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An Epic Travel Guide To Seoul, Korea For The First Timer
Seoul, Korea is huge and has gained a ton of attention in the past decade for not only a beautiful culture but also the Hallyu wave that has swept over the world. When you begin to plan your trip to the capital city of Korea it can seem overwhelming and you may not know where to begin. While I’m known for promoting the off the beaten path spots in and around Seoul and promoting new hot spots to check out, I wanted to create an essential guide for the first time visitor to this busy and fun capital of Korea. Having lived here since 2006 when I first came as…
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Taehwagang River Bamboo Forest: The Best Kept Secret In Ulsan, Korea
The Taehwagang National Garden (태화강 국가정원) is the most beautiful bamboo forest in Korea that I have visited and I have visited a few. When I walked into this gorgeous forest of green bamboo shooting into the sky, I remember wondering why I’d never heard of it. The Damyang Bamboo Forest is known far and wide in Korea and yet, there are other bamboo forests. There’s even a bamboo forest I visited on Geoje Island near Busan that is really off the beaten path too. Suffice to say, this bamboo forest in particular is a stunner… a massive stunner. If you haven’t visited Ulsan, Korea, it’s definitely time and when…
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Do I Need A Fine Dust Mask In Korea?
While I don’t often write articles on any negative aspects of living in Korea, unfortunately, this one needs to be done. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve probably seen me with a face mask, or dust mask, on from time to time and since I get a lot of questions from tourists about whether they would need one or not, I want to dig in and answer. Yes, yes you should have a face mask, as the Koreans call them, if you’re going to come to Korea. We aren’t living in a smog filled polluted country all of the time, but when it’s bad, it can be pretty bad.…
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A List Of The Best Korean Subscription Boxes: From Korean Beauty Boxes to Snack Boxes
As I was on the Internet checking out the gifts to give friends and family back home, I ended up down a rabbit hole of Korean subscription boxes. I had no idea there were so many and they are awesome to say the least. Subscription boxes are a great way to show someone that you care and if you’ve got a Korea lover in your life, then they’ll love anything on this list. While I culled together the best gifts to give Korea lovers in another post, I decided subscription boxes absolutely needed their own post because there are so many and they are super cool! Here are the best…
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A List Of The Best Gifts To Give Your Korea Loving Friends & Family
More and more people around the world are interested in Korea whether it be due to K-Pop or K-Dramas, or a friend that lives in Korea and can’t stop talking about it maybe, I’m not sure. Whatever the case, there are is a ton of interest in South Korea these days and there are plenty of unique gifts to send our Koreaphile friends and family abroad. Whether you need a gift for the K-drama fan, K-pop fan, or maybe the Korean language learner, I’ve got you covered. Here is the ultimate list of Korean gifts suitable for any holiday. Whether you’re looking for a birthday gift, Christmas gift, or just…
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Museum San: How To Get There From Seoul & What You’ll See
Museum San a couple hours from Seoul in Wonju, Korea is an intriguing museum designed by famed architect Tadao Ando. There’s an iconic photo that is posted on Instagram every so often with visitors standing beneath a bright red archway. The red is striking against the natural surroundings. It’s not the easiest museum to get to in Korea, but it’s definitely one of the most interesting as far as architecture and design. If you’re an architecture enthusiast or a design lover and you’re headed to Seoul, make sure you get this into your itinerary if you’ve got time for a little day trip. Museum San has about 1 million visitors…
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Youngwol Y Park: An Epic Art Museum In The Middle Of Nowhere In Korea
If you like hidden art museums and adventures in Korea, you need to find Youngwal Y Park (젊은달와이파크). It’s in the middle of nowhere in Gangwon-do, but if you can figure out how to make the trek out to Youngwol Y Park, it is so so worth it. Striking red installations stand out against the greens of the natural mountainous surroundings. It’s just beautiful. This year I’ve really enjoyed finding artistic installations in hidden spots like the Hamchang Art Road or in Gimpo at the Gimpo Sculpture Park, which is a bit more of a rustic artistic find, but there is just so much to see if you can manage…
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Conrad Hotel: Where To Stay On Yeouido In Seoul
Yeouido Island sitting in the Han River that cuts through Seoul, Korea is the main financial district in the capital and is also home to various governmental departments as well. Being centrally located in the city and providing gorgeous views of the Han River, one would think more travelers would be staying there. While many business travelers know the island well, it doesn’t yet seem to garner attention from the tourists and family travelers… but it should be. Not only are the rooms spacious and the views gorgeous, but the food options are delectable. Opened in 2013, Conrad Seoul (콘래드 서울 호텔) is a Hilton Hotel named after the founder…
