Each of Korea's four distinct seasons display unique natural scenery. The country is also rich in cultural assets such as old temples, palaces, Buddhist statues, stone pagodas, ruins, and fortress walls. Recently tourism between North and South became possible, so with the cooperation of the North Korean government, there are also tours of Mount Geumgang, located in the North.

Contents 1 Finding Tourist Information 관광정보 얻기 2 Seoul 서울 3 Seoul City Tour Bus 서울시티 투어 버스 4 Seoul Environs 서울 부근 5 Eastern Region 동부지역 6 Central Region 중부지역 7 Southwest Region 남서부지역 8 Southeastern Region 동남부 지역 9 Jeju Province and the Southern Coast Region 제주도 및 남부 해안지역

[edit] Finding Tourist Information 관광정보 얻기

The Korea National Tourism Organization's "Tourism Information Telephone 1330" is convenient. This number may be called from anywhere in the country without a prefix, or from a mobile phone by dialing 02-1330. People capable in English, Japanese, Chinese, French, and Spanish answer these phones from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day of the year. Needed information may also be obtained at tourist areas, airports, and the Korea National Tourism Organization's local information centers. The homepage of the local government in the area can also be useful.

[edit] Seoul 서울

Seoul is at the center of the Korean Peninsula and is Korea's capital. It is the political, economic, social, cultural, and educational center of the country, a large city with a population of approximately 11 million.

With the Han River in the middle, the northern section (Gangbuk 강북) is the old area, while the area south of the river (Gangnam 강남) is the newer area. When foreigners come to Seoul, the first places they go are the old Joseon Period palaces such as Gyeongbok, Deoksu, Changdeok, and Changgyeong. Many also go to Insa-dong Street, an area of traditional culture. Insa-dong is near Gyeongbok Palace.

Other places of note are the streets of Myeongdong, Namdaemun and Dongdaemun Markets, Itaewon, Sinchon, the 63 building, Namsan Tower, the Sangam-dong World Cup Stadium, and other places. Seoul Grand Park and the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Gwacheon, near Seoul, must not be excluded.

[edit] Seoul City Tour Bus 서울시티 투어 버스

A good idea for those who are unaccustomed to Seoul's geography. The bus departs in front of the Donghwa Duty Free Store in Gwanghwamun and runs from 9 a.m and 11:30 p.m. The final bus departs at 9 p.m.

There are various courses one may take. The Day Tour Course takes 2 hours, the World Cup and Night Tour course each take 21/2 hours, and the Palace Course takes 1 hour. Using the bus is easy. Ride along until you see a place you want to stop, then look around or shop there from between 30 minutes to 2 hours, and get on another bus, since they come every half an hour, and ride until you want to get off again. Seoul City Tour Buses have multilingual information announcements, making them easy for foreigners to use. There are also guides on board, so there is no worry about getting lost, and it is less expensive than taking taxis.

One ride costs 3,000won. Day Passes (09:00-19:00) and Night Passes (17:30-23:30) are 8,000won, and Full Day Passes are 12,000won. Passes may be purchased from the guide immediately upon taking the bus, or at the designated ticket areas at Deoksu Palace, Donghwa Duty Free Store, the Tower Hotel, the Crown Hotel, and elsewhere.

Let's look at the main courses:

Palace Course (17km). This is the shortest course. The bus departs from Gwanghwamun and passes by Deoksu Palace, Changdeok Palace, Independence Park in Seodaemun, and 16 other places of interest, largely centered around old palaces.

Day Tour Course (35km). This includes the palaces as well as places with a unique feel to them such as Namdaemun Market, the War Memorial, Namsan, Daehangno, to a total of 28 special stops.

World Cup Course (32.9km). This course stops at 18 notable locations, including Sinchon, [[Hongik University]], the Mount Jeoldu Marytrs' Museum, the Sangam World Cup Stadium, Yeouido Landing Site, the National Assembly building, and Yongsan Electronics Market.

Night Tour Course (42.9km). After following part of the World Cup Course, the Night Tour Course turns to Itaewon, the Namsan Cable Car, Dongdaemun Market, Insa-dong, and a total of 27 stops.

Call 02-777-6090 or go to www.seoulcitytourbus.com for information.

