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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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14 Best Architecture Spots in Seoul
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…
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The Coolest Rest Stop In Korea Has An Illumination Theme Park
I’ve been in Korea for thirteen years and been driving for six of them. I’ve been on buses that pulled off at rest stops and pulled off at many on my own road trips and up until this month, I didn’t know there could even be a “cool” rest stop in Korea, but there is. Generally, rest stops in Korea feature a large cafeteria space with tables and chairs to eat food from one of multiple fast options. There is a convenience store and large bathrooms. There are also a few coffee shops too, but that’s about it and that’s pretty standard. You don’t really need much more out of…
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Rugby Clubs In Korea & The Seoul Rugby Charity Dinner
Rugby is a sport that may not have a ton of history in Korea but it definitely has some avid fans and those fans have even gone on to start rugby clubs around the country. Whether you want to play, promote, or support these programs, there’s a chance to be apart of the sport from Seoul down to Busan. Recently, I was invited out to the Seoul Rugby Charity Dinner. Hosted every four years in the run up to the Rugby World Cup, this event held at the JW Marriott this year, raises money for a number of charities here in Seoul, Korea. The event is hosted by the South…
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Off The Beaten Path In Korea: The Hamchang Art Road In Sangju
There are some great places to go in Korea to see artworks and some are so off the beaten path, you really need to be an art lover… or maybe a small town fan. Personally, I love visiting small towns in Korea and hitting townie festivals like the Icheon Sansuyu Festival or visiting the small Hanok Village in Seongju, Gyeongsanbuk-do. Small towns are charming and the people, too. Hamchang in Sangju lived up to my small town expectations with friendly people and the bonus was the scavenger hunt for art. If you want to get off the beaten path in Korea, take a day trip from Seoul or maybe stay…
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Daytrips From Seoul: Oido Island & Daebudo Island
There is more to Korea than Seoul and so often travelers just miss it. Did you know there are islands just off the west coast and some are even accessible via the Seoul subway system? Having coastal spots that are accessible by subway makes them perfect for last-minute weekend escapes. One of my favorite reminders of this came through a day trip to Oido Island and Daebudo Island. From ocean views and salty breezes, glass museums, and observatories, these islands offer a very different side of Korea without requiring a long journey. Get ready to explore Oido Island and Daebudo Island in South Korea: (This post contains affiliate links, which…
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11 Han River Parks in Seoul: Which Hangang Park Should You Visit?
The Han River, or Hangang (한강), is a symbol of Seoul, Korea and a popular place to spend a day for most Seoulites. The parks that line the river are some of the best places to walk, bike, picnic, or just take a breather from the fast pace of the city. The Seoul City Government has done a lot to make the parks that line the river all the more visitor friendly in the past decade with art installations, skateboard parks, outdoor concert venues, museums and fantastic swimming pools. Some parks are best for cherry blossoms and fireworks, some are better for families, some are great for biking and watersports,…
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Surfyy Beach: Where to Surf in Korea (Plus Beach Parties at Night)
Surfing and Korea are two words that don’t go hand in hand for most people. Ask around about where to go surfing, and people might think of Australia, California, or Hawaii, but surfing is becoming more and more popular for beach goers in this country that is surrounded on three sides with beaches and waves and Surfyy Beach has been on the forefront of the momentum. Want to have fun this summer in Korea? Here’s where to go! While it would have been pretty bizarre to see surfers just a decade ago, it’s a trendy sport now. I still remember the first time I saw surfers on the east coast…
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Things To Do In Gangnam, Seoul: The Local’s Guide to Korea’s Most Glamorous District
Gangnam isn’t a neighbourhood you stumble through and love instantly the way you might Ikseon-dong or Seongsu. It’s a district you need to know how to read. Without a plan, you can end up wandering between glass office towers and luxury car showrooms wondering what the fuss is about. With a plan, you find the viral honey makgeolli bar tucked into Sinsa-dong, the UNESCO-listed royal tombs hidden between skyscrapers, the Sulwhasoo flagship that’s one of the most beautiful spaces in Seoul, and the K-pop history trail that BTS fans cross oceans for. I’ve been visiting Gangnam for two decades, not as often as Hongdae or the neighborhoods north of the…
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Andong Korea Travel Guide: Hahoe Village, Mask Dance, Food, and Where to Stay
Queen Elizabeth II visited Korea and asked to be taken to the most Korean place in Korea and was taken to Andong, so the story goes. If she had asked for the most historical city, she might have been taken to Gyeongju instead. Andong, also called “the capital of Korean spirit”, in Gyeongsangbuk-do is famous for wooden masks, a spicy chicken dish called jimdak, the UNESCO-listed Andong Hahoe Village, and the Andong Mask Dance Festival. It took me more than a decade to finally visit, but don’t make the same mistake. This charming city has a lot to offer and plenty to see and oh the food, oh the good…
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Greenhouse Cafes Are Trending In Seoul
Trends can come and go pretty quickly in Seoul, Korea and they’re often at the whim of whichever K-drama is hot at the moment or a sudden burst of attention on Instagram, but I, for one, am hoping the newest trend of greenhouse cafes continues. I’m not sure if it’s due to the higher than normal dust levels the city of Seoul has suffered over the past year, or if it’s just an aesthetically pleasing design that was bound to happen at some point, but greenhouse cafes are trending big time around Korea right now. I went to a few last year and now they’re just getting bigger, better, and…
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Internet Detox & Healing At Healience Seonmaeul Near Seoul
Living in Seoul, Korea can be amazing, fun, and there’s a ton to see but it can also be overwhelming, stressful, and busy. For those times when the city is a bit too much, there are healing and wellness hotels and resorts around Korea and Healience Seonmaeul is one of the best. A big trend in Korea right now is refocusing the ‘self’ and more healing and wellness-centered hotels and resorts are popping up to help people living the fast-paced life rekindle and replant their roots in nature and take a breath. This year I’m in a Wellness Tourism group that is sponsored by the Korea Tourism Organization so I’m…
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Paradise City Resort Incheon: Art, Pools, Spa and What To Know Before You Go
Paradise City Resort in Incheon is one of those places that’s difficult to describe without sounding like you’re overselling it. Over 3,000 works of art. An indoor carnival. A couples-only hotel wing. Year-round heated outdoor pools. A spa complex that friends have raved about every single time they’ve visited. A nightclub designed by one of Europe’s most celebrated architecture firms. And a free art museum. I originally went out to the resort just to photograph the architecture from outside, and didn’t even go in. Once I finally did, I went back multiple times. There is actually too much to see in one visit, and the resort is designed in a…
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What To Do Near Incheon International Airport: Beaches, Parks, Cafes & Flowers
Incheon International Airport sits on Yeongjong Island (영종도), and most people arriving or leaving Korea drive straight from the terminal to the mainland without looking around. That’s understandable, Seoul is an hour away and the island doesn’t advertise itself. But there’s quite a bit here, and the crowds that swarm everything else in Incheon haven’t found most of it yet. We’ve come out to the island several times over the years to see what’s worth finding. From rooftop cafes with sunset views over the beach to a coastal park four times larger than Songdo Central Park, a rocky beach with a centuries-old love story, and a flower field where planes…
