Courtesy of Cheongsando Slow Walking Festival

Cheongsando Slow Walking Festival 2013 will continue during the entire month of April on this island in Wando County, Jeollanam-do. The main program of the festival is to walk on the Cheongsando Slow Road, spanning over 42 kilometers on 11 trails. Cheongsando has a charming pastoral atmosphere; the barley fields are ringed by traditional stone walls, and visitors can stroll along muddled paths and gaze out over the spectacularly blue ocean. Visitors can also enjoy open-air concerts and sample “slow” food. Cheongsando is the ultimate escape from city life, allowing people to free their minds and enjoy life at a slower pace. Connected to the mainland by a bridge, Wando is scenic and has ever-changing views of the islands scattered offshore, including Cheongsando.

EAT>
The most famous dishes of this region contain freshly caught abalone, a local delicacy. Abalone can be eaten raw like sashimi or eaten with rice, vegetables, and other seafood, bibimbap style.

DO>
Ferries to Jejudo Island leave from the main town, Wando-eup.

SEE>
Famous tourist attractions in Wando include filming sites of the TV drama Spring Waltz 봄의 왈츠 as well as Seopyeonje 서편제, Korea’s first movie to break the 1-million-viewers mark.

STAY>
Flashy new motels have sprouted recently in Wando-eup, while minbak homestays are available in other smaller islets.

FYI>
www.slowcitywando.com
(Cheongsando, Wando-gun, Jeollanam-do | 전남 완도군 청산도)

GO>
Take a KTX train or an express bus to Mokpo and transfer to a local bus bound for Wando. Total travel time exceeds 5 hours.

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Courtesy of Namwon City Hall

Namwon Chunhyang Festival | 남원춘향제

Namwon will hold the annual Chunhyang Festival Apr 26–30, which commemorates the love story of Chunhyang set against the city in the dynastic times. In the classic story, Chunhyang is a maiden who is forced to entertain a local magistrate while the young man she really loves, Lee Mong-ryong, is away on government affairs. When Mongryong returns as a high-ranking official, things are set straight and the maiden is set free, giving the tale a happy ending. A variety of events and performances will be on offer— traditional music contests, farmer’s percussion shows, a sijo (Korean traditional short lyric poem) contest, a traditional game experience zone, and swing riding.

EAT>
Namwon is a signature powerhouse of chueotang 추어탕 (loach soup), a highly recommended health food in Korea. Try a bowl of loach stew full of spices in Namwon and you may feel recharged enough to get going.

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Namwon makes a great base camp for hikers planning to explore the northern side of the famous Jirisan Mountain.

SEE>
The beauty contest will return with a number of local beauties and aspiring actresses, promising to feast and purify your eyes.

STAY>
In addition to the hotels, motels, and homestays available in the city, festivalgoers may want to stay near Jirisan, where a group of condos, resort hotels, and youth hostels can be found.

FYI>
T. 063-620-4861, www.chunhyang.org
(Gwanghallu, Namwon-si, Jeollabuk-do | 전북 남원시 광한루원)

GO>
Catch a Namwon-bound KTX train at Yongsan Station or take an express bus from Central City Bus Terminal.

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Courtesy of Nonsan Strawberry Festival

Courtesy of Nonsan Strawberry Festival

Home to some of Korea’s tastiest strawberries, Nonsan is holding a strawberry festival Apr 3–7 and will invite visitors to pick (and eat) as many strawberries as they can, not to mention purchase any number of strawberry treats to take home. Exhibitions, hands-on activities, and a visit to Nonsan’s specialty market are highly recommended. There are also plenty of original strawberry creations for visitors to sample, such as strawberry rice cakes and even strawberry hot sauce, as well as established treats like strawberry pancakes and strawberry jam. To participate in the strawberry picking program, try to buy a ticket on-site as early as possible, as participation is limited to approximately 1,000 people per day.

EAT>
To Korean men, Nonsan is quite well known, since the army boot camp for soldiers who are beginning their compulsory training is there. Step into a dilapidated local diner and enjoy a hearty meal, just like a new Korean recruit.

DO>
Festivalgoers can participate in various activities such as cake making, sampling, and teeter-totter jumping games.

SEE>
Local attractions include Gwanchoksa Temple, where Eunjin Mireuk, a large-standing Buddhist sculpture from the medieval Goryeo period, is treasured as a national heritage item.

STAY>
Abundant accommodation options are available throughout the city.

FYI>
T. 041-733-0861, www.nsfestival.co.kr
(Nonsancheon Stream, Nonsan-si, Chungcheongnam-do | 충남 논산시 논산천)

GO>
From Central City Terminal, take an intercity bus to Nonsan; from Yongsan Station, take a train to Nonsan Station. Travel time is one and a half hours.

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The annual Yeouido Spring Flower Festival is set to return Apr 12–18 when 1,700 cherry trees erupt into magnificent clouds of pink. The spring’s spectacular show gets underway along the 1.7-kilometer-long street behind the National Assembly building. At night, the cherry blossoms are lit up with various colored lights. A wide range of street performances such as mime and modern dance, as well as art exhibitions, also take place.

