What a week exploring South Korea and all it has to offer, or as much as we could physically fit in to get a taste of this fabulous destination! I was certainly blown away by its people, amazing food, history and culture! So clean, and felt so safe!
We started out in the massive neon lite city of Busan. Spanning neighbourhoods linked by many bridges, overlooking ports and seaside communities with rugged mountains in the background. Here you can visit The Gamcheon Culture Village famous for the "colourful village” which are hundreds of pastel painted houses along the hillside and The Songdo Marine Cable car crossing the sea spanning 1.6 kilometers. We ventured up the Busan Sky Tower at night and made the most of the specular night views overlooking the entire city showcasing a sea of lights.
Busan is also famous for its markets, delicious street food and shopping. Certainly, the South Koreans are mad on skincare, makeup and face masks so shopping was a lot of fun.
Next we ventured into some regional areas and a visit to the World Heritage UNESCO Bulguksa Temple, Tumuli Park ancient burial mounds and a day of fun, culture and learning their music, etiquette and going back in time wearing traditional costume.
We ate traditional Korean cuisine for most of the trip and it was absolutely delicious, healthy and amazing to learn the complex art of making kimchi.
“We visited the quaint villages of Jeonju Hanok and Bukchon Hanok with traditional wooden houses, lovely shops and charming streets with a ‘stepping back in time vibe’ , these were beautiful heritage spots to visit.”
We visited the quaint villages of Jeonju Hanok and Bukchon Hanok with traditional wooden houses, lovely shops and charming streets with a ‘stepping back in time vibe’ , these were beautiful heritage spots to visit.
The Tapsa Temple near Mt Mai was a huge highlight for me. A scenic 40 minute walk along the river was so lovely and picturesque. I can only imagine what it would be like with the thousands of cherry blossom trees in full bloom (we were just a few weeks too early but you could see the buds on the trees). This is a perfect alternative to Japan’s Cherry Blossom season, visiting the fairly unpopulated tourist spots of South Korea instead.
Next we made our way to the Capitol City of Seoul. One day here is not enough as we only just touched on a few highlights in this massive city. We started at the Gyeongokgung Palace and saw the Changing of the Guards Ceremony which was a colourful and choreographed display of Korea’s Joseon Dynasty to life.
Next we headed to the N Seoul Tower via cable car and by this point it was absolutely freezing as it was snowing. This view from the top of the tower was fantastic and provided a true realization of just how huge Seoul City actually is. As large as Singapore, just shy of 9.5 million people.
Other highlights in Seoul are a visit to the famous Gwangjang and Namdaemun markets to experience the delicious street food, the Suspension Bridge, Namasngol Hanok Village, Bukchon Village and a stroll along the Cheongnam Stream. Not to mention the shopping districts and karaoke bars. I can’t wait to go back one day soon and I will certainly spend a few nights exploring more of the city of Seoul.
Renae
