[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Goheung Yuza and Pomegranate Festival The Goheung Yuza and Pomegranate Festival started on Nov. 10 and runs through Nov. 13 at areas around Goheung Yuzu Park in Goheung, South Jeolla Province. Visitors can taste the city’s specialty Goheung yuja, a citrus fruit also known as yuzu, at the festival. Hands-on activities, including yuja syrup making, pomegranate juice drinking contest and more, are set to entertain visitors. Stamp tours, trot music concert and yuja quiz shows will be offered t

Nov. 11, 2022

[Herald Interview] Singapore's Grand Park City Hall manager foresees more automation in hotel operations

Grand Park City Hall, the flagship property of Park Hotel Group located at the heart of Singapore just a few minutes from the Central Business District, opened in 2018 after a full renovation. The hotel was one of the first hotels in Singapore to launch a mobile application that offers a seamless check-in process using facial recognition before the pandemic hit. "Travel and tourism was one of the worst-hit industries, and we are still recovering from the effects even though borders have reo

Nov. 5, 2022

Tourism industry remains cautious after Itaewon tragedy

South Korea's tourism industry remains cautious on the impact of the Itaewon tragedy, after the country saw its on-year increases in the number of inbound tourists in recent months. Around 337,000 tourists from abroad visited Korea in September, which is a 276 percent increase from the same month a year prior, according to data released by the Korea Tourism Organization on Monday. An outlook by UN World Tourism Organization in June this year showed that the gradual recovery was expected to conti

Nov. 1, 2022

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Colorful Autumn Garden, Gwangju The Colorful Autumn Garden opened on Oct. 15 and runs through Nov. 13 at Hwadam Botanic Garden in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province. Visitors can enjoy the autumn foliage at its peak to the fullest in the eco-friendly arboretum, an hour’s drive from central Seoul. Autumn lovers can stroll down the promenade and feel the fall atmosphere with crisp air and some 4,000 different species of plants and trees. Admission costs 10,000 won for adults and 8,000 won for teen

Oct. 28, 2022

Travmedia Summit Asia discusses fresh opportunities as tourism rebounds

SINGAPORE -- The TravMedia Summit Asia 2022 brought together some 150 tourism brands, travel writers, influencers and journalists from across the Asia-Pacific region, to network and develop new insights and ideas on tourism, on Oct. 17, at Swissotel the Stamford, in Singapore. Presented in partnership with Tourism Australia, the summit was held on the first day of the two-day event of International Media Marketplace, a media networking event for the travel industry. "We are proud to bring t

Oct. 27, 2022

Luxury tourists from US, Europe to visit Korea

To meet the increasing demand for luxury travel to Korea, the Korea Tourism Organization has developed two tour programs in partnership with the Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York City (Met) and a US-based luxury travel agency. Sixteen tourists from the US will be arriving Wednesday on a nine-day tour package called "Travel with The Met," priced at 14 million won ($9,599) per person, excluding airfare. The "Travel with The Met" program was created especially for Met membe

Oct. 25, 2022

Busan International Fireworks Festival returns after 3-year hiatus

Following a three-year hiatus, the night skies of Busan are to dazzle again, with the Busan International Fireworks Festival on Nov. 5. In its 17th edition, the annual fireworks festival will be held at Gwangalli Beach, Dongbaekseom and Igidae Coastal Park. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival was not held in 2020 and 2021. This year's festival will be held under the theme of "Harmony of Busan." The southern port city's government said it aims to illustrate its features

Oct. 24, 2022

[Weekender] Mountain temples perfect place to enjoy autumn

As the temperature starts to drop, the heavy jackets come out from the depths of their closets and trees everywhere start to dress up in their seasonal flaming reds, dazzling yellows and brilliant oranges. With autumn in Korea seemingly getting shorter every year, travelers are gearing up and preparing to traverse the country to get the most out of the season at popular destinations for leaf peeping. With the fall foliage expected to be most spectacular from late October through early November,

Oct. 22, 2022

Singapore's relaxing getaway, Sentosa Island

SINGAPORE -- A vast urbanscape with skyscrapers and a vibrant melting pot of diverse peoples and cultures, Singapore's tourism industry is fast recovering from the impact of the pandemic. The multicultural spirit that the country embraces allows tourists to spot the familiar in the unfamiliar, and a taste of home. With Chinatown, Little India and Arab Street all located within a short distance, the colorful enclaves of ethnic groups make the country one of the leading tourism hubs in Asia.

