K-Travel Bus connects Seoul, countryside

A bus service connecting Seoul with other provincial areas has commenced, the Visit Korea Committee said.

The so-called “K-Travel Bus” is available for foreigners who wish to visit notable sites outside the capital, including those in Gangwon, Chungcheong, Jeolla and Gyeongsang Provinces.

An overnight package is also available. After its tentative run this year, the bus will start operating on a regular basis in 2016 in time for the PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

During the test- run period, promotions will take place on Youku, a Chinese video streaming site, Google and Weibo, a Chinese microblogging site.

The packages range in price from $170 to $180 and include a tour guide in foreign languages and tickets to various sites.

For details, visit www.k-travelbus.com

(bigbird@heraldcorp.com)


Skiing at Vivaldi Park

Ski resort Vivaldi Park Ski World is hosting the “Viva Ski & K-Food Festival” for guests from China and Southeast Asia, from December to February. The festival will last for 3 days and 4 nights each session, with up to 150 persons per session. The package will allow visitors to experience Korean food and culture and ski at the resort, making for a complete winter vacation.

The program includes ski lessons, a barbecue party, Korean buffet, fried chicken party and cocktail party with traditional Korean alcohol. During the afternoons, guests can enjoy the resort’s sauna, water park and horseback riding. A K-pop concert will take place in the evening on the third day.

The promotion will take place Dec. 20-23, Jan. 10-13 and Jan. 31-Feb. 3.

For inquiries, call 02-2222-7256.

(bigbird@heraldcorp.com)


Lotte World attracts record visitors

Lotte World Adventure attracted a record 150 million visitors to Korea’s largest indoor theme park.

This last record-setting year was 2007 when it attracted over 100 million visitors to the park, the amusement park said.

Established in 1989, the theme park, consisting of both indoor and outdoor attractions, is open until late at night. The amusement park is adjacent to an indoor ice rink, a traditional folk museum, as well as a shopping mall.

Last year, some 1.8 million foreign tourists visited the theme park, accounting for 24 percent of the total visitors, according to Lotte World.

It aims to become one of the global top amusement parks with 200-300 million visitors per annum by creating new content and rides.

(hkp@heraldcorp.com)


Ocean Park features ice spectacular

Ocean Park, Hong Kong’s theme park, will be transformed into a kaleidoscopic world with festive activities for the Ocean Park Christmas Sensation until Jan. 3, 2016.

A world-class ice skating team will present the Kaleidoscope Ice Spectacular at Applause Pavilion, an extravaganza on ice featuring cutting-edge projection-mapping technology.

Produced by Olympic skater Willy Bietak and choreographed by multiple international awards winner Sarah Kawahara, the show features a team of international ice skaters performing elegant ice skating and stunning aerial acts.

Seasonal decorations and fun activities will fill the park with a festive ambience for enjoyment with friends and family.

The Waterfront Plaza is set to become a photo hotspot with Hong Kong’s tallest outdoor Christmas tree at 70 feet high.

(hkp@heraldcorp.com)


Ice Music Festival in Norway

The world’s original Ice Music Festival will be returning for the 11th year from Jan. 21 - 24, 2016, in Norway.

Located in the idyllic mountain home of Geilo in Norway, under the watchful eye of the mighty Hallingskarvet Plateau -- the Ice Music Festival’s aesthetics and music will be featured under the first full moon of the year.

Constructed and formed exclusively from naturally harvested ice and snow, the festival is a tribute to art, the environment, and one of the world’s most vital resources -- water, according to Visit Norway, the country’s tourism agency.

Developed in 2006 by ice music pioneer Terje Isungset and Pal K. Medhus, the Ice Music Festival is an annual celebration of collaborative music and expression performed by invited artists.

For more information, visit www.icemusicfestival.no/visit/

(hkp@heraldcorp.com)