[edit] Seoul Environs 서울 부근

The greater Seoul region includes areas of Gyeonggi Province bordering Seoul and also the Incheon area. In the west of Gyeonggi is Ganghwa Island, [[Namyang Bay]], Asan Bay, and other beautiful costal areas. Ganghwa Island is sometimes called an "open air museum" because it is covered with historical landmarks, including Chamseongdan, where Dangun, the legendary founder of Gojoseon, held sacrificial rites, the site where Goryeo forces fought the Mongolian invadors, a 13th century kiln site, and Jeondeung Temple, founded during the Silla Period. Ganghwa is Korea's fifth largest island, and is connected to the mainland by two bridges, Ganghwa Bridge and Choji Bridge.

41km south of Seoul is the Korean Folk Village, in Yongin, [[Gyeonggi Province]]. This is a well known tourist stop where foreign tourists always go when they first come to Korea. The Folk Village demonstrates the culture of each Joseon social class, shamanism, and year-round social practices. One may see traditional farm houses, commoners' houses, public buildings, government offices, herbal pharmacies, Confucian academies, blacksmiths' shops, as well as a 99-room Yangban's house. Performances include farmers' music, tight-rope walking, reenactments of traditional wedding ceremonies, special performances by people recognized by the government for their knowledge of rare traditional arts, and other special events.

Near the Folk Village are other areas of interest to tourists as well. Everland, a theme park, is nearby, as is the Hoam Art Museum, with 5,000 works in its collection.

In the nearby city of Suwon is Hwaseong, the Joseon-era fortress walls recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

In Icheon, another city in the area, there are some 80 pottery workshops, and the city is recognized as the home of Korean pottery. There is a pottery festival every September.

Let's look north of Seoul:

56km north of the city is Panmunjeom. This is the "truce village" where the cease fire in the Korean War was signed on July 27, 1953. Today there is a "Joint Security Area" with North Korea. Here one can see a North Korean soldier up close.

[edit] Eastern Region 동부지역

The Eastern Region accounts for the coastal areas of Gangwon and the Gyeongsang Provinces. Starting in the north of Gangwon Province at Hwajinpo, it extends south to Busan and continues some 390km to include small fishing villages, beaches, and cliffs. Gangwon is particularly popular with tourists in the summer vacation season because of its beautiful beaches, mountains, and valleys. Gangwon's Mount Seorak is one of the most favorite places to visit for Koreans. There is heavy snowfall in winter, and there are many ski areas, such as Yongpyeong Resort. The Unification Observation Point in Goseong, [[Gangwon Province]], is the northernmost point in the South, and from here one can see Mount Geumgang in North Korea. Gangwon's Port Sokcho has a sightseeing shop that travels directly to Port Jangjeon in the North. At Port Jangjeon one may enjoy limited access to Mount Geumgang. Since March 2003, it has been possible to travel to Geumgang Mountain by land througn Gosung, Gangwon province.

[edit] Central Region 중부지역

The Central Region includes Daejeon City, and North and [[South Chungcheong Province]]s. One can arrive in Daejeon from Seoul in under two hours on the expressway. It is an important transportation point connecting the southern cities of Busan and Mokpo with Seoul, and is home to the [[Daedeok Science Town]] and the Second Government Complex, moved there from Seoul. Near Daejeon is Buyeo, the capital of Baekje (18 B.C. - 660 A.D.) and Gongju. The Nakhwa Rocks are truly worth seeing; it is where 3,000 palace women threw themselves into the Baengma River ahead of the fall of Baekje. Mount Gyeryong is one of Korea's "five mountains of note," and is located 40 minutes from Daejeon by bus. The mountain is home to Gap Temple and other Baekje Period historical relics.

The Central Region has four national parks, at Mount Gyeryong, [[Mount Songni]], Mount Worak, and Mount Sobaek. In North Chungcheon Province there is a famous series of sights known as the Eight Danyang Sights ([[Danyang Palgyeong]] 단양팔경), extending from Lake Chungju to Danyang.

