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Tourist
Attractions
Seoul
Seoul is mega-modern and appealingly ancient. Flattened
in the Korean War, most of the city has been rebuilt since
the 1950s. Peeking out from among the 12-lane freeways,
overshadowed by high-rises, Seoul has a hidden history of
centuries-old temples, palaces, pagodas and pleasure gardens.
It also has cheap accommodation, excellent public transport
and cultural experiences aplenty, and that's why most visitors
to South Korea never get past its city limits. The Han River
bisects the city, with Jung-gu the central district, Jongno-gu
(with most of the budget hotels and sights) to the north,
and Itaewon (packed full of shops, bars and nightlife) just
south of the city centre.
Seoul is justifiably famous for its palaces. Gyeongbokgung
Palace is the best known. Built at the beginning
of the Joseon dynasty, most of the 500 buildings in the
palace grounds were destroyed when the Japanese invaded.
Reconstructed in the late 19th century, destroyed again
in the Korean War, the palace and its grounds have now been
entirely restored once more. The palace is actually several
buildings, including one of the most exquisite pagodas in
the country and an enormous two-storey throne room. The
National Folk Museum in the grounds of
the palace is dedicated to showing how ordinary Koreans
have lived through the ages. Another palace highlight is
Changgyeonggung Palace, built in 1104.
Once the rulers' summer palace, the Japanese downgraded
Changgyeonggung to a park, but there are still plenty of
Goryeo dynasty drawcards, including astronomical instruments,
a botanical garden and stone bridges. Cross a footbridge
from the palace and you're at the Jongmyo Shrine,
where the ancestral tablets of all 27 Joseon dynasty kings
are enshrined.
If a bit of a chat with the locals is what you're after,
head southwest of Changgyeonggung to Tapgol Park,
where crowds of friendly elderly folk sit around talking
about the weather. This is where the Declaration of Independence
was first read in 1919, and murals around the park are dedicated
to the independence movement. The park is named after the
marble pagoda (tapgol) in its grounds. The city's
other great park is Namsan, south of the
city centre. The third tallest tower in the world, the Seoul
Tower is within the park, and it's packed full
of tourist fun - aquarium, games room and all-important
observation deck. For a more sobering tourist experience,
try the War Memorial northwest of the Yongsan
military base, touted as one of the best museums in Seoul.
National Treasure No 1 is the Namdaemun Gate,
once Seoul's chief city gate. The gate, built in the 14th
century, is near Seoul train station. Its solidity and calm
elegance make it an island in a sea of traffic. In complete
contrast, Lotte World is mall culture gone
mad. South of the river, this entertainment complex has
its own ice skating rink, hotel, swimming pool and Disney-clone
Lotte World Adventure - hours of family fun. The city centre
is your best bet for budget accommodation, while Jung-gu
has most of the mid-range places. Touristy Itaewon is where
the moneyed traveller will find digs to suit. You can grab
a cheap Korean feed from the basements of department stores
in the city centre, but if you can't deal with gimchi for
breakfast, 7-Elevens all over the city will sell you coffee
and doughnuts. Those longing to dance the night away should
head to Itaewon or Gangnam. If a quiet drink is more your
style, Seoul's best pubs cluster around Sinchon subway station.
Korean Folk Village
It sounds cheesy, but the Korean Folk Village is
actually a very tasteful way to immerse yourself in rural
Korean life. The village has examples of traditional peasants',
farmers' and civil officials' housing styles from all over
the country, as well as artisans' workshops, a brewery,
a Confucian school, a Buddhist temple and a market place.
This is a real village, not just a tourist show - the people
you see working here live here all the time. There are regular
dance performances and parades held every day. Buses go
here every 20 minutes from Seoul.
Seoraksan
National Park
Top of the charts in the Korean national park scene, Seoraksan
is spectacular. Near the DMZ on the east coast, this is
a land of high craggy peaks, lush forests, tremendous waterfalls,
boulder-strewn white water rivers, beaches and ancient temples.
Autumn is the best time to visit, when the changing leaves
make the mountains a riot of colour.
Being so gorgeous, the park is, of course, outrageously
popular - don't expect a solitary wilderness experience.
The best way to escape the crush is to carry a tent and
hike for a few days into Inner Seorak, in the west of the
park. For those who prefer a quick fix of nature with a
dash of luxury, try the Osaek Hot Springs in South Seorak.
Those with oversized lungs and stretchy hamstrings will
doubtless enjoy a hike up Daecheonbong, the park's highest
mountain, while the more sedentary can catch a cable car
to the top of Gwongeumsong: all the views, none of the pain.
Most of the park's accommodation, including camping, is
at Osaek Springs and Seorak-dong (in Outer Seorak), and
this is where the crowds accumulate. If you want to stay
in quieter Inner Seorak you'll probably need to carry a
tent, but if you don't have one you can rough it in the
park's few shelters. Direct buses run between Seoul and
Seorak-dong.
Gyeongju
For 1000 years, up until the 10th century, Gyeongju was
the capital of the Silla dynasty. Nearly 1000 years later,
Gyeongju is an open-air museum masquerading as a small,
provincial town littered with ancient rubble. Those keen
on Silla culture or archaeology will be in heaven, fossicking
through the remains of temples, tombs, shrines, palaces,
pleasure gardens and castles, but more ordinary folk will
probably find Gyeongju only has a day's-worth of entertainment.
In the centre of town, Tumuli Park is a
huge walled area with 20 royal tombs, one opened in cross
section. Across the road from the park, the Noseo-dong
Tombs offer a chance to see more Silla burial sites,
excavated in the 20th century. A few hundred metres away,
Cheomseongdae looks like a pile of rocks
but is actually one of the oldest observatories in East
Asia. The pile of rocks is a mathematical allegory for the
days and months of the year.
The crowning glory of Silla temple architecture is Bulguksa,
a magnificent temple built on a series of stone terraces
about 16km (10mi) from the town. The eaves and internal
painting of this gorgeous temple are one of the artistic
highlights of Asia. Stand on the highest level of the temple
and you'll look down over a rolling sea of tiles. High above
the temple, a seated Buddha (usually crawling with tourists)
gazes over Gyeongju from Seokguram Grotto.
There are plenty of places to stay in Gyeongju, from backpacker-friendly
hostels to super-deluxe casino hotels, and a similarly large
range of places to eat.
Songnisan National
Park
Central Korea's top scenic spot, Songnisan means 'remote
from the mundane world mountains', and indeed it is. The
place is a magnet for hikers, with heaps of excellent walks.
The thing that really drags them in by the busload, though,
is Beopjusa, one of the largest and most
magnificent temple sites in Korea. This Buddhist temple
was built in AD 553. The invading Japanese, as was their
wont, burnt it to the ground in 1592, and the current temple
dates from 1624. Even more impressive than the five-storey
pagoda is the temple's 33m (108ft) high Buddha,
a one-piece bronze monstrosity and the largest standing
figure in the Orient.
Songnisan has plenty of places to stay, including two campsites
and a few hotels (budget and luxury). Direct buses go to
Cheongju, Daejeon and Seoul. |
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