice piece in The Guardian this week about hiking the Baekdu-daegan. The author starts at Cheonwangbong peak, Jirisan, in Sancheong County (Gyeongsangnam-do) and walks north, ending his hike in the Deogyusan national park in Muju County, Jeollabuk-do. Koreans have long believed that a current of life-energy, or gi, runs between [Jirisan in the … [Read More]
The Suncheon Bay Garden Expo 2013 opens in Jeollanam-do
Hwang Ji-hae, Korea’s best-known garden designer, won’t be at Chelsea this year. After two consecutive Chelsea gold medals, she’s taking a break from what is possibly the world’s most prestigious flower show, and instead has been concentrating on designing a garden closer to home: for Korea’s first International Garden Expo at Suncheon, Jeollanam-do. The Mayor … [Read More]
January in the KTO 2013 Calendar
Does anyone have the Korean Tourism Organisation’s 2013 Calendar entitled Discovering the Path to Korea? January is particularly fine: Dodamsambong Peaks, Danyang-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do 도담삼봉 단양군 충청북도 [Map]. Photo by Seung-jin Song. Another place to put on the list to visit. [Read More]
Korea’s latest theme park celebrates the toilet
Suwon is home to Korea’s latest theme park: the “Restroom Cultural Park” (수원 화장실 문화공원), which opened on 4 July 2012. Suwon is the city that launched the “Making Beautiful Public Restrooms” project in 1997, and lists its top conveniences on the city website. (via Rocket News; photo: KBS) [Read More]
Some celebrity holiday companions for some lucky winners
Fancy going on holiday with Miss A or 2PM? You had a one in 310 chance courtesy of the KTO, if you’d managed to spot the opportunity in time. Not bad odds. Surely would have been worth a try? http://bit.ly/JUKKO3 [Read More]
The DMZ as eco-tourism – and as a garden
South Korea is turning the DMZ into eco-tourism zone, says Lucy Williamson on the BBC. Hwang Jihae’s DMZ Garden at the Chelsea Flower Show this year is looking increasingly relevant. Links: LKL’s complete coverage of Hwang Jihae’s gardens at Chelsea 2012 and 2011 Quiet Time: DMZ Forbidden Garden on Facebook. Please donate using the Paypal … [Read More]
Hallyu Museum to open near Incheon Airpot
According to bridge bloggers AllKpop, who have translated a Korean article on Nate, a Hallyu Museum will be opening in the second half of 2012 near Incheon Airport to enable travellers to get a quick fix of their current bias or favourite TV actor. An interesting way of catering to the hallyu tourists. [Read More]
Korea’s National Museum in top 10
The National Museum of Korea makes top ten most visited global art venue, according to The Art Newspaper (via the BBC) http://bbc.in/GOytcN. The same article gives a special mention to the National Folk Museum of Korea in the grounds of the Gyeongbokgung for four exhibitions attracting more than 9,000 visitors a day. [Read More]