[edit] Southwest Region 남서부지역

Gwangju City (광주시), South Jolla Province (전라남도), and North Jolla Province (전라북도) make up what is called the Southwestern Region. The coastal areas in the southwest areas of the Jolla provinces have a high concentration of islands, and the coast itself has many well-developed ports and bays. The inland areas are highly fertile, making the region one of Korea's main breadbaskets. The city of Jeonju, located in North Jolla Province, is famous for Korean paper (hanji 한지) and bibimbap (비빔밥). Namwon is a city near the entrance to [[Mount Jiri National Park]], and is known as the home and background of the story Chunhyangjeon ("The Tale of Chunhyang" 춘향전), sung also as pansori (판소리), a form of operatic narrative. The tale is about a gisaeng (기생) named Chunhyang and the son of a yangban (양반), and how their love trancends class barriers. It is loved by Koreans more than any other story.

Korea's second tallest mountain, Mount Jiri, is located in parts of both [[Jolla province]]s and South Gyeongsang. Along with Mount Seorak, it is one of the most popular areas with mountain climbers. Muju, in North Jolla, is where one finds Mount Deogyu National Park the Gucheondong Valley, some 30 kilometers long. Muju Resort, located with the park, is Korea's largest ski area. Aproximately 22 kilometers north of Gwangju is Damyang. The Bamboo Craft Museum located there is the first of its kind. Suncheon, also near Gwangju, is Songgwang Temple, one of Korea's most famous, along with Tongdo and Haein Temples.

On Jin Island, off the southern coast, you can see what is called "Korea's miracle of Moses." Twice a year, in the middle of May and June, the aproximately 2.6 kilometers of sea between the villages of Hoedong and Uisin is revealed to the very bottom, opening a passway of about 40 meters. Tourists from Korea and elsewhere flock to the area each year to see the phenomenon.

[edit] Southeastern Region 동남부 지역

The Southwestern Region is composed of the cities of Busan (부산시), Daegu (대 구시), North Gyeongsang Province (경상북도), and South Gyeongsang Province (경상 남도). The area is host to many cultural and historical sites, particularly in Gyeongju, which served as the capital of the Silla dynasty for a thousand years. The natural sites in the Southeastern Region are also popular with tourists, particularly the Hallyeo Waterway, Mount Jiri, and Mount Gaya.

Gyeongju, the "thousand year capital" of Silla (57B.C.~ 935A.D.) is a city and open-air museum all in one. Court burial mounts, stone pagodas that have resisted wind and rain, temples, sculptures, fortress wall sites, and other sights can be seen throughout the city and its environs. Precious relics such as elegant golden crowns and ornaments have been discovered in the burial mounds. Two national treasures are located in Gyeongju : Bulguk Temple (불국사) and [[Seokgul Cave- Temple]] (석굴암). Both were constructed around the 8th century, and are internationally recognized for being Buddhist art at its finest. Each are registered as World Cultural Heritage sites.

Haein Temple, located in Hapcheon, South Gyeongsang Province, is where the Tripitaka Koreana (팔만대장경) scriptures are preserved, having been made in the 13th century. They are known as the most accurate Buddhist scriptures in East Asia. The region is known not only for the historic city of Gyeongju, but also as the location of two of Korea's most well known industrial cities, Pohang and Ulsan. The world famous steel company POSCO is to be found in Pohang, and in Ulsan one finds the shipbuilding and automobile plants of the Hyundai Group, one of Korea's major conglomerates.

Busan is Korea's largest port city, and the second largest city in the country, following Seoul. The fish market at Busan Harbor comes alive every morning when fresh marine products are auctioned. Busan is also known for the tourist spots at Haeundae and Taejongdae. Andong, in North Gyeongsang Province, is one of the few places you can see Confucian traditions still alive and well. The nearby village of Hahoe is famous for the traditional Hahoe Masked Dance.

[edit] Jeju Province and the Southern Coast Region 제주도 및 남부 해안지역

Jeju Province is an island unto itself, and the largest in Korea. Approximately an hour from Seoul by air, its natural wonders are particularly beautiful. More than 4 million tourists visit what is one of the worlds top ten tourist sites each year. The island is surrounded by an emerald sea and white sand beaches, and it is rich in tropical fruits such as tangerines and pineapples. At 1,950 meters, the volcano Mount Halla forms the center of the island. Its peak is a curious formation of lava.

Mount Halla is home to around 2000 varieties of flora, making it an ecological treasurehouse. It's one of the reasons why Jeju Island is sometimes called "Little Hawaii." Most of the southern coast is designated part of the [[Hallyeo Waterway National Sea Park]], containing more than 400 beautiful islands with complex bays and river mouths.