The Korea Herald

Chinese tourists pick Jeju as top Korean destination

The southern resort island of Jeju has been selected as the most sought after summer holiday destination in Korea by Chinese tourists, the Korea Tourism Organization said Tuesday. The poll, conducted on Weibo, a Chinese equivalent to Twitter, from May 10 to 24, involved 1,148 people who are members of the KTO micro-blogging website. The poll found 374 people preferred Jeju Island as a holiday spot, followed by Seoul and Busan. Other places mentioned by the respondents include Yeosu, Mokpo, Gwang

June 12, 2012

Chinese tourists pick Jeju as top Korean destination

Guesthouses: Hongdae’s hidden charm

Cheap, quality accommodations sprout up in Seoul’s new tourist spotSeoul’s Hongdae community has no shortage of tourist charms: Urban arts, indie music, lively nightlife and unique cafes and restaurants. A new attraction has been added recently ― cheap, convenient and good-quality accommodations. Guesthouses, offering a night’s stay at prices as low as 18,000 won ($15), have been sprouting up in back alleys and corners of the popular youth hangout in western Seoul over the past few years. “Backp

June 8, 2012

Grand Ambassador Seoul presents ‘Wicked’ tickets

The hotel offers VIP tickets for the musical “Wicked” to its guests in June. It will select three guests by lottery among those who made reservations for the hotel’s spring package and 40 visitors to hotel restaurants who filled seven stamps on an event card. They will be given two VIP tickets for the musical, worth a total of 320,000 won. Guests can make reservations at grand.ambatel.com.For more information, call (02) 2275-1101.

June 8, 2012

Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel offers outdoor BBQ

The hotel offers a summer barbecue dinner at the outdoor Garden Terrace on Fridays and Saturdays until September. Guests can select from meat, seafood and mixed grill menu items and enjoy unlimited fresh salads. The children’s menu includes barbecue chicken, a mini hotdog and hamburgers. “The Ultimate BBQ” runs from June to September on Friday and Saturday evenings from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the outdoor Garden Terrace, located on the 8th floor of the hotel. It will be closed on rainy days. The pri

June 8, 2012

New South Wales Tourism Board, Korean Air launch gift event

The New South Wales Tourism Board in Australia and Korean Air are launching a gift event in June.The companies will present some signature products of Australia to customers who buy plane tickets to Sydney at the Korean Air website (www.koreanair.com).The prizes include Australia’s famous vitamin product “Blackmores Super Triple Action Vitamin” for 100 people, an Australian boomerang and Korean Air blankets. The event is held to promote Sydney as a travel hub in the southern part of Australia, w

June 8, 2012

Ski passes go on sale at Alpensia Resort

Alpensia Resort starts sales of ski passes for the 2012-13 winter season. The sales begins a month earlier than previous years to attract more skiers to the resort, which is the main venue for the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. The price for an adult season pass is 120,000 won, 100,000 won for children and 220,000 won for couples. For members of the Alpensia Resort Hotel and Condominium, the adult pass is priced at 100,000 won and children’s pass at 80,000 won.Tickets are available at www.alp

June 8, 2012

Hiking the Grand Canyon rim to rim

GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK ― The Grand Canyon’s beauty beckons like gravity, pulling even the timid to the chasm’s edge.But for those committing to the challenge of a cross-canyon hike, there awaits below the rim a reward beyond the spectacular scenery: time travel.Those horizontal stripes on the postcard panoramas trace a billion years of geological history. They are the sediment and fossils of ancient oceans. According to author Scott Thybony, who literally wrote the books on canyon trails, to

June 8, 2012

This summer, explore London’s less obvious side

LONDON ― As a Californian, I had forgotten that you don’t cancel your life just because it rains. If you did, you’d never see anything in London, at least not recently. And there is much to see.Too much, in fact. It’s a travel buffet, and it’s hard not to load your plate with a plethora of monuments, historic buildings and churches.It’s important to see that London, but it’s imperative to see the lesser-known London, if only to escape the hordes who are coming here for the Queen’s Diamond Jubile

June 8, 2012

This summer, explore London’s less obvious side

Hotel offers stays in exchange for art

A guest room at the Clarion hotel featuring unique artwork. (clarionhotel.com)A hotel in the Swedish capital is offering free stays to guests who donate a piece of self-made art to the facility.The Clarion Hotel in Stockholm said the art-for-stays scheme was inspired by New York's Chelsea Hotel, which allowed prominent artists and musicians to stay for free in exchange for their works of art, The

June 8, 2012

Seoul to host world tourism congress in Oct.

The world’s largest tourism organization will hold its world congress in Korea for the first time, its organizing committee said on Tuesday. The gathering of tourism professionals is scheduled to be held Oct.2-7 in Seoul and Incheon this year. “The event will be a great opportunity for Korea to promote itself as a major tourist destination to tourism experts. It means more as this year marks the last year of the travel campaign ‘Visit Korea 2010-2012,’ which expects to reach the goal of attracti

June 7, 2012

Seoul to host world tourism congress in Oct.

