NEW YORK (AP) ― Cruise trends as the 2013 season gets under way are shaping up to include a bigger focus on multi-generational groups, more specialty food offerings, and continued efforts to wow passengers with new onboard firsts like an aquapark, a glass walkway and a vertical garden. Here are some details on what’s new in cruising.The new ‘It’ shipsCruiseCritic.com editor Carolyn Spencer Brown says two of the hottest new ships debuting in 2013 are the Norwegian Breakaway, which will be the lar

Feb. 7, 2013

Lotte Hotel Jeju recently opened He:on, the largest premium outdoor heated pool on Jeju Island. After five months of renovation, the hotel has upgraded its swimming pool areas and now offers guests a first class getaway equipped with all the features of a luxury pool, spa and garden. He:on embodies an oasis of complete relaxation, refreshment and recovery, while still providing guests with opportunities for exciting fun for the whole family with majestic waterfront scenery, premium massage thera

Feb. 7, 2013

Festivals“Samcheok Jeongwol Daeboreum Festival”: Koreans celebrate the first full moon day of the Lunar New Year to bring health and good luck to their families. The traditional event, celebrating the beginning of the Lunar New Year, will be held in Samcheok, Gangwon Province, from Feb. 22-24. Visitors can experience various folk games, including a tug-of-war, burning a bundle of twigs and other fun activities such as arm wrestling and a singing contest. The festival will take place at Expo Town

Feb. 7, 2013

From guided tours to traditional and trendy spots in Seoul to a lucky draw event, Korea is readying for the arrival of more than 60,000 Chinese tourists during China’s week-long holidays starting this weekend. Expecting the number of Chinese visitors to increase by about 25 percent from the previous holidays, the state-run Korea Tourism Organization has been preparing events for the large influx of tourists. It is holding a welcoming event at the Incheon International Airport, providing welcomin

Feb. 7, 2013

With the Lunar New Year approaching, Korean families will gather at homes and on hillsides across the country to pay respects to their ancestors. For many expats, Seollal’s holiday exodus gives them a chance to enjoy city sites and leisure activities in relative quiet. As most expats’ families are far away, museums and city governments put on events to help bring them together while also learning about some of the traditions.“It’s one of the biggest holidays in Korea and most expats will feel lo

Feb. 1, 2013

The online accommodation information service Airbnb announced its official service launch in Korea on Tuesday, as part of its expansion plan in Northeast Asia. The peer-to-peer service matches spare rooms at homes of local residents and tourists looking for accommodation. The business model has received much attention as an example of the “sharing economy.” At the press conference held on the day, cofounder and chief product officer Joe Gebbia said Korea was growing faster than any other Asian m

Feb. 1, 2013

Light mist cloaked the ancient hills in Upper Normandy, and from somewhere within this tapestry of seaside cliffs and pastures of flowers, I expected a fire-breathing dragon or a white-haired wizard muttering ancient incantations would come bounding out of the forest at any moment.Upper Normandy, in the northwest corner of France, is just the place that would summon a dragon or wizard or two with its castles, monasteries, moats, and stone fences. But it also summons spirits, the kind you find in

Feb. 1, 2013

HONG KONG (AFP) ― Trundling along slowly against a backdrop of glittering skyscrapers, Hong Kong’s trams are entering a new phase of their life but their well-loved retro look is here to stay.Since 2011 a handful of vehicles have had their wooden seats replaced and some now have air conditioning, but the network’s operator says that the small steps towards modernisation will remain subtle.The 109-year-old trams, fondly referred to as “ding ding” from the sound of their bells, retain a special pl

Jan. 25, 2013

NEW ORLEANS (AP) ― It’s expensive to be a tourist in a town that’s hosting two of the biggest events of the new year ― Mardi Gras and the NFL Super Bowl ― but New Orleans has plenty of free things to do. The nearly 300-year-old French city has walkable neighborhoods and scenic public parks dotted with centuries-old oak trees draped in Spanish moss, along with a free ferry and historic market.Mardi Gras and Bourbon StreetNew Orleans is perhaps best-known for hosting one of the biggest free partie

Jan. 25, 2013

A New Zealand charity group is constructing what it claims to be the world’s biggest waterslide, as part of its effort to raise awareness about depression.Jimi Hunt and Dan Drupsteen, who cofounded antidepression group Live More Awesome, said they are building a 650-meter-long waterslide for their two-day fund-raising festival on Feb. 23 and 24, in Helensville, 40 kilometers northwest of Auckland.The slide is currently just a mud track through a field of cows, but it is expected to clinch the ti

Jan. 25, 2013

The 14th Harbin Ice and Snow Festival in China‘s northern Heilongjiang Province is touted as the world’s biggest ice and snow festival. (UPI)<관련 한글 기사>[포토] 세계최대 '하얼빈 빙등제' 열려중국 북부 헤이롱지앙 지역에서 세계 최대규모의 하얼빈 빙등제가 열렸다. 올해 14회다. (코리아헤럴드)

Jan. 22, 2013