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Ganghwado: What To Do On The Island Just An Hour From Seoul
Ganghwado Island (강화도) is the fifth largest island in Korea and is one of numerous islands that can be found out in Incheon in northwest Korea. (Want to check out some of the other islands, start with Modo, Sindo, and Sido which you can also see from Ganghwado Island.) It seems to be the next hot spot location… though I didn’t know that the first time I headed out. With flower dreams and beach views, I was in search of an island that was easy to get to. Once I realized Ganghwado Island was just an hour west of the city, no one was going to keep me from visiting…
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Myeongdong, Seoul: What To Do, What To Eat, What To See, & More!
The Myeongdong area in Seoul, Korea is probably the most popular shopping district in the entire city with both international brands and local retail shops bursting from the seams. You can find everything you’re looking for from K-beauty to fashion and some awesomely delicious food in between. Myeongdong is so popular with tourists that most vendors are able and very willing to speak multiple languages to get that sale made. You’ll hear English, Mandarin, Japanese, and Korean as you walk through the alleys of this Seoul hot spot. Because Myeongdong is so popular, I decided to make a guide to some of the spots and surprises you might not know…
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The Hanok Village You’ve Probably Never Heard About In Seoul: The Eunpyeong Hanok Village
Everyone knows about the beautiful Hanok homes that make up Bukchon Hanok Village but have you heard of the Eunpyeong Hanok Village (은평한옥마을)? Considering Bukchon residents are looking to limit the number of tourists in and out of their area so they can enjoy more of a residential feel, I thought it high time to let you know about a little spot I found years ago. Actually, I first came upon this area many years back after the hiking club I was with came down off of the Bukhansan Mountain range. At the time only a few Hanoks were standing but it was clear, this was going to be a…
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The Most Colorful Of Places To Find In Seoul RIGHT NOW!
There’s something about summer in Korea that screams go bold, go vibrant, go colorful… or just go home. Granted, with the heat that is overwhelming the country at the moment, the choice to go home might be really really appealing right now. But, there are far too many things to see and beautiful places to go. So, let’s get out there! It’s been a hot minute since I was out taking Friday adventures since most of my pals work on Fridays, but this week the timing just worked and I found a fun gal pal to catch up on our colorful fun together. (This post contains affiliate links, which means…
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The Hottest Days of Summer In Korea: What To Know
When it is summer in Korea, it can be surprising just how fierce and fast that heat wave strikes. The added bonus of a monsoon season makes it all the better with humidity up the wazoo. Yes, I said bonus. Is it really? My hair would disagree but I’m from a valley in Ohio so humid summers are nothing new to me. Still, I forget every year just how humid it really is here. Just when you think you know what to expect out of summer in Korea, then Sambok or Boknal arrive and it’s a whole new beast. Are you ready for a hot summer in Korea? (This post…
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Novotel Ambassador Seoul Yongsan: Good Location To Do It All
Back in March, I won a weekend staycation from the Korean beauty brand COSRX to stay in the new Novotel Ambassador Seoul Yongsan. Who doesn’t want to win a hotel stay in Seoul, Korea!? I was excited to say the least. The Novotel Ambassador is one of four hotels in the Seoul Dragon City (서울드래곤시티) lifestyle hotel-plex in centrally located Yongsan, Seoul. I’m often asked for the best areas in Seoul to stay by incoming tourists and I really think this Yongsan is up there. From here you can easily reach Seoul Station, go further to the palaces and historical districts, but also go right down to the Han River…
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The Wonderful Service Helping Foreigners In Korea
It’s inevitable that there will come a time when you just cannot figure something out here in Korea and in those moments, a personal assistant that can point you in the right direction and then even do everything to get you set up would be the dream, right? Well, it doesn’t have to just be a dream. If you’ve been in Korea for some time, you’ve likely heard of Wonderful. Need a personal assistant in Korea? Need someone to help you do everything from ordering chicken for delivery or planning a weekend away? The company started by Maria Lee, an American expat, was originally named Ask Ajumma. She saw a need…
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Seooreung Royal Tombs & Pretty Cafes Just West of Seoul
There is quite a bit to see and do when you head up to the northwest of Seoul to Goyang. Heading out to see flowers at First Garden or drink coffee at a greenhouse cafe, I saw this park and knew I needed to make time to actually take a wander there at some point. I love wandering through parks and breathing in the fresh air. One of those parks is the Seooreung Royal Tombs (고양 서오릉). If you’re looking for things to do in Goyang, or something to do near Eunpyeong-gu in the west of Seoul, check out this quiet area. It’s a beautiful place to take a walk…