Billionaire selling private island

A Seattle billionaire who purchased the world's most expensive car for $35 million is now attempting to sell his private Canadian island for $75 million.Craig McCaw, who sold his company, McCaw Cellular, to AT&T for $11.5 billion in 1993 and now runs high-speed wireless provider Clearwire, is attempting to sell the 780-acre James Island, part of British Columbia's Gulf Islands, with an asking pri

June 7, 2012

Renaissance Seoul offers local cultural experiences

The hotel offers a local culture program on June 7 as part of the hotel’s global initiative “Live Life to Discover,” taking place in 34 countries, to encourage hotel guests to explore the city they are visiting. It offers a unique selection of soju cocktails including “Soju Tini,” a Korean-twist on the classic martini using Korean soju, and a temple stay program as part of the initiative. The cocktail is available at 9,000 won, excluding tax and service charge at Trevi Lounge.The hotel also reco

June 1, 2012

Millennium Seoul Hilton presents annual gourmet dinner

The hotel’s French restaurant Seasons offers meals inspired by seasonal ingredients as part of its annual Gourmet Circle Dinner event in June. The summer dishes will be prepared by the hotel’s award-winning executive chef Park Hyo-nam who will offer seven-course meal paired with wines. The dinner starts at 7 p.m. and is priced at 175,000 won per person, including wine. The hotel also promotes Hoengseong Korean beef, some of the best quality beef in the country from Hoengseong, Gangwon Province.

June 1, 2012

Korail operates bike train, offers discounted summer tickets

Korea Railroad Corporation is operating bike trains starting this month. The train, equipped with bicycle stands and folding chairs, allows visitors to carry bicycles with them on the train. The train will operate from Yongsan Station to Yangpyeong Station 12 times a day between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. Korail has also begun summer train ticket sales for young people under 25. The special tickets will offer teenagers and young people under 25 a chance to get on Korail trains freely and travel across th

June 1, 2012

ASEAN Culture, Tourism Fair offers diverse cultural experience

The ASEAN-Korean Center will host the 2012 ASEAN Culture and Tourism Fair that will give visitors a chance to experience diverse cultures of Southeast Asian countries. The fair will feature 70 teams from 10 ASEAN member states including Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam and Laos who will perform traditional dances, sing folk songs and play instrumental music at the event. Visitors will also be able to enjoy Southeast Asian food and drinks at the food section. Travel informa

June 1, 2012

Birthplace of Buddha lures people to Nepal

While many Koreans believe the birthplace of Buddha to be in India, Nepal’s state tourism agency aims to correct the misconception and promote their country as the actual birthplace of Buddha. As the year marks Visit Lumbini Year, Nepal Tourism Board also aims to draw more Korean tourists to the major Buddhist pilgrimage site and establish the place as a symbol of peace. “Lumbini is the birthplace of Lord Buddha born more than 2,500 years ago. As the year marks the Visit Lumbini Year, we plan to

June 1, 2012

Birthplace of Buddha lures people to Nepal

Seattle’s secret is out: Lake Chelan, Washington

CHELAN, Washington ― Just say the words “summer at the lake” in certain company, and you’ll get a wistful smile, possibly followed by stories about fishing contests, belly-flops, mosquito bites, campfire songs, sexual awakening, lingering regret, family feuds, winterizing expenses and the prospect that the mortgage interest tax deductions for second homes might someday be disallowed.Now, say “summer at the lake” to a room full of Seattleites, and talk will likely turn to Lake Chelan.Lake Chelan,

June 1, 2012

Seattle’s secret is out: Lake Chelan, Washington

Sheraton Grande Walkerhill presents summer package

The hotel presents “Summertime Stay” package from June 1-22 for those who want to enjoy the early summer season. The package, which includes a one-night stay at Deluxe room, ice cream and dining at the restaurant The View is priced at 170,000 won, excluding tax and service charges.The package including draft beer with nachos or French fries at the European restaurant CLOCK 16 is 190,000 won.Customers will also be offered Greek organic cosmetic trial kit KORESS, a 10 percent discount for eat-in a

May 25, 2012

Grand Hyatt Seoul holds music party

The hotel will hold a House Music Party at J.J. Mahoney’s featuring live music by world-renowned DJ Scott Pullen and Mahoney’s house band Maximum.The entry fee is 30,000 won or 20,000 won for JJ Ladies members. The party will offer complementary welcome drinks and coffee. The party will be held over two nights from May 25-26.For more information, call (02) 799-8601.

May 25, 2012

Spanish grill festival at JW Marriott

The hotel’s grill restaurant JW’s Grill holds a Spanish grilled food festival from May 31 to June 17.It will hold a gala dinner on June 7 featuring eight-course Spanish grilled cuisine. Prepared by Jordi Villegas, a JW Marriott Hong Kong chef, the dinner will include Spanish roast pork, grilled tenderloin and Iberian ham with potatoes. The dinner is priced at 180,000 won per person, excluding tax and service charge. For more information, call (02) 6282-6759.

May 25, 2012