Jeollanam-do(Wando-gun)

Located about 12㎞ off the southwestern coast of Korea, Bogildo Island is accessible by ferry from both Wando-gun and Haenam-gun in Jeollanam-do Province. The island features fishing villages, hiking trails, beaches, evergreen forests as well as several historic buildings and gardens. Furthermore, nearby attractions include Nohwado Island, which is connected to Bogildo by bridge, and Suando Island. Surrounded by blue sea, Bogildo is considered the gem of all islands in this area. Island History The first people to set foot on Bogildo Island are Confucian scholars during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). The relics of two such men, 17th century poet Yun Seon-do and politician Uam Song Si-yeol, still remain on the island. Yun had been on his way to Jeju Island when he stopped on Bogildo, and was so taken aback by its beauty that he ended up living on the island. He built and resided in the Buyongdong gardens, which have been well-preserved to this day. Uam Song had also been on his way to Jeju Island, when the boat stopped on Bogildo. Here, Uam Song carved a famous poem into a rock, which can still be seen today.


Jeollanam-do(Gurye-gun)

Sandong-myeon in the Gurye-gun region is widely known as the home of Sansuyu (cornus fruit) and is responsible for 67% of Korea’s Sansuyu fruit production. The Sangwi Village located at the foot of the southwest side of Manbokdae Mountain (1,433m) is considered the region’s most representative village of Sansuyu. The village has a beautiful natural landscape with the snow-covered Jirisan Mountain range to its back and a small valley to its right. Visitors to Sangwi Village can wind down at the hot spring complex near the village, which is famous for its germanium content and said to have numerous health benefits. The Sansuyu flowers of Sanwi Village typically are at full bloom between March 20th and March 31st, drawing throngs of visitors. * Please note that blossom dates are not exact and change slightly from year to year.


Chungcheongbuk-do(Okcheon-gun)

Yongamsa Temple is a branch of the Beopjusa temple. It was built during the Silla period. Unlike the more common temple arrangements, the stone pagoda in Yongamsa is uniquely situated on a low peak in the north with a view on all sides. The twin three-story stone pagodas, which are designated Treasure no. 1338, can be found here, as well as the Baaebulsang Buddha statue, and the Mokjoamitayeoraejwasang seated Buddha in Daeseongjeon Hall.


Gwangju(Gwangsan-gu)

Built more than 80 years ago, Dasomchae is a 'hanok (traditional Korean house)' guesthouse located in Songjeong-dong, Gwangju-si. It has 12 guestrooms whose walls are covered with healthy, natural red clay. The blankets are filled with natural cotton for a good night's sleep. There are lots of grapevines and trees in the front yard, including yew, locust, Japanese angelica, pomegranate, jujube, and apricot trees. In summer, the chimney is covered with trumpet flowers, making for a picturesque view. There is also a Korean A-frame that has actually been used for decades. Located a mere 10 minutes away by car from Songjeong Station, the guesthouse is very conveniently located for those wishing to visit various tourist destinations in the city.


Incheon(Ganghwa-gun)

Nadeul-gil means a leisurely outing (nadeuri) road. Comprised of 19 courses in total, the Ganghwa Nadeul-gil Trail offers a variety of historical assets and cultural sites to see. Each Nadeul-gil course connects Ganghwa Fortress outposts that are located every 1.3 km on high ground along the walking paths. The trails are on the island of Ganghwa which holds many Goryeo Dynasty remains that are important to Korean history. Fortresses that stood against Mongolian invasions are still standing and many of the Goryeo Kingdom’s palaces and royal tomb sites are also found in Ganghwa region. Exploring the major cultural heritage sites dispersed throughout the town can be just as fun as exploring Ganghwa’s natural beauty. The sunset on the Seohae (West coast), expansive open mud flats, views from Marisan and Goryeosan Mountains and the peaceful farming villages are just a handful of the sights along this walking trail. The establishment of Ganghwa Nadeul-gil’s begins with the ancient scholar Go Jae-hyeong (pen name Hwanam), who left his hometown Ganghwa on a spring day in 1906 when the peach trees were in full bloom. He walked through more than 100 villages around the whole island. Back home, he composed poems about his journey and published them under the title of “Simdo Gihaeng (Simdo Travels),” Simdo being another name for Ganghwa. During his travels, he sang songs of his home Ganghwa. Thanks to his work, people can now follow in the footsteps of Hwanam and his appreciation of the beautiful scenery and great people of Ganghwa Island.


Gyeonggi-do(Icheon-si)

Seolbongsan Mountain (설봉산, 394 m) dominates the western portion of Icheon City. It has also been called Bugaksan Mountain and Muhaksan Mountain since the mountain resembles a crane with its wings spread open. Although the mountain is not rugged and maintains a well kept walking trail, it has many intriguing rock formations. There are as many as eight natural springs from which clear water gushes, and there are also Buddhist temples and relics scattered across the mountain. There are other attractions to see and enjoy as well, such as Seolbong Park, which was established at the opening of the World Ceramic Exhibition, as well as the municipal museum.


