Welcome to
South Korea
Welcome to
South Korea
Split by a hair-trigger border, the Korean Peninsula offers the traveller a dazzling range of experiences, beautiful landscapes and 5000 years of culture and history
The Korean Peninsula offers the traveller a dazzling range of experiences, beautiful landscapes and 5000 years of culture and history
Highlights
Highlights
Changdeokgung
The 'Palace of Illustrious Virtue' was built in the early 15th century, these days this Unesco World Heritage-listed property exceeds Gyeongbukgung in beauty and grace-partly because so many of its buildings were actually lived in by members of the royal family well into the 20th century. The most charming section is the Huwon, a 'secret garden' that is a royal horticultural idyll. Book ahead to snag the limited tickets to view this palace on a moonlight tour.
Gwandhwamun & Jongno-gu
Winter Sports
They say the third time's a charm, and so Pyeongchang won the chance to host the Winter Olympics with its third bid. In 2018 the Games were held at the Alpensia and Yongpyong ski resorts, as well as the Gangneung costal area. Located near each other, Alpensia and Yongpyeong have dozens of runs, including slopes for families and beginners, views of the East Sea/Sea of Japan on clear days and some new and first-rate accommodation and leisure facilities.
Pyeongchang
Boryeong Mud Festival
Every July, thousands of people converge on the welcoming seaside town of Boryeong and proceed to jump into gigantic vats of mud. The official line is that the local mud had restorative properties, but one look around and it's clear that no one really cares expect for having a slippery, slothin', messy good time. This foreigner-friendly and high-profile festival also features concerts, raves and fireworks. A tip: don't wear anything you want to keep!
Boryeong
Hwaseong Fortress
Built as an act of filial devotion and heavily damaged during the colonization period of the early 20th century and again in the Korean War, the restoration of this Unesco World Heritage site began in the 1970s and is now almost finished. A detailed 1801 record of its construction has allowed the 5.52km-long wall and the Hwaseong Haenggung (a palace for the king to stay in during his visits to Suwon) to be rebuilt with great historical accuracy.
Suwon