Jeollanamdo – Yeosu, Suncheon and Boseong
By Deirdre Madden Over the Chuseok holiday, my significant other and I went on a road trip to a part of the country I had yet to explore, Jeollanamdo and the west coast. We began by setting off late, revising our route to make up for lost time, and then taking a wrong turn on the expressway in a moment of confusion and ending up in downtown Busan on a Saturday. Awesome. Yeosu Eventually, we actually made it to...
Read MoreJoseon Pottery Made in Ulsan
By 황정원 (Hwang Jeong Won) It is our first picnic. My English teacher, my classmate Zoe and I went to Wang Bang Yo in Wang Bang village just outside of Ulsan. We passed by Munsu stadium (on Highway 7) and drove toward Busan. I turned right towards Yang-san and Tong-do-sa at the Dae-Bok three way intersection (Highway 34). Wang Bang Yo is a house and gallery that showcases and sells some of the finest hand crafted pottery...
Read MoreOctober Festivals
Fall is arguably the best season in Korea – clear blue skies (when there are no typhoons in the neighbourhood), warm sunny days, cool crisp nights – it’s a great time to head out and explore the country-side as the rice paddies turn to gold, and the trees display their garish autumn colours. Here are some of the Festivals on the horizon. Please check out the Tourism Korea site for the full listing. Andong Maskdance Festival 27-09 – 10-06Another...
Read MoreTeddy Bear Museum in Gyeongju
By Lauren Zink The Teddy Bear Museum is fun for cubs and full-grown adults alike. This kitschy gem, located in the ancient Silla capital of Gyeongju, features exhibits celebrating Korean history, mythology, and fantasy – all portrayed by teddy bears, naturally. And the fun begins before you even enter the museum. Be on the lookout for a costumed teddy bear doing what looks to be a tae kwon do move, riding a dinosaur and pointing you toward...
Read MoreCalifornia Beach in Gyeongju
By Lauren Zink Gyeongju World’s water-park arm, California Beach, is an oasis on a hot day in South Korea. The admission price depends on the day of the week and time of year. Expect to pay between 40,000 won and 60,000 won, but some tickets include 5 free rides in the neighboring Gyeongju World. Upon entrance to the park, you will see two kiosks marked “Coin Stand.” You must stop here and pick up a bracelet if you plan...
Read MoreKSU (KyungSung University area) – Busan Nights part 2
By Cat Warrener Located between three Universities, this is Busan’s lively answer to Hongdae. There are more bars, restaurants, hofs and mart-patio areas filled with foreigners and Koreans than you can imagine. To get to KSU you can take the subway (Kyungsung University subway stop) or from Busan station or Haeundae station it is around 10,000 in a cab. Buses 1001 or 1003 from both stations will run to KSU. Fully Booked (Second hand book store and...
Read MoreGwangali Beach – Busan Nights (part 1)
By Cat Warrener Gwangali Beach Gwangali beach is the closest you will find to a beach resort in Korea. The beach is generally quieter than Haeundae beach and is referred to locally as the foreigner’s beach. It’s a sandy beach and offers a variety of water sports including surfing, kayaking and jet skis. Gwangali Bridge, or the ‘Diamond Bridge’ provides a scenic backdrop, particularly after dark when it’s stunningly lit up. In the summer months the beach road closes...
Read MoreHow to get to (and from) the KTX – Ulsan Station
The Ulsan KTX station is located in Eonyang, a suburb of Ulsan in the western end of the district. It links Ulsan to downtown Busan (20 mins), Daegu (20 mins), Daejeon (1hr 15mins), Seoul (2hrs 20mins), and several other points along the way. There are 3 options for getting and from the KTX station; bus (which has 3 variations), taxi or drive yourself. Bus: There are 3 types of bus that service the Ulsan Station; Limousine Bus (5000 series),...
Read MoreHow to spend a sunny afternoon in Seoul
By Deirdre Madden Recently, due to my incredible inability to plan things in advance, I ended up with 9 hours to kill in Seoul before an international flight. As I had a rather enjoyable afternoon in the city, and had a chance to discover a palace I hadn’t yet been to, I thought I’d share the experience with others wondering what to do for an afternoon in Seoul. Upon arriving at Seoul Station on the KTX, I headed down...
Read MoreHow to Get to Incheon Airport
UPDATE: June 2014 to include information about the new DIRECT KTX line to Incheon Airport. Service starts June 30, 2014 **************** We’ve had a lot of enquiries recently, on the Facebook group, about the best way to get to various places. Most of the basic info on routes is available in the intercity travel guide, but it can be a little confusing. This time, we’ll take a look at the options for getting to Incheon Airport (reverse this advice to get...
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