Thomas's Travel Online

Sokcho South Korea

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 30 May 2011 13:50:00 +0000

Sokcho is a quiet and beautiful place to visit in South Korea, its main attraction boasts Seoraksan National Park and the beautiful beaches along the east coast.

Sokcho is situated on the North-East of South Korea.

It's very easy to get to Sokcho, there's local express buses leaving from Seoul every 30 mins, taking 3 hours to reach.

The Official South Korea Travel Guide 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 10:24:00 +0000

Korea Travel Blog

Whether you are looking for a travel guide to plan your next trip to South Korea or you are just looking out for some travel guide and thinking of looking at South Korea, you're at the right place.

I was looking for some information at the Official Site of Korea Tourism Org and found that they have a very nice travel guide for you to explore in the form of an ebook.

The whole guide is 232 pages and consist of several sections covering everything you need to know about travelling in South Korea. In particular i was very surprised to notice that they have a helicopter view of the "Seongsan Ilchulbong" on page 28 that is located at Jeju Island, it's very different if you look from the sky, it's amazing! You got to check it out!

Although i have been there before, i didn't know it looks like this!

This is a photo i took while i was there, it shows the explanation of how this nature creature came about from the volcanic eruption 5000 years ago.

Seongsan Ilchulbong Tuff Cone or sunrise peak

Check out the official south korea travel guide 2011 here.

Day 9 Full gospel church service and back to Singapore

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 14:33:00 +0000

We spent the morning at the local full gospel church attending their Sunday service.

We then took an airport shuttle bus 602 at nearby our hotel direct to airport, it's a very convenient service for us...it costs only 8000 won per pax.We enjoyed our trip to Korea...we would definitely come back again...

Day 8 Cheongynani and Yoido Full Gospel Church

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 14:11:00 +0000

On day 8...

We took on a journey to visit the largest church in Korea and probably the biggest in the world with more than 1 million members, founded by Rev Dr David Yonggi Cho..

We do not know where the church is initially, and thought that the locals would be able to tell us where it is...the search ended up with us walking almost 2-3 subway stations from Cheongynani station, we only have a photo and name of the church to rely on, the locals guided us to many churches but they are not the church we are looking for...we have a language problem! Most locals do not understand english, we almost gave up on the search but finally we reach a university where somebody could understand ENGLISH!!

Guess what?? The church that we're looking for is very very far away from the initial location that we understand, because there are many local outlets of full gospel church in Seoul, it's at least 45 mins of subway journey....we decided to take on the journey.

It's worth it! The church is fantastic, it's located in the heart of Seoul business district by the river.
It's a tiring but rewarding day...

Day 7 Sinchon shopping street and Myeondong

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 14:33:00 +0000

Day 7 was a special day...

It was the end of the group tour where our members took a afternoon flight back to Singapore, while we continue our journey "free & easy" in Seoul...I have to do a lot of homework for the 3 days 2 nights 'a la carte" tour...the challenging part is the communication.
We spent the morning with the group members at Sinchon shopping street, it's a beautiful street...very quiet and neat.

We waved goodbye to our members just before lunch and took a taxi to Cheongnyangni where we stay. We surveyed the subway station, the airport shuttle bus time chart and the surrounding just to make sure that we remembered where we stay and how to get to the airport.

We head to Myeondong and spent the whole afternoon touring the popular shopping district, we tried the local foods and walked most of the time. In Seoul, due to scarcity of land, they created shopping space along the subway line underground, where you can shop station to station...
We also bought a big authentic korea watermelon to try...watermelon is expensive in korea, which i do not know why...It was a really fun time buying the watermelon where we negotiated with the stall owner...

Day 6 Changdukgung Palace, Ginseng Monopoly Showroom, Kimchi Making, COEX mall and Lotte World

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 14:12:00 +0000

Day 6...

It's a fun-filled day with many interesting activities, example kimchi making, photo taking in traditional korean costume, visiting ginseng monopoly shop, visiting COEX shopping mall, Changdukgung palace and Lotte world.We put up at Ritz Carlton Hotel Seoul for the night....it's a luxury stay! We love it!

Sangsoo Herb Land, Ginseng Farm, Chuncheon Nami Island and Dongdaemun market on Day 5

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 25 Sep 2007 13:20:00 +0000

Day 5...

We took a guided tour at the Sangsoo Herb Land, it's Asia's largest herbs garden which features thousands different types of herbs in the garden and glass house, it's really a big garden! We were greeted by the expert of Sangsoo Herb Land which believed to be the founder. He delivered a fantastic lecture about his herb education and various kind of benefits arriving from consuming herbs....there's all kind of herbs and flowers which we have never seen before. We took the tour around the glass garden and ended up....bought a lot of herbs!!! Thanks to the sales pitch....After lunch, we went to Chuncheon-si where we took a boat ride to Nami Island, where the filming site of the popular korean drama serial is...Winter Sonata. It began raining when we reached the ferry terminal...

