Korea destinations and offers

[Sandra & John Scott]

At the end of our three-month writing trip in Asia we will be in Korea (mid March).  We plan to spend one week in Seoul but could possibly spend another week or so at another destinations.  Any suggestions for some place (warmish) and accommodations.Thanks in advance. Sandra

[Nancie]

Hi!

Korea is cold in March, so be sure to bring some warm clothes. Your biggest expense will be accommodation. Seoul hotels are expensive. When I visit Seoul I stay at a hotel called the "Hotel Rainbow". It's well located with good subway access. You can book with them directly here http://rainbowinseoul.co.kr/e-intro.htm. The rooms are clean and comfortable. A double room is about 60.00 a night. A cheaper alternative would be a dorm bed in a hostel. Check out Hostel World. For what's happening in Seoul I find the best source to be 10 Magazine https://www.facebook.com/10Mag?fref=ts. The further south you go on the peninsula the warmer it gets. For real warmth you would probably have to travel to JeJu Island. Every Korean wants to go here before they die and most honeymoon here. I can't be of much help with JeJu, since I've never been, but you will find lots of info. when you Goggle. 

Hope this helps. If you find yourself in Daejeon (an hour outside of Seoul on the fast train) let me know and we can have a coffee :)

Nancie

[Sandra & John Scott]

Thanks, Nancie for your help... the weather is a concern as it will be the last stop on a three month trip... all in the tropics.. guess we will have to buy some sweatshirts along the way.

 

[Sandra & John Scott]

Thanks for all the wonderful information.  A little concerned about the weather being cold.  We will be three months in Asia - all warm - before Korea. But we have not been to Korea so decided to head back to the US via Seoul.   still trying to decide how much time to spend there.  We will be one week in Seoul but have 10 day open before that... Several options on the table just trying to decide... Thanks so very much. Sandra

[David Paul Appell]

Hi, Scotts! Wow, I still cherish fond memories of my trip to South Korea in 1999, and would highly recommend Kyangju (also spelled Gyeongju), on the coast, which besides being something of a resort destination also has some fabulous historic treasures due to its having been the capital of the 1st-century-AD Silla kingdom (in fact, I've heard it called a "museum without walls"). Among such historical treasures, are UNESCO World Heritage Sites such as the Seokguram grotto (lovely site, huge and spectacular seated Buddha statue), Bulguksa Temple, Yangdon Folk Village, and the Shilla royal tombs. There are plenty of lodgings from good-quality guesthouses to full-blown resorts - what's your price range? As for myself, I think the resort I stayed was the Hilton out at Bomun Lake. For eating, don't miss Do-sol Ma-eul, traditional local cuisine in a traditional house a century-plus old; also, it was in the outskirts of Gyeongju that I ate in a restaurant, whose name I forget, serving dog (not proud of this, in retrospect, but there you have it). Spring is a lovely time to visit, but temperatures are not quite "warmish" (more like mid-50s); April and May are also cherry-blossom season, but I don't know if you'll get any of that in March. 

Also highly recommended is Cheju Island (aka Cheju-do, Jeju, or Jeju-do), off the south coast (you can fly or take a ferry), which is ”considered Korea’s Hawaii and is a popular honeymoon spot. It’s more of a place for beaches and water sports, but there are several other interesting attractions, such as underground lava tubes. The island’s also famous for its lady divers, who for centuries have been free-diving for abalone and shellfish; there aren’t actually too many of them left these days, but at the very least you can visit a museum about them. BTW I also hear that now there’s a sex-themed amusement park (I can only imagine the rides at that one). I don’t remember where I stayed, but there should be plenty of decent recommendations available online by now.

And while in Seoul, don’t forget a visit to Insadong, a street with antiques, tea shops, and traditional shops; and a daytrip to the DMZ, Consider, too, checking out Gangnam, the neighborhood made famous recently by the viral K-pop rap hit “Gangnam Style” (we have a post about it which you can read here).

Jalda nyeoo sipsio (bon voyage); I think you’ll be impressed!

-DPA

[Marie Evelyn Frenette]

Just for the record. To say that most Koreans honeymoon in Korea is a bit inaccurate. Long ago when it was hard to travel abroad it was the case. Now the majority go to warm destinations in Southeast Asia or Europe. And also, as someone who lived in Jeju for two years, I can tell you that you still won't find "real warmth"  in Jeju in March but it will be better than the rest of the country. 

Reasonably priced accommodation can be found at these sites to start 

http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/AC/AC_EN_4_9.jsp

http://www.benikea.com/_eng/benikea_reservation/index_eng.asp

http://innostel.visitseoul.net/main/in_default.asp

I think a good option could be Busan, cause you can go on the high speed train (KTX) and spend some time on the ocean. There are lots of things to see and eat too. checkout the Korea Tourism Website for more info visitkorea.or.kr