Seoul(Gangdong-gu)

Iljasan Mountain is the tallest peak in Gangdong-gu, Seoul, providing the western boundary between Gangdong-gu and Hanam-si, Gyeonggi-do. Iljasan Mountain is one of the best spots in Seoul to watch the sunrise. Located on the mountain is the house of Master Lee Jip (pen-name Dunchon), providing a good getaway spot for local residents. Lee jip was a loyal government official during the reign of King Gongmin during the late Goryeo Dynasty. He was forced to move to a underground tunnel in the southwest side of Iljasan Mountain to avoid entrapment by Shin Don, a person of influence at the time. While living in hiding, he took the pen-name Dunchon (meaning drawing back to the countryside) to symbolize the hardships he was going through. The nearby area was named after him, being called Dunchon-dong.


Gangwon-do(Pyeongchang-gun)

Located in Pyeongchang County, Gangwon-do Province, Jeonggangwon (total area of 33,057㎡) is a tourism complex consisting of hanok, modern accommodation facilities, a Korean restaurant, a food museum, gardens, and an animal farm among its many facilities. Joh Jeonggang, a specialist in Korean food, established this tourism complex with the aim of to developing and promoting traditional Korean cuisine through hands-on experience programs. The current owner took over the complex six years ago and continues to run the business. After passing through the large gate and walking along the path, the first things to catch the visitor’s eye are the many hundreds of crocks for soy sauce and other condiments, all of which are neatly arranged in front of the Korean restaurant. After that, a refined hanok building, a well-maintained garden, and a children’s animal farm which keeps birds, rabbits, chickens, pheasants, etc. will come into view. The clear water of Geumdang Valley flows down in front of the hanok, while the Geumdangsan Mountains embrace the vast expanse of the complex, creating a magnificent landscape. Jeonggangwon, named after the founder’s name ‘Jeong-gang’, can be translated as a ‘garden where a quiet river flows.’ The garden is planted with dozens of wildflowers and abundant fruit trees including Korean cherry, peach, and plum trees. The Jeonggangwon’s hanok was built ten years ago using pine wood and other eco-friendly hanok construction materials to emphasize the structure’s unique beauty. It comprises one main house and two annex buildings, and has eleven guest rooms in total. Situated on slightly elevated ground, the hanok commands open views of green mountains and fields. Each room bears the name of a particular flower in Korean, including Doraji, Mandrami, Baekryeon, and Jindalrae, which can accommodate to three persons; Mulmangcho, Railnak, Bongseonhwa, and Maehwa, which can accommodate two to four persons; Suseonhwa and Deulgukhwa, which can take two to five persons; and Chaesonghwa, the largest room, with a capacity of four to eight persons. Each room is decorated with antique furniture, folk paintings, and other items that were custom-made by artisans. All the hanok rooms feature ondol (Korean floor heating system) and toilets. The outdoor paddling pool, table tennis table and grass field are available to guests free of charge. In addition, breakfast and dinner is served free of charge – breakfast consists of a set menu of dried Pollack soup and rice, while dinner is a Jeonggangwon full course menu served together with 12 side dishes as well as grilled fish, doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew), memiljeon (buckwheat pancakes), and steamed eggs. Notably, Jeonggangwon’s Traditional Korean Food Culture Experience Center, winner of the Korea Tourism Award in the hands-on food experience category in 2014, offers visitors an exciting opportunity to sample and experience traditional Korean food. The yard contains around 500 ~ 600 crocks filled with various types of traditional Korean hand-made pastes and sauces produced by the center, including red pepper paste, soybean paste, soy sauce, pickled vegetables and so on. Customers can buy products directly or by phone. It also has a stone-built ice storage for salted seafood that maintains a constant temperature all year round, and a salt storage for good quality salt. In addition, the center offers diverse hands-on experience programs that allow guests to make their own traditional Korean food including bibimbap, gochujang (red pepper paste), kimchi, mackerel ssamjang (a mix of doenjang and gochujang), bean curd, injeolmi (Korean traditional rice cake made with glutinous rice and coated with bean flour), memiljeon, and songpyeon (half-moon rice cake). All of these programs are popular among foreign visitors, and are charged differently according to the food menu and cooking time. Visitors can also sample a variety of Korean dishes at the Korean restaurant, visit the Food Museum, which displays old agricultural machinery and implements for making rice cakes (tteok), or try on hanbok at the Korean Clothes Experience Museum (KRW 8,000 per person).


Gangwon-do(Gangneung-si)

This is a place where you can enjoy Korean pork ribs personally cooked by the owner. This Korean dishes restaurant is located in Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do. The representative menu is grilled spareribs.