Destination: Hwajinpo Castle, Syngman Rhee’s summer villa, and more (Goseong-gun, Gangwon-do, South Korea)

No, I didn’t visit North Korea — but I went pretty close to it recently. After our recent trip to Sokcho Beach, we headed north along the Gangwon-do coast. The rural highway bent and curved somewhat, which kept the ride bumpier than expected. Don’t eat a full meal...

Destination: Sokcho Beach (Sokcho, Gangwon-do, South Korea)

Sometimes, arriving at 2am is perfect. After catching a late-night bus from Seoul to Sokcho, Kiwi and I arrived at what felt like a late hour — until we saw more lights and neon than some areas of Seoul. The jovial beach area — combined with some younger...

Destination: Anmyeon-do Recreational Forest (Anmyeon-do, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea)

After an interesting experience in nearby Taean-gun, the pension owner dropped us off just across the bridge towards Anmyeon-do. At an unmarked bus stop. In the summer heat. Let me repeat myself from the last post just in case you’re tuning in: this area of...

Destination: Taean-gun – a remote, quiet area to get away from it all (Chungcheongnam-do)

You won’t confuse this area of Chungcheongnam-do with an active, happening getaway. That said, a night in a pension may be the cure for what ails you. The word pension implies a retiree’s monthly income, but can also refer to a family-owned guest houses not unlike a...

Destination: Hwaseong Haenggung (Suwon, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea)

Suwon is quite proud of its Hwaseong Fortress, and rightfully so. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage, and the biggest tourist draw to the area. A place not as visited by the tourists is the nearby Hwaseong Haenggung (수원화성행궁) — a detached palace that was also used as both a...

Destination: Jeongdongjin Beach — and an awesome lunch (Jeongdongjin, Gangwon-do, South Korea)

The Jeongdongjin Beach Hourglass — originally installed in 1999 and counting down enough sand (eight tons) to last a year. After arriving in Jeongdongjin one late Saturday night, Kiwi and I checked into a nearby pension to drop off our stuff, then meandered down to...

Destination: Ganghwa-do Anglican Church, a Goryeo palace site, and Jeondeungsa (Ganghwa-do, Incheon…

Update: HT to Martin Uden for pointing out an important religious distinction. It’s NOT Gangwon-do — although Ganghwa-do is almost as far away, it’s well worth visiting all the same. Korea’s fifth-largest island retains an old-world charm not found on the island,...

Destination: Ojukheon black bamboo forest / Gangneung city museum (Gangneung, Gangwon-do, South Korea)

Gangwon-do’s east coast is full of tourist attractions — beyond the numerous beaches, I was delighted to learn of this place from Kiwi. Take a close look at this guy’s face, then stare at the 5,000 won bill (about $4.63 USD). It’s the same guy: Yulgok Yi Yi (율곡이이)....

Destination: Jongmyo Daeje — the once-a-year solemn festival honoring past kings (Seoul, South Korea)

Held on the first Sunday of May, the annual Jongmyo Daeje (종묘대제) is an intriguing glimpse into the solemn ceremonies for the spirit world. It seems a mite out of place in this ultra-modern country, but if the US can have Civil War reenactments, Korea can have their...

Destination: A tour of Boryeong (Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea))

The city of Boryeong is most widely known for the Boryeong Mud Festival — a raucous party not like the spring break at Cancun. A few other side attractions are mentioned in the brochure, but for the most part most go unvisited by a mass of foreigners. They might be...