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Alpaca World Korea: How To Get There From Seoul & What You’ll See
We took an adventure from Seoul out to Alpaca World (알파카월드) at the beginning of spring this year and the chilly weather now in the autumn has me remembering it. Pictures of alpacas swarmed my Insta last autumn and I saved the spot to wait until it got warmer for us to go. Yes, there are indeed alpacas in Korea and they’ve come all the way from Australia. Are the alpacas in Seoul? No, but close enough. Do you want to go to Alpaca World? You’ve come to the right place. If you’ve got kids in Seoul and want to find some more spots to introduce them to animals and…
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Resom Forest & The Have9 Healing Spa: The Perfect Wellness Getaway in Korea
Resom Forest (리솜포레스트리조트) is a resort in Chungcheongbuk-do, Korea that seeks to provide healing through nature and water. The resort sits in a forest of trees that has been there for a 1000 years and the buildings were built to coexist with their natural surroundings. Through eco-friendly construction and ideals and providing holistic and natural healing programs, the resort has effectively integrated nature, healing, and even adventure for guests that make the trek out to the area. Resom Forest is a spectacular getaway for the adventurer and might just have the best spa in the country. If you’ve had enough city time in Seoul and needs a break to the…
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Insadong: A Guide To The Traditional Artsy Fun Neighborhood In Downtown Seoul
Insadong is a popular neighborhood in Seoul, Korea that is known for its mix of traditional and contemporary and being near must see spots like Gyeongbokgung Palace and Bukchon Hanok Village means it’s easy to find and caters to tourists as well as locals in downtown Seoul. There are traditional tea houses and art galleries, fun photo-zone spots and restaurants galore. Whenever I have a visitor we invariably end up in Insadong at some point and it’s definitely the district to buy all of those Korean souvenirs if that’s what you need to take home. Some popular souvenirs include the traditional masks that you can see worn in Andong, Korea…
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What To Pack If You’re Traveling To Korea: The Only List You Need
Need a packing list for Korea? This is the spot. Whether you’re traveling to Korea for a short term trip or long term travel, it’s good to be safe rather than sorry. Korea has four seasons and here is what you need to have for each one. I get a lot of questions throughout the year like: What should I pack for Korea in the winter? Do I really need a parka for winter in Korea? How hot is it in the summer in Korea? What do I need to pack for the summer in Korea? Do I need a mask in Korea? Basically, there are a lot of questions…
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Deoksugung Palace: The Most Unique Palace In Seoul
Deoksugung Palace in Seoul, Korea is the smallest of the five palaces in the capital but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be visited. It’s the most unique palace with various architectural styles and is the only palace to feature a western style garden, fountain and building. Deoksugung Palace means ‘palace of virtue and longevity’ and it is a beautiful palace to visit in downtown Seoul. If you’re in downtown Seoul, it’s easy to visit sitting centrally located and right next to a subway station. It’s a where to see a changing of the guard ceremony if that’s what you’re looking for as so many often are. Looking for some specific…
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Three Tips For Healthy Eating in Korea
Being healthy while traveling can be difficult for the unprepared. Imagine moving abroad and just not knowing where to start. Many foreigners and expats that come to Korea have common issues after they first arrive and many of them are related to health. Is it possible to be healthy in Korea? What Korean foods are healthy? What Korean foods aren’t healthy? Where can I find healthy foods? Where can I get organic food? There are so many questions and so I’ve invited Dawn Wheeler to share her vast knowledge on the subject. It is completely possible to be healthy in Korea… if you know where to find the natural foods…
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Cool Architecture To See In & Around Seoul, Korea
There are new and improved buildings around Seoul and Korea being built all of the time. Not all of them are beautiful or interesting. In fact, most of them are high rise apartments BUT, there are some that are quite distinctive and for all of the right reasons. If you’re coming to Seoul and want to find the architectural highlights, the buildings that embrace the future with sleek lines, interesting facades, and staircases for days, here is a great start to making an awesome itinerary with the architecture highlights. Want to take some epic photos in Seoul? Don’t miss these Instagrammable places in Seoul. These are some of the must…
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Dream Park: The Flower Park Near Seoul You Have To See To Believe
I’ve now been to Dream Park (드림파크) in Incheon, just outside of Seoul, three times. It’s a difficult spot to explain with some quirks but it is also home to an amazing flower park that is relatively unknown and quiet most of the year. If you can get there, it’s worth the trip especially in the autumn, but we found some beautiful flowers in the spring in Korea the first time we managed to find the park so there’s that. Each autumn in Korea, it’s a rush to find all of the flower fields and autumn blooms as well as fall foliage as it bursts into color. From forests to…
