Located at the southern tip of Korea, Daraengi Village was not only on the list of “Rural-20” awardees last year but has also been on the list of 100 recommended local tourist sites by the Korea Tourism Organization for two consecutive years.

The village was also named one of 50 beautiful places to visit in Korea by CNN.

Some 230,000 tourists visit the village every year.

The well-preserved village features the extraordinary sight of “daraengi,” or tiny paddy fields, on a steep mountain slope against the open sea, created to cultivate the barren land for farming.

In contrast to its magnificent view, the village is very small, with a population of only 180.

For those who want to spend their summer vacation there, ocean experiences and farming activities from plowing to planting rice are perfect to soothe a weary body and mind. Also the village attracts families with children who are planning late summer and early fall vacations with Korean traditional activities such as making kites and hitting tombstones.

To get to Daraengi Village, take a bus from Nambu Terminal in southern Seoul and transfer to a local bus at Namhae Gongyong Terminal to Gacheon bus stop.

The entire journey usually takes more than seven hours by bus from Seoul depending on traffic and road conditions, so it is recommended to schedule consider the travel time when scheduling your vacation.

By Choi In-jeong (injeongchoi@heraldcorp.com)