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South Korea is a country in East Asia forming the southern section of the Korean Peninsula.
A nation where traditional meets contemporary, particularly so in the financial hub and capital city, Seoul, South Korea has something for everyone.
Whilst wandering through the buzzing capital you’re likely to stumble across many ancient shrines. Be on the lookout for Bongeun-sa in the heart of Gangnam, an enormous Buddhist temple comprising a ‘gate of truth’ and a ‘main’ shrine decorated with intricate artworks.
Seoul is a haven for food lovers as well. Make sure you pass through Gwangjang Market, the largest food alley in the city with over 200 stalls. Local specialities include mung-bean pancake, rice wine and bibimbap, a bowl of mixed rice and barley with vegetables.
There are, in total, 12 UNESCO listed sites in South Korea, which gives a clue to its impressive heritage. One of the most notable is the Bulguksa Temple in the southeast. Considered a masterpiece of the golden age of Buddhist art, it is home to a variety of national treasures including stone pagodas and detailed bronze statues.
Another memorable experience would involve visiting the Gamcheon Culture Village, a slum like no other. It was once a bleak mountainside community but in 2009 the houses, steps and lanes were spruced up with bright and colourful paint. It’s now a magnificent sight, comparable to a multi-coloured Mykonos in Greece.
Another notable village is Jeonju in the west. It has over 800 Hanok, a traditional Korean-style house, but most contain art galleries and restaurants. Some even hold workshops teaching ancient skills such as alcohol distillation and paper making.
There’s also plenty to do if you’re looking for a more active holiday. You can hike up the 182-metre tall crater-shaped volcano on Jeju-do Island, just off the south coast. You can also enjoy a sunrise expedition after spending a night in the small, local village of Seongsan-ri.
There are a couple of ferry routes connecting Japan and South Korea; from Fukuoka in southern Japan and from Osaka, which is further east, to Busan.
For sailing within Korea, there are frequent crossings between Chuja, Jeju and Wando.
"Great Ride!"
Great staff made for a very pleasurable ride.
Read More Read Less"Great Ride!"
Great staff made for a very pleasurable ride.
Read More Read Less"Wonderful experience"
So glad I chose to travel over by Beetle to Korea. Although quicker to fly to Seoul the journey I had was amazing experience and quite unexpected. Staff were lovely and having hot coffee and a sandwich was an added bonus. Depending on the weather the wifi doesn't always work although I did manage to connect with friends on Facebook while we were travelling. I travelled in November and was not at all seasick. In fact I was astonished at how smooth the sea was. A really great experience that i would advise any visitor to Japan or Korea to embark upon at least once in their lifetime.
Read More Read Less"Delivered. Very happy. "
I need a ferry booked in Korea from JeJu to Mokpo. This can’t be done online (certainly not in English) and al phone likes were Korean. Directferries quoted me a price. I was cautious as I’ve not used them before and not 100% certain of them even after buying the ticket. However, they came up trumps. I picked my ticket up an hour before sailing 9,000 miles away no trouble.
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