Seasonal programs recommended for travel week

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Monday announced the launch of this year’s Autumn Travel Week, a designated period between Oct. 20 and Nov. 1 featuring travel programs and government-recommended destinations.Continuing the theme of travel spots featured in popular Korean movies and TV shows, 17 regional governments will take part in Travel Week. Twenty travel spots are introduced on the event’s homepage (https://travelweek.visitkorea.or.kr), in categories such as a place to visit

Oct. 1, 2018

Experiencing Korea with Daemyung Leisure Industry

Daemyung Leisure Industry, a major ski resort and water theme park operator in Korea, has launched packages that invite foreign tourists to experience Korea’s culture and history. Targeting the millennial generation’s desire for local experiences, the packages focus on unique experiences that are only offered in Korea.  The MVL Hotel Goyang (Daemyung Leisure Industry)The MVL Hotel Goyang, a five-star hotel in Gyeonggi Province, presents the Go Peace & Shopping package, which includes a two- or t

Sept. 30, 2018

Taking in Seoul’s hidden gems along Fortress Wall

Emile Bourdartet, a French engineer who came to Korea in 1900 to help construct railways and mines, said of Seoul Fortress Wall, “It is possible to walk the whole length of this wall in a single day. It is a very interesting walkway for those skilled at sauntering and hiking.”He was writing about his experiences of Korea in “The Last Breath of the Korean Empire,” which became France’s most widely read book about the land of the morning calm after it was published in 1904. “The jaunt offers a sce

Sept. 27, 2018

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights around Korea

Yangyang Songi Festival (Pine Mushroom Festival) The Yangyang Songi Festival offers programs that allow visitors to enjoy the Yangyang songi mushrooms that naturally grow on Taebaeksan Ridge.Activities include a mushroom-picking program for foreign visitors, a songi treasure hunt, concerts and traditional rice cake making.The festival runs from Sept. 26 to Oct. 3, and is open to visitors of all ages, free of charge.For more information in Korean, English, Japanese or Chinese, visit yangyang.go.k

Sept. 27, 2018

[Weekender] Seoul spots for a stroll

Cars and people are not the only things the megalopolis is bustling with, as the fall has the Korean capital colored scarlet with falling leaves accompanying the cool breeze.There are a number of walking spots in the city for the season to be savored.Dalmaji ParkThe Chuseok holidays that ended Wednesday were marked by the full moon. Dalmaji Park, which means “moon welcoming park,” got its name for being one of the best places in Seoul to enjoy the sight of the moon.Located between Oksu-dong and

Sept. 27, 2018

[Herald Interview] Trekking on sacred Paektusan highlands

During a trekking tour of North Korea’s Paektusan highlands in August, Roger Shepherd and his team of international travelers hobnobbed with North Korean guides -- hiking, pitching tents, making campfires, cooking and eating together. Two Australian women and two Norwegian men traveled with Shepherd, a Kiwi professional hiker and travel writer, on their maiden trip to the Korean Peninsula’s tallest mountain, 2,750 meters above sea level, considered the sacred cradle of the Korean people since ti

Sept. 20, 2018

[Weekender] Planning your Chuseok escape

 The three days of Chuseok this year and adjoining weekend mean most working people in Korea will have at least a four- or five-day break for the holiday. Some lucky souls may even say why bother and take the whole week off. But if you haven’t planned it yet, you may be hard-pressed to go anywhere with your time. Chuseok is especially reputed as the time of year the mega-metropolitan capital Seoul empties, as people drain from the city to their historic hometowns and reunite with family -- and w

Sept. 20, 2018

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights around Korea

Yangyang Songi Festival (Pine Mushroom Festival)The Yangyang Songi Festival offers programs that allow visitors to enjoy Yangyang songi mushrooms that naturally grow on the Taebaeksan Ridge.Activities include a mushroom-picking program for foreigners, a songi treasure hunt, concerts and traditional rice-cake making.The festival runs from Sept. 26 to Oct. 3, and is open to visitors of all ages, free of charge.For more information in Korean, English, Japanese or Chinese, visit yangyang.go.kr.Jeju

Sept. 20, 2018

Marriott targets local market with low premium strategy

Global hotel chain Marriott International will open three more hotels in Korea, in response to growing demand from middle-class tourists.The hotel chain’s portfolio is divided into three tiers: luxury, premium and select-service. Hotels in the select-service tier aim to provide guests with a high-quality experience at a reasonable price.  A penthouse room at Four Points by Sheraton Gangnam (Mariott International)Courtyard by Marriott, Fairfield by Marriott, Four Points by Sheraton and Aloft Hote

Sept. 20, 2018

Coex Aquarium offers discount for foreigners during Chuseok Holidays

In commemoration of Chuseok, one of Korea’s biggest holidays of the year, Coex Aquarium is offering a special discount to foreign residents here.From Sept. 21-26, foreign visitors at the venue with a coupon will get 20 percent off admission. Up to four people per coupon can get the discount, and a passport or foreigner registration card must be provided upon purchase of the ticket.A photograph, printout or screenshot of the coupon is acceptable.The image for the coupon can be found at http://www