EAT>
Street vendors will be on hand selling snack foods and beverages, and Noryangjin Fish Market is just around the corner.

BUY>
The festival site will be flooded not only with visitors but street peddlers as well.

SEE>
There are also acrobats, inline skaters, traditional Korean percussion music, and fireworks along Hangang River to round off the event.

FYI>
www.ydp.go.kr
(Yeouiseo-ro, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul | 서울시 영등포구 여의서로)

GO>
National Assembly Station 국회의사당역 (Line 9), Exit 1

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Courtesy of Gurye County Festival Promotion Committee

Courtesy of Gurye County Festival Promotion Committee

Gurye Sansuyu Festival | 구례산수유꽃축제

The winter snow has yet to melt off the high Jirisan peaks, but already the sansuyu cornel tree villages located on the foothills are painted a brilliant golden yellow. The Jeollanam-do town of Gurye will hold its annual Sansuyu Festival March 29–31. Sandong Township, the festival site, is home to the country’s largest colony of sansuyu trees. The flowers are made into tea, alcohol, and food, all of which can be sampled at this festival. The festival wouldn’t be complete without a hike on Mt. Jirisan to really appreciate the yellow splendor blanketing the mountain.

EAT>
The local treat at this time of year is the crabs that brood in the area connecting the river and sea.

SEE>
Gurye is also home to the ancient Hwaeomsa Temple 화엄사, which houses four National Treasures of Korea. Come here to visit the head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism.

DO>
Satellite events include a ceremony for a good harvest, traditional music concert, singing contest, fireworks display, and much more. Visitors can take leisurely walks around the area and take a dip at the nearby hot springs.

STAY>
A wide diversity of accommodations, including the upscale Songwon Resort 송원리조트 (T. 061-780-8000, www.swresort.co.kr), are available near the hot springs.

FYI> T. 061-780-2727, 061-780-2390
htttp://sansuyu.gurye.go.kr
(Jirisan Hot Spring Tourist Site, Gurye-gun, Jeollanam-do | 전라남도 구례군 지리산온천관광단지)

GO>
From Seoul Nambu Bus Terminal, take an intercity bus to Gurye. Travel time is over 3 hours.
From Gurye, take a local bus bound for Sandong and get off at Sandong Hot Springs.

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Korea’s lake country gets even better in winter

Written by Steve Miller
Photographed by Robert Koehler and the Sancheoneo Ice Festival

Tip: Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival

Selected by CNN and the Lonely Planet as one of Asia’s top winter festivals, the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival (Jan 5–27) is the time to visit this wild piece of Korea. This fun event, a celebration of the region’s famous mountain trout (Korean: sancheoneo), features ice fishing (including bare-handed ice fishing!), ice sculptures, good food and plenty of cultural events.

© Seoul Selection

Paroho Lake, a scenic and historic reservoir created by Hwacheon Dam

Seoul is a sprawling megacity encompassing a staggering 605.21㎢. The seemingly endless asphalt roads and skyscrapers reaching for the sky allow for some ten million-plus permanent residents (and another ten million in the surrounding areas). When in Korea’s nexus, it’s not impossible to find great restaurants or beauty, but what is nearly impossible is finding wide-open spaces. For this, nature lovers must trek to the countryside. A number of rural towns are worthy of such excursions, but rarely do many get a tourism boost along the likes of Hwacheon (화천) in Gangwon-do Province.

Hwacheon

Situated close to Korea’s Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), Hwacheon boasts a relatively small population of just over twenty thousand souls. In fact, being so close to the border, the town has a significant military presence that can’t be ignored. Most of the year, the military outnumber civilians, except in January when over one million people descend on the small hamlet for the annual Sancheoneo (Mount Trout) Ice Festival (Jan 5–27, www.narafestival.com).

Unlike the populated metropolis to the east, Hwacheon is still very much a slow, rural town. Peering at a local tourist map gives the illusion that the town is much larger than it really is, for one can easily walk from one side to another in under an hour. During winter, crisscrossing the narrow, icy roads elicits memories of walking through American towns of the same size, a most welcomed change from the hurried life in Seoul.

Carving through the earth’s crust, a winding waterway creates some great spots for fishing year round, although the city is most known for the wintery version of this pastime when ice creeps over its surface. Since Hwacheon isn’t burdened with buildings reaching for thesky, those visiting enjoy uninterrupted views of Gangwon-do’s blue skies, peppered with puffy white clouds. When views are periodically obstructed, it’s by the hilltops rising up from the earth. Photography enthusiasts benefit from this, as there is no shortage of interesting angles and subjects to capture.

Get Your Grub On

One can’t travel on an empty stomach, and let’s face it, if you’re making the trip away from Seoul, by the time you make it into town—you’re going to want something to eat. Like most of Korea, there are several major franchises staking claims on street corners, luring you in with specials of the month. However, as anyone can tell you, the charm of small towns is in the family-owned restaurants—the ones that exist in only one location and offer truly unique experiences.