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Herb Village: Lavender Fields & Waterfalls Near Seoul
Searching for flower fields in Korea has become somewhat of a hobby of mine. There are flowers everywhere but seeing an entire mountainside covered in azaleas, a field of tulips or the gorgeous fields of Nari Park in the autumn is just breathtaking. This year, I was on the hunt for lavender fields in Korea. There are some beautiful lavender fields in Korea, some closer to Seoul and some make for a great weekend away. For this trip, we opted for the lavender fields at Herb Village north of Seoul in Yeoncheon-gun and decided we would head up there to see what we could see. Herb Village was all that and…
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The Seoul Derby: The Scavenger Hunt You’ll Want To Join
I have now hosted this event four times and I can honestly say it just keeps getting better and better. This year teams were in it to win it weeks in advance. The way the derby works for anyone that hasn’t partaken, teams of four sign up. I limit it to twenty teams because it’s pretty dang hard to find an ending location where 80+ people can get together in all honesty. Having twenty teams really makes it spectacular though. The teams sign up without knowing where the starting location will be. I do this because I can’t have anyone finding the event online and rocking up at the last…
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The New Zealand Wine Festival 2018: Seoul Edition
This past weekend, the Kiwi Chamber of commerce hosted the 10th annual New Zealand Wine Festival at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Seoul. They’ll be hosting the second edition in Busan this weekend and trust me, it’s delectable. A few weeks back, I shared some choice information from The Kiwi Chamber Chairman, Tony Garrett and the Project Manager Sunny Myung and they were spot on. The event was fabulous. There are over 20 wineries and some really enjoyable wine to try. Arielle of Soju4Two and I were on hand to rub shoulders with some fellow winos and to purely discover some New Zealand wine. <– The theme this year was…
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Seoul Cosmetic Surgery: The Medical Concierge Service That’s Right For You
South Korea has the highest per capita rate of cosmetic surgery in the world, so it stands to reason that a fair number of people coming to Korea are coming for the sole reason of getting something done. Cosmetic Surgery Tourism, or medical tourism in Korea, attracts people from around the world each year and if it were me, I’d want to know who I could really trust to get the job that I want done, done. That’s where Mona Hanson and Dean Seol, the creators of Seoul Cosmetic Surgery, come in. (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase…
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Instagrammers In Seoul: This One’s For You!
It’s a wonder it took this long for someone to decide to make a business based solely on the -gram. But that is exactly what Instasia (인스타지아) seems to have done and good on them. Whether you like taking photos as a hobby or taking photos just for that Insta shot, this is the place for you. Instasia is one photo zone after photo zone after photo zone just outside of Seoul in Songdo, Incheon. It’s basically like you stepped into a studio with different sets but instead of getting the expensive photographer that comes with the studio, you have a friend take your photos, bring a tripod… or maybe bring…
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The Kiwi Chamber Is Back With Their Annual New Zealand Wine Festival In Seoul & Busan!
The Kiwi Chamber is celebrating their 10th annual wine festival here in Seoul on May 26th and I’ve cleared my calendar for it, have you? If you don’t live in Seoul or May 26 doesn’t work for you, fear not, as the event is happening TWICE! The second event will be held in Busan on June 2nd. I have learned much about wine after attending various events hosted by and hosting with Ian from Vineworks so I think I’m ready to sip, gurgle and sniff my way around some Kiwi wines. The event in Seoul will be held in the scenic outdoor waterfall garden of the Grand Hyatt Hotel and will…
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The Goyang Flower Festival At Ilsan Lake Park
Each spring and autumn, the Ilsan Lake Park in Goyang, Korea, a city just outside of Seoul is decorated with flowers for a gorgeous flower festival that is the perfect way to welcome the new colorful season. We went a few years ago and have kept going back each year to just watch as it has gotten bigger and better each year. Here’s a little guide to Ilsan Lake Park and how to enjoy a day out in the area. Get ready to explore the Ilsan Lake Park this spring or autumn to take advantage of the beautiful flower festivals: (This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a…
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Where To Go Glamping Near Seoul: Club Lespia
This past weekend, I got a group of 25 people (9 of which were toddlers) together for a glamping adventure just outside of Seoul in celebration of my birthday. Today, I turn… well, I was born in 1984, so I’ll let you figure it out. I LOVE LOVE LOVE getting into nature or just being outside. I’m not so sure my husband feels the same way all of the time though and that’s why I thought glamping would be a good compromise for some fun this year. Last year we enjoyed a great picnic with friends so I upped the ante and this year, glamping it was. BONUS!: It was…
