South Korea Travel Guide
Official Name: Republic of Korea
Capital: Seoul
Language: Korean, English widely taught in junior high and high school.
Religion: No Affiliation 46%, Christian 26%, Buddhist 26%, Confucianist 1%, Other 1%.
Currency: South Korean won (KRW)
South Korea Sights and Museums
What to see:
Hahoe Folk Village : For anyone with a weekend to spare, a visit to Hahoe Folk Village is a must. It will prove an endless delight and provide an unrivaled insight into traditional rural living in Korea.
Gyeongju: Gyeongju is an open-air museum masquerading as a small, provincial town littered with ancient rubble. Those keen on Silla culture or archaeology will be in heaven, fossicking through the remains of temples, tombs, shrines, palaces, pleasure gardens and castles.
Songnisan National Park. Central Korea's top scenic spot, Songnisan means 'remote from the mundane world mountains', and indeed it is. The place is a magnet for hikers, with heaps of excellent walks. The thing that really drags them in by the busload though, is Beopjusa, one of the largest and most magnificent temple sites in Korea.
Seoul
Seoul is the world's 10th-largest city. Its past and present coexist in a fascinating way; centuries-old palaces, city gates, shrines, gardens and priceless art collections attest to the city's illustrious past, while the glistening facades of soaring skyscrapers and the bustling traffic represent its vibrant present.
Seongnamsa: This must-see temple is a visual masterpiece. The 800m (.5mi) walk along an interlocking stone path from the park entrance to the temple is sublime. At the temple's main gate, pause half way up the stairs and take in the image of a multi-storeyed pagoda and bamboo trees juxtaposed against the mountain.
Gyeongbokgung: The grandest palace in Seoul, Gyeongbokgung lay in ruins for nearly 300 years until Heungseon Daewongun, regent and father of King Gojong, began to rebuild it in 1865
South Korea Entertainment
Events:
Korea’s Seollal (Between January and February). Korea’s most celebrated holidays according to the lunar calendar. “Seollal” usually falls between January and February on the lunar calendar. As Seollal approaches, the entire nation becomes busy preparing for the holidays.
Seoul Fringe Festival (August). Independent art festival which anyone can participate. It provides an indispensable and insatiable creative ambience for Asian independent arts with their explosive passion.
Lotus Lantern Festival (early May) The annual celebration of Buddha's birthday is a delightful experience for visitors to Seoul, who are welcome to join in the many festivities and activities that take place in and around Jongno Street and the beautiful temples of the city usually in early May each year. Included is an exhibition of wonderful traditional paper lanterns that come in every shape and size depicting various symbolic animals and objects.
Dano Festival (May-June). the annual Dano Festival is one of the three biggest holiday celebrations in Korea. It is a traditional food festival that offers prayers in the hope of a good and bountiful harvest in the coming year. Needless to say, visitors have plenty of opportunities to sample local produce and regional specialities. The festival also boasts a lively entertainment programme that includes live entertainment, cultural performances, exhibitions and children’s events
Chuseok (september or early october). Major traditional holiday in Korea, celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th lunar month of the year. It is a thanksgiving feast and is also called Harvest Day, Harvest Moon Festival, or Hankawi
South Korea Transports
All South Korea's main cities are linked by air, but the distances are small so it's usually not worth the extra cost. Land travel may still prove a better bet: buses are fast, safe and on time; the train network is extensive and services are frequent. There are two types of bus, express and intercity - the former go direct and the latter stop. Seats are reserved on the express buses (if you miss your bus, you must buy a new ticket), and unreserved on the intercity services.
The trains are also efficient: a high-speed service runs the length of the country and there are several local trains. Trains are clean, safe, punctual and inexpensive, and just about every station has signage in Korean and English. Compartments are non-smoking, but smoking is allowed in the area between compartments. Trains are the best option for long-distance travel and mugunghwa trains cost less than deluxe buses. Rail passes (KR Pass) can be a good bet if you're planning on travelling around for a few days.
Driving in South Korea can be difficult: it's expensive and traffic jams are a common problem. If that doesn't put you off, make sure you take an International Driving Permit. Long-distance share taxis, known as bullet taxis, go between big cities and major tourist sights.
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