Photo by Steve Miller

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Hwacheon, with its proximity to water, is famous for its fresh seafood, but the culinary talents don’t end there. Among the city’s specialties are Ode and Togomi Rice—special pesticide-free grains that are wind dried and stored in low temperatures. The area also has many tomatoes, so it’s no wonder that residents combine this fruit with the region’s famous potatoes to make some savory rice cakes. But for the carnivorous traveler, sampling Hwacheon’s Jasira Pork might just be the winning ticket. According to locals, the swine meat is low in cholesterol thanks to its unique diet, which includes powdered pinecones.

Adjacent to the intercity bus terminal is Gangmi Restaurant 강미식당 (T. 033-442-5252), a family-owned restaurant known for its delicious and healthy-sized portions. If arriving around lunchtime, be sure to get there early, for it is not uncommon to find every table filled shortly after the noon hour. The samgyeopsal (pork) arrived on a plate accompanied by a host of side dishes sure to satisfy any appetite. Slabs of samgyeopsal were served fresh and thick. Eyeballing each strip of pork, I estimated each was easily more than two centimeters thick, and when placed on the grill, they created a delightful sizzling sound. While I cannot attest to any unique flavor induced from powdered pinecones, I can confirm the meat was tasty and hit the spot.

© Sancheoneo Ice Festival

© Sancheoneo Ice Festival

DO>

One might think the best thing to do in such a small mountain town would be to sit and watch the grass grow. Nothing could be further from the truth. The city operates weekend tours to several popular destinations, including some inside the DMZ. Tours are limited to twenty people and reservations must be made and paid for ten days in advance (to gain DMZ access). Stops on this daylong tour include the Hwacheon Folklore Museum, the Peace Dam, local nature sites, and museums. The tour costs 15,000 won (13 years and over) and 10,000 won (12 years and under). For more information, reservations, and payment instructions visit http://ihc.go.kr/tour (T. 033-440-2852).

Since the aforementioned tours are fairly limited in size, most traveling to Hwacheon will be setting out on their own. Bus service is available but isn’t nearly as robust as Seoul’s transportation, so getting around to local attractions may mean venturing out in the cold winter air or, better yet, by taxi. If making the trip in summer, ample biking and walking paths circumnavigate the city, leading to a most decidedly awesome outdoor experience.

© Sancheoneo Ice Festival

© Sancheoneo Ice Festival

SEE> 

Some of the more interesting things to see in and around town are Watermill Park and the Mount Ddansan Waterfall. Just a five-minute walk from the bus terminal, the watermill is the nation’s largest, measuring a staggering 15m in diameter. The park isn’t bustling with activity on most winter days, but inventive visitors make use of the gentle slopes surrounding the park’s central pedestal by sliding down and frolicking in the snow.

Much more scenic is the waterfall, which in winter is completely frozen. Taking a cab there is probably one’s best bet, but local bus 7 makes the trip there as well. Aside from snapping a few pictures of the frozen waterfall, there’s not much to do here in winter, and the nearby resort/amusement park is mainly frequented in the summer. Those venturing this way would be better served taking a cab, since the Hwacheon Dam is nearby. This historic structure was built by the Japanese
in 1944 and played a significant and bloody role in the Korean War. A beautiful pavilion overlooks the reservoir, providing an exceptional backdrop for stunning photographs.

© Sancheoneo Ice Festival

STAY>

There are about 20 or so motels and yeogwans (Korean-style inns) in Hwacheon. Most are pleasant enough and offer rooms at around 35,000–50,000 won a night, depending on the time of year and their size. If you are looking for something a bit more luxurious, you might want to look in Chuncheon, where there is a much wider range of accommodation.

FYI>

If traveling to Hwacheon, a stop at the bus terminal is a must, not only because most arriving in town do so at this location, but also because a local Tourism Information office is housed there. Any questions about tours, restaurants, accommodations, and traveling to locations are easily asked and answered, making the trip easy and worthwhile. www.ihc.go.kr/foreign/eng

© Sancheoneo Ice Festival

GO>

Direct rail service isn’t available to Hwacheon. The only way to arrive in this mountain town by public transport is by bus. Direct intercity buses leave from Seoul’s Dong Seoul and Sang Bong terminals. Each has buses leaving throughout the day. The trip from Dong Seoul takes 2 hours 40 minutes and will set your bank account back 12,900 won. Those wanting a more scenic trip have the option of taking the new ITX from Yongsan Station to Chuncheon (departing every hour, on the hour). The trip takes just over an hour. Once in Chuncheon, cross the street outside Exit 1, veer left towards the bus stop, and wait for the intercity bus bound for Hwacheon. There are thirty a day, about two per hour. For extra help in making the transfer, a Tourist Information booth is located just outside the station. The ride from Chuncheon to Hwacheon is about an hour, putting one’s total travel time at just under two hours, provided all connections are made. It’s a faster and cheaper alternative, especially if getting into central Seoul is easier than making it to either Dong Seoul or Sang Bong Terminals.

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