Nami island was not originally an island, but it's made as a result of the construction of Cheongpyeong Dam, the most famous spot is of course the walk down the tree paths....where you can experience the "effect" of shooting winter sonata::)
We left Nami island for Seoul...which is about 1 hr 15 mins bus journey...i think we didn't go to Dongdaemun market for some reasons but i can't recall, instead we went to Doota shopping mall which is also at Dongdaemun. It's a big and well known fashion mall comprising of 8 floors in total. I guess we are all too tired to shop....we spent about 1.5 hrs there.
The rest are dinner and hotel....rest...

Maisan Provincial Park, Jeonju, Korean Traditional Wine Museum And Muju Resort...Day 4

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 15 Sep 2007 12:56:00 +0000

On day 4, we depart from hotel inter burgo at Daegu, heading to Korean traditional wine museum at Jeonju...it's almost 2 hrs bus journey from Daegu.

At the museum, we saw many tools and machines used to make alcohol, of course there are many traditional korean wine on exhibit. They also have a alcohol preparation room and fermentation room where they show you the various process of making alcohol...
As you probably know, Jeonju is very famous in traditional korean food, so we get to dine at one of the local famous restaurant...the table is fully occupied with various kind of foods and they are stacked on top.We went to Maisan Provisional Park after lunch, it's a mountain park filled with a lot of mysterious story in the past and interesting place to visit, it's a good place to walk especially after a heavy lunch.
This park has different names according to the seasons, but the story behind this park is the 2 peaks that was believed to be rock mountain that said to be father peak and child peak about 2 gods that came down from sky and live there for a while, they had a child while living there, the 2 peaks were formed when they were ascending back to sky and got trapped when one village women saw them, there's also a mother peak on the other side but we didn't see that. The mountain tour lasted for about 2 hours, and we continue our journey to the north, the destination is Muju resort! Before that, we stopped near to Muju resort for Korean bbq dinner.

Muju resort is a top famous resort during the winter season. It's surrounded by the breath-taking view of Mt Deokyu National Park, and it's often been referred to as the "Little Alps" in Korea. We stayed at Hotel Tirol where it cost 380,000 won a night! The special thing about this hotel is the Austrian architecture, and its superb interior. The guest room is very spacious with wooden bed.

Day 3 Daegu...SPA valley..Jung Angro Street Shopping

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 18:06:00 +0000

We waved good bye to Jeju Island in the morning after breakfast.

We then took a domestic flight to Daegu. It is a nice city though, and what we understand from our tour leader that this is the second largest city in South Korea after Seoul.

We went to couple of places, including Jun Angro Shopping street, and it is a vibrant place, full of fun and young teenagers, we walked and walked, and guess what?? We lost our way back to the meeting place, everywhere looks the same when we were trying to walk back. I bum around with Shirlee and she is not so happy though....but we managed to get back to the meeting place after about 15 minutes late....luckily the bus is still there. Thanks God.

Well, we also spent a couple of hours at the SPA valley, and had our dinner there, what a nice dinner!

Well, enough for today.

I'll talk to you soon!

Thomas

Day 2 Jeju Island..Yongduam Rock..Songsan Sunrise Peak..Jeju Folk Village..ATV

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 17:16:00 +0000

Yeh! It is day 2 at Jeju Island..It is finally up now.

We woke up quite early at 600am, and took a nice breakfast altogether.

As you can see, we have many programmes up for day-2, it is a fun day as we visit many places at Jeju Island especially Songsan Sunrise Peak, i made it to the peak! But the slope is quite steep and my wife was not so keen on challenging the peak, but she was really enjoying the green scenery and breeze from the sea while waiting for me...how nice is that..

Enjoy and Stay Back!

Thomas

Day 1...Seoul - Yongin Everland - Jeju Island

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 16:16:00 +0000

Wow! This is our first day in Korea!

We arrived at the Incheon Airport at about 700am in the morning, we met our local tour guide from Lotte Tour - Mr Leng (so called cool guy in chinese).

We catch a quick bite at the airport's Macdonald....that's pretty cool!

Today we will be visiting Yongin Everland.

It's a fun theme park. I have put together some slides for your viewing pleasure..

Though it's tiring day after flying a night flight from Singapore, we really enjoy the theme park being a fun filled, creative and we find that their staff are all great customer manager!

Update on our trip to South Korea

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 11:34:00 +0000

Thanks God!

We had a wonderful trip during our 9 days at South Korea. It was a fantastic trip for both of us. I just want to put up some notes here to give some quick preview of our trip and the highlights.

Stay tuned for more updates and of course some photos!

We really enjoyed ourself there, we realise that even it is summer now in South Korea, but the weather is still good, about 20-25 degree celcius at days and can be less than 20 degree celcius at night! so don't have the idea that the weather is hot when it is summer in Korea, but wheather check is still pretty important as sometimes there may be some unexpectation.

The korean food are really good and special!

Highlights are Galbi, Bulgogi (also called Korean BBQ), Samgyeopsal, soups, side dishes, noodles, mixed rice (called Bibimbap), ginseng chicken with rice, and much more...

One of the nice stay at South Korea is Hotel Tirol at Muju Resort, we are impressed by the design of the hotel. Stay tuned for more photos!

One more highlight i want to share with you is the Yoido Full Gospel Church! It is a place filled with blessings to nation of South Korea and to the world...more updates coming soon.

