- Time to rest
- Seoul palaces
- What else can you do in Seoul?
- Genuine Gyeongju
- Northern border
- Diving in Jeju
- Mountains, skis and sun
South Korea is an Asian state that is washed by the seas on three sides, and borders on North Korea on the fourth. South Korea is famous for its many architectural attractions, wide sandy beaches, snow-capped mountains, an extensive network of routes for walking and cycling, huge shopping centers, consisting of several dozen buildings, where you can buy any electronics. To understand when is the best time to vacation in South Korea, you need to formulate what exactly you expect from your vacation.
Time to rest
It is better to discover new places, get acquainted with the ancient culture and rich traditions of South Korea in autumn or spring. In the same time period, the most picturesque natural parks: in March, cherry blossoms begin to bloom, in October, bright red maple leaves attract the eye. In winter, tourists usually go to local ski resorts. The winters here are pretty chilly for exploring historic cities. People begin to bask on the beaches and swim in the clear waters of the three seas in June. The swimming season ends in September.
To make the trip memorable, you can time it for some interesting event. For example, the Mud Festival, which takes place in mid-July on the beaches of Daecheon. Local mud is considered to be curative, and on its basis, medical cosmetics are made. Therefore, there are enough people who want to take part in mud battles during the festival.
Seoul palaces
It is better to start your acquaintance with South Korea from the capital - the city of Seoul. In its vicinity there are two international airports, including the huge Incheon, where most of the aircraft from Europe and America arrive. Asian airlines prefer a different airport.
In the first half of the 20th century, Korea was ruled by Japan. It must be said that the Japanese contributed to significant economic development, but at the same time destroyed many of the historic buildings in Seoul. Nevertheless, five royal palaces of the Joseon dynasty have survived in the city to this day. Particularly interesting is the Changdeokgung complex, surrounded by a large park. The last representative of the Joseon dynasty lived in this palace until the end of the 80s of the XX century. Changdeokgung consists of 13 palace buildings and 28 graceful wooden pavilions scattered around the garden. The royal garage is also located here, where the cars of the rulers are kept.
What else can you do in Seoul?
In addition to walking around the historic center, Seoul can offer its guests a few more entertainments. In the capital of the Republic of Korea, you must:
- climb Mount Bukhansan, towering over Seoul from the north. In general, mountains will become an integral part of any trip to South Korea. You can start from the Bukhansan ridge, on the slopes of which you can find a many kilometers of powerful fortress wall, and from the top you can see the whole of Seoul;
- try exotic dishes in local restaurants, such as dog meat. Officially, a ban on dog food was introduced by the government for the 1988 Olympics, but in fact, a four-legged stew called boshin tang is secretly served in thousands of Korean restaurants. Koreans firmly believe that this dish increases potency;
- visit a dating cafe called a booking club. In a traditional booking club, men can invite the girl they like to their table; in some establishments, women are also allowed to choose their grooms.
Original Gyeongju
On the coast of the Sea of Japan is the ancient Korean capital - the city of Gyeongju. Anyone who is interested in the ancient traditional architecture of Korea and dreams of seeing Buddhist shrines is worth planning a trip here.
The visiting card and the most popular attraction of Gyeongju is the Seokkuram cave, where a temple with a stone, skillfully made figure of Buddha was built more than 12 centuries ago. It is separated from visitors by a glass panel. The serene Buddha is turned to the east and, according to legend, protects Korea from enemies. Seokguram Temple is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, as well as another local attraction - the Bulguksa Buddhist Monastery, located outside the city of Gyeongju. The monastery complex, which includes seven different buildings, appeared here in the middle of the 8th century.
Finally, the Chomseongdae Observatory, dating back to the 7th century, is worthy of attention, making it one of the oldest in the world.
Northern border
Probably, everyone who arrives in South Korea wants to have at least one eye look at the territory of the communist northern neighbor inaccessible to many. The path of almost all travelers lies in the demilitarized zone, turned by practical Koreans into a popular tourist destination. At the same time, this barbed-wire dividing line is a real state border and is guarded by soldiers. Just a few dozen kilometers from Seoul is the village of Panmunjom, where you can see Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, through binoculars. This is one of five border locations where you can get close to the fence between countries. In other sections, it will not be possible to approach the border zone by more than 5 km.
Also during the tour, you can see the underground tunnels created by the North Korean troops. They were found in the 70s of the last century. The tunnels are cool, so the best time to visit them is spring or summer.
Diving in Jeju
Scuba diving enthusiasts come to South Korea from June to December. There are many dive sites in the country, but the most attractive underwater world can be found near Jeju Island. The island is washed by the waters of the Korean Gulf. In summer, the water temperature here reaches 25 degrees Celsius, by December it cools down to 19 degrees. Low season for divers begins in January. Scuba equipment rentals are closing and diving schools are taking time out. Diving takes place from the beaches of Seogwipo City.
In general, Jeju Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, will appeal not only to divers. Once upon a time, unwanted courtiers were exiled here. Jeju is a renowned resort these days, a destination for romantics, lovers and golf enthusiasts. The island was formed by volcanic eruptions. All volcanoes, and there are more than 360 of them, are currently dormant. The largest volcano, Hallasan, rises 1950 meters above the island.
Mountains, skis and sun
For those who love skiing and want to discover new, hitherto unexplored ski areas, it is better to relax in South Korea when December comes and the high season begins at the famous local ski resorts. Experts assure that every year South Korean ski resorts will become more popular, and therefore more expensive. Therefore, it makes sense to visit them in the next few years.
Fans of well-equipped ski slopes should go to the Barwansan Mountains to the Yenphen ski base. This resort is famous for its long skiing season. Snow lies here until April, while on the neighboring slopes it melts at the end of February.
The highlight of the ski resorts in South Korea is the opportunity to combine sports with relaxation in the hot springs, which are located near many famous tourist centers.
