1988 was the year when I first heard of Seoul. Seoul, the capital of Republic of Korea (popularly known as South Korea) and along with various other cities like Busan, Incheon, Daegu, Daejeon, Gwangju and Ulsan, it’s one of the most preferred travel destination.

The mainland is 1030 km long and 175 km wide, neighbouring Japan in to the east, China to the west and North Korea in the north.  With a history and tradition of 5000 years, Republic of Korea or Korea is a unique combination of high tech, constantly on the move city but also being known as land of morning calm. Being Asia’s third largest economy, it is but understood that the infrastructures are superbly developed with tourist friendly kiosks and booths providing necessary information. `

What to Eat

Apart from places to see, it is food which is a must for the traveler to experience a culture of a place. Korea has got an array of food which is perfect for a foodie. There is Bap or rice, the staple Korean food and can be had in both vegetarian and non vegetarian options. There is Juk or Porridge, the healthy option which is made with grains. Who can forget Noodles in a South East Asian country and they call it Guksu here and the wonderful collection of dumplings and dumpling soups. If you are a vegetarian, then don’t miss out on Seon or Steamed or Par boiled vegetables. For seafood lovers, there is jeotggal or Salt fermented seafood, Mareun-Chan or Dry Side fish, Gui or grilled fish or Bokkeum Stir fried fish.

In case you are in Korea, then there are three cities which are the preferred destinations.

Busan – Busan is perhaps the most favoured place in Korea. With my recent visit to HongKong, I am impressed with the way the subway rails are managed and run in the South East Asian Countries. A day pass at Busan can take you around 5 different lines and you can take unlimited rides on the same day. There are few breathtaking places which you can visit like the Busan Traditional market tour. These markets are more than 50 years old and a great reflection of the society and culture of Korea. The Jagalchi market is the largest sea food market in Korea, Gukje Market is famous for items which get exported and if you are a street food lover, then check out Nampodong street, Bupyeong market where halmae’s yubu is a must try and so is BIFF square.

Who doesn’t like to photograph while travelling and just like the cobbled streets and white buildings of Mykonos will make you click endless photographs, it’s the same with Gamcheon culture village with colourful painted roofs and buildings. Found in 1950, this residential area was built like a terrace on a hillside. Restored now, the colourful walls are an attraction to many tourists.

In case you are travelling to Singapore, check out this article 

I was so impressed with the Sunset cruise in Hong Kong that I rated that as one of the best things to do. I will like to do the Bay 101 in Haeundae, which is the best place to watch the city’s nightscape. Situated near Dongbaek station, this place in summer acts as rooftop, open sky restaurants. In the same line, Gwangandaegyo Bridge, which is famous for its nights dazzling display is a breathtaking sight.

In addition to all these, there is Busan Tower which gives a bird’s eye view of the city. Orykdo skywalk, which takes the visitors on a walk over the sea on a clear glass floor, is another sought after tourist spot.

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Ja Gal Chi Market

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Jagalchi Market

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Centum City Shinsegae Department Store

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GwangAnDaeGyo

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Gwangan Bridge

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Oryukdo Island

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Oryukdo

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Haeundae Summer

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Gwangan Bridge

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Busan Night View

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Busan Dongbaek lsland

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Busan Geoga Grand Bridge

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Haeundae

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Night View of Busan

Gangwon do Glocal

If you think that this is all that you will get to do at Korea, then you cannot imagine the surprises awaiting you at Gangwondo. A unique combination of hills and beaches, this place is an ideal vacation place for tourists. When it comes to beach, Gwyengpo beach and Jeongdongjin are the top ones which attract visitors. As this place gets snowfall, winter sports is a popular leisure activity here with mountains like Seoraksan, Chiaksan, Odaesan and Taebaeksan.

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YongPyong Ski Resort

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YongPyong Ski Resort 2

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YongPyong Ski Resort 3

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Chuncheon Namiseom

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Daegwallyeong Sheep Lanch

Gyeongju Glocal

The temples in any city gives it a complete dimension and irrespective of belief in God, a visit to the temples of a new city helps one to understand the city and its people better. Gyeongju is one such city.  Bulguk Sa is on the Unesco World Heritage list and the scenic beauty of this place makes it a must visit place. Other World heritage listed places like Seokguram Grotto, has an image of Sakyamuni Buddha who sits gazing over the East Sea. An engineering marvel as well as an object of beauty, this place is amongst the top 10 list to do in Gyeongju for sure.

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Gyeong Bulguksa

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Gyeongju Beopjusa

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BulGukSa SeokGaTap

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Gyeongju Anahapji

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Best time to visit

Most of the time, our planning of a vacation is dependent on a lot of factors and one of them is what’s the best time to visit a place. Monsoon in Korea sets in July accompanied with torrential rains. April to May and September to October is an ideal time to visit when the weather is pleasant.  Other than that, in case you want to enjoy winter sports, then visit here from November to March where there is heavy snowfall.

I am planning my visit soon here to experience this unique amalgamation of history with modern technology in rich cultural backdrop and wonderful natural treasures to explore. What about you?

Do visit and you can experience it at the Korean Tourism Organization Festival 2017. It’s taking place from 25th November 2017 to 26th November 2017 at Ambience Mall Gurgaon. Don’t miss out this amazing opportunity.

Image Sources – Korean Tourism 

This post is in collaboration with Korean Tourism