Sept. 16, 2018

Night markets open across Seoul this weekend

Night markets open along Cheonggye Stream, at Dongdaemun Design Plaza, riverside parks in Yeouido and Banpo, and next to the World Cup Stadium in Mapo-gu this weekend, featuring food trucks and handmade crafts from around the world, games, cultural performances and preloved items, Seoul City said Friday.People can exchange items they do not need at a designated spot in Cheonggye Plaza throughout the Seoul Bamdokkaebi Night Market, which runs through Oct. 28. (Yonhap)An open audition will be held

Sept. 14, 2018

Ananti Namhae recognized at World Travel Awards for 12th year

Ananti Namhae was selected as South Korea’s leading resort in the World Travel Awards 2018. While the property located on the southern coast has received the award for 12 consecutive years since its opening in 2007, it was the first time it was recognized as part of the Ananti brand, since terminating a management deal with Hilton earlier this year.  Ananti NamhaeSince the brand shift, the resort has undergone a transformation, tripling its green space. The parking lot in the resort is now a par

Sept. 13, 2018

Gliding through Seoul on Han River ferry cruise

E-Land Cruise, a ferry that glides on the Han River across Seoul, has prepared new promotions and packages for autumn. E-Land Cruise glides on the Han River (Eland Cruise)This season’s cruise buffet, titled “Falling in Autumn Cruise,” uses fresh, seasonal ingredients. Around 30 to 50 menu items have been prepared, including new dishes such as butter grilled scallops and beef tartare sushi. Red shrimps and sous-vide steak are the main dish of the buffet station. The steak is cooked for 72 hours s

Sept. 13, 2018

With 825 rooms, Marinabay Seoul aims to become Gimpo landmark

While the city of Gimpo is mostly known for its airport, its status could change, as Hotel Marinabay Seoul opened last Saturday. The premium hotel, surrounded by the waters of the Gyeongin Ara Waterway, is situated next to the Aramarina Yacht School in Gimpo, a 30-minute drive west of central Seoul.  Hotel Marinabay SeoulWith 825 rooms, making it the fifth-largest hotel in Korea, Hotel Marinabay Seoul has taken on a different strategy from the latest hospitality market trend. While other hotels

Sept. 13, 2018

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights around Korea

Hamyang Wild Ginseng FestivalThe Hamyang Wild Ginseng Festival is being held at Hamyang Sangrim Forest, Natural Monument No. 154. The Hamyang area features high quality wild ginseng and herbs.The festival includes exhibitions, hands-on programs, an agricultural product market and history tours with simmani, or professional foragers of wild ginseng.The event is ongoing from Sept. 7-16, and is open to visitors of all ages free of charge, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information in Korean, Engli

Sept. 13, 2018

[Eye Plus] Petite France envelopes visitors in French culture

Following some 10 kilometers on the lakeside of Cheongpyeong Dam in Gyeonggi Province toward Nami Island, one is welcomed by a small French theme park with unique and colorful houses. Opened in Gapyeong, Gyeonggi Province, a decade ago, French-style theme park Petite France offers visitors various experience programs, performances and exhibitions, steeping them in French and European culture.From centuries-old traditional French “Guignol” hand puppet performances and a doll play with traditional

Sept. 7, 2018

KTO recommends travel spots for September

Every month, the Korea Tourism Organization releases a list of recommended travel spots across the country. This month’s suggestions consist of countryside villages that present a soothing atmosphere amid natural surroundings, though they may not be particularly fancy or glamorous. The recommended destinations include a camping site in South Jeolla Province, a forest in Gyeonggi Province, and a village to enjoy kayaking and other water sports in the southernmost town in Namhae.Dumo Village (Kore

Sept. 6, 2018

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights around Korea

Hamyang Wild Ginseng FestivalThe Hamyang Wild Ginseng Festival is being held at Hamyang Sangrim Forest, Natural Monument No. 154. The Hamyang area features high quality wild ginseng and herbs.The festival includes exhibitions, hands-on programs, an agricultural product market and history tours of simmani, or professional foragers of wild ginseng.It is being held from Sept. 7-16, and is open to visitors of all ages free of charge, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information in Korean, English, Ja

Sept. 6, 2018

[Graphic News] Vietnam's Danang top summer vacation destination

　Vietnam's city of Danang was the most popular summer vacation destination among Koreans this year, a shift from last year's preference for cities in Japan, according to an online shopping mall.　Flight ticket sales in the July-August period showed Danang as the top foreign travel location, TMON said, up three places from last year. The cost of traveling in the city is relatively cheap at about 100,000 won ($90.33) per day. 　TMON said its sales data showed a growing preference for places that off

Aug. 30, 2018

Feeling state of the art in New York City

NEW YORK -- What makes New York City the talk of the town the world over? A onetime student of urban planning, I am always keen to experience the myriad wonders of New York. As a Seoulite, I know the South Korean capital tries hard to emulate many of the US city’s successes. Those include spacious parks, world-class amenities, eco-friendly public transportation and gentrified streets and businesses, not to mention a wide array of cultural festivals. Seoul has also sought the kind of grassroots,

Aug. 30, 2018