To your travel success!

Thomas & Shirlee

On our honeymoon...to Jeju Island, South Korea

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 16:10:00 +0000

It's real exciting as i'll be travelling with my wife Shirlee to the Jeju Island for our honeymoon....Voyage! It's gonna to be an exciting moment as we share our joy together.

I thought of keeping this moment in my personal blog, to share with you where we travel...check back if you are interested!

Belows are the Itinerary...

SINGAPORE - INCHEON (Meals on Board)Assemble at Singapore Changi Airport for flight to Incheon.

INCHEON - YONGIN - JEJU ISLAND (Seafood Steamboat Dinner)Upon arrival, proceed to Yongin Everland, a fun-filled theme park with thrilling rides and a galore of lively entertainment. For more excitement, go for rides like the Suspended Roller Coaster, Double-Loop and Cork-Screw Coaster. View the park's colourful blooms at the seasonal flower festivals. In the evening, transfer to the airport for a flight to Jeju Island. JEJU ISLAND (Abalone Porridge Breakfast/Korean BBQ Lunch/ Dinner) Today's sightseeing will start with Yongduam Rock, or Dragon Head Rock, an unusual lava formation that looks like a roaring dragon, raising from the sea into the sky. Next, visit Songsan Sunrise Peak, a stone peak great for watching sunrise. When you are on Magic Road, experience the strange phenomenon of going uphill when your vehicle's engine is turned off. Visit Jeju Folk Village, a folk and history museum with miniature displays of traditional villages. It is also the filming site of the Korean drama, 'Dae Jang Geum' for the scenes where Jang Geum spends her exile in Jeju learning medicine. Proceed to enjoy an exciting ATV ride and end the day with a visit to the Teddy Bear Museum.

JEJU ISLAND - DAEGU (Breakfast/BBQ Lunch/Dinner)Transfer to the airport for a flight to Daegu. Rejuvenate yourself at the Spa Valley and enjoy a fun-filled time at its water park. Enjoy soaking in hot spring water at the different kinds of bade pools, spa facilities and saunas. Experience the UK-ball Dome Jjimjilbang, which emits negative ions and provides good remedies for ailments like migraine and asthma as it relaxes your mind and body. Tonight, enjoy shopping at Jung Angro Street. Note Bring along your swimming gear and cap for Spa Valley.

DAEGU - MUJU RESORT (Breakfast/Mushroom Shabu Shabu Lunch/Bibimbap Dinner)Take a coach journey to Maisan Provincial Park, where its two mountain peaks resemble the ears of a horse. Continue your journey to Jeonju. Visit the Korean Traditional Wine Museum to learn more about the brewing techniques of Korea's traditional wine. Next, visit the Jeonju Traditional Craftworks Exhibition Hall to admire the beauty of traditional Korean crafts. You will learn about the art of mulberry paper, pottery, woodwork, embroidery and other traditional crafts.

MUJU RESORT - CHUNCHEON - SEOUL (Breakfast/Flower Bibimbap Lunch/Ginseng Chicken Dinner) This morning, experience a guided tour at Sangsoo Herb Land, Asia's largest herbs garden which features more than 1000 different varieties of herbs in a garden and in a glass house. Enjoy a special flower bibimbap lunch, which is a healthy food for beauty and well-being. After lunch, proceed to an educational tour at the Ginseng Farm. Take a coach to Chuncheon and enjoy a boat ride to Nami Island, the filming site of the popular Korean drama serial, 'Winter Sonata'. Relive the scenes from the show as you stroll down the romantic tree paths, view an exhibition featuring the drama highlights and visit the various filming locations. Proceed to Seoul and shop for the latest Korean fashion at Dongdaemun Market. Note The visit to Ginseng Farm may be replaced by a visit to a seasonal fruit farm.

SEOUL (Breakfast/Lunch/Hanjeonsik Dinner) Visit the majestic Changdukgung Palace, built in 1405 and designated as an UNESCO World Heritage site. After passing the Presidential Blue House, the Korean President's residence, stop at the Ginseng Monopoly Showroom and visit an amethyst factory. Thereafter, enjoy a kimchi-making session and you can take home the kimchi you have learnt to make. You can also take a souvenir photo of yourself dressed in a traditional Korean costume. In the afternoon, enjoy shopping at COEX Mall before you proceed to Lotte World, Korea's largest indoor theme park and the filming site of the Korean drama serial, 'Stairway to Heaven'. With your 'Big 5' ticket, you will get to enjoy cutting-edge rides, variety shows and more. Note During the period of closure for retrofitting, the visit to Lotte World will be replaced by a visit to Seoul Land with "Big 5" tickets.

SEOUL - INCHEON - SINGAPORE (Breakfast/Meals on Board) If time permits, you can do some last-minute shopping at Myeongdong, which has long been the trendsetting centre of Korean fashion, or Insadong to experience traditional Korean culture before you transfer to the airport for your flight home.

Do check back...we are staying back for another 2 days to explore the Seoul city - a city full of history and fun! I'm sure we gonna to have some exciting findings!

To your best travel!

Thomas