Oct. 22, 2022

Relaxing greenery in cities

Looking at greenery helps relieve stress, several studies have found. If you are tired of spending your days looking at grey, concrete buildings, here are some places to visit for instant relaxation with plants. The Seoul Botanic Park Located in Magok, in western Seoul's Gangseo-gu, the Seoul Botanic Park boasts some 4,500 species of trees, flowers and bushes. Since its opening in 2019, the park has been a magnet for travelers and locals alike. One essential stop all year round is the park&

Oct. 22, 2022

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Masan Chrysanthemum Festival The Masan Chrysanthemum Festival is scheduled to be held from Oct. 29 to Nov. 9 at Masan Marine New City in Changwon, South Gyeongsang Province. Formerly known as Masan, Changwon accounts for 13 percent of all chrysanthemum farming in Korea. The festival is held to promote the excellence of Changwon’s chrysanthemums. Colorful autumn flowers aside, the visitors can enjoy various programs, including the drone light show, bubble magic show, local musicians’

Oct. 21, 2022

[Photo News] Colorful autumn seen across the Korean Peninsula

Autumn has arrived across Korea in the middle of October, showing various views full of colors. From the southern resort island of Jeju to Chilbosan mountain in northeastern North Korea, autumn scenery of ripened fruits, autumn flowers, fall foliage, early frost and silver grasses are found in each part of the peninsula. Here are some photos of the mid-October scenes taken in mountains and parks across Korea.

Oct. 18, 2022

[Well-curated] Hanok bakery, sound art and old photos take you back in time, space

  If you are either a hanok lover or a dessert maniac, the hanok-themed Hyegyeonggung Bakery is the place to visit as a chill creeps into the air. From fascinating desserts to a large garden where you can go for a light stroll, Hyegyeonggung Bakery has it all to make for a quality weekend. Located in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, some 40 kilometers south of Seoul, the three-story bakery offers unique pastries, muffins, cakes, croissants and more. Taste sweet apple jam and cream cheese in the

Oct. 14, 2022

[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Sheraton Grand Incheon launches 'Sheraton Pocha' promotion Sheraton Grand Incheon is launching a special promotion with Korean alcoholic beverages at Bb, the hotel's lobby dining bar. Starting Friday, different drink options will be served with various Korean late-night eats, such as savory seafood pancakes and gochujang octopus. Some 28 drink options are available, including traditional Korean cocktails, makgeolli, soju, wine and beer. The promotion runs through Dec. 31 from 6 p.

Oct. 14, 2022

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Pocheon Silver Grass Festival The 25th edition of the Pocheon Silver Grass Festival started on Oct. 9 and runs through Oct. 31 at Sanjung Lake and Myeongsungsan in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province. The silver grass-filled fields at Myeongsungsan is considered one of the five best silver grass colonies in South Korea. Visitors can take photos that can be printed out on-site, write a letter to be mailed to the recipient after a year or write a message to hang at the fields of silver grass. A flea market

Oct. 14, 2022

Spot Hangeul signboards in downtown Seoul

With its 600 years of history as Korea’s capital, the center of Seoul embraces the essence of Korean culture. Especially near Gyeongbokgung, the main palace of the Joseon dynasty (1391-1910), neighborhoods have been making efforts to show their identity as the historic center of Korea. One of the efforts has been increasing the number of signboards in Hangeul. As most major brands in South Korea write their names in English, visitors to Seoul's boulevards might find more Romanized sig

Oct. 9, 2022

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Sancheong Herbal Medicinal Festival The 20th Sancheong Medicinal Herb Festival, which started on Sept. 30, will run through Oct. 10 at the areas near Sancheong IC Entrance and Donguibogam Village in Sancheong, South Gyeongsang Province. The festival, which began in 2001, includes exhibitions and events where one can learn about and experience Korea's medicinal herbs, for which the county of Sancheong is well-known. Sancheong is considered the home of Jirisan, a mountain where over 1,000 med

Oct. 7, 2022

Mungyeong promises a memorable time travel to the past

MUNGYEONG, North Gyeongsang Province -- The vast, sweeping road lined with ginkgo trees lend a magical quality to the walk through Mungyeongsaejae Pass, the historical road connecting the capital Hanyang (today’s Seoul) with the southeast corner of the peninsula. Once Joseon Dynasty's most popular trail, it was the road taken by Confucian scholars from the southeastern part of the country on their way to the capital to take state exams. These days, visitors come to enjoy the beautiful

Oct. 6, 2022

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Incheon Soraepogu Port Festival The three-day Incheon Soraepogu Port Festival will kick off Oct. 1 at Soraepogu Port and Soraepogu Traditional Market in Incheon. To promote its rich cultural history as an old fishing village, the event features a traditional market selling fresh fish caught off Sorae and an exhibition of traditional fishing tools. A special stamp tour, fireworks and music performances by local artists are scheduled to entertain visitors of all ages. Admission is free. Updated in

Oct. 1, 2022

When is peak fall foliage date across South Korea?

As leaves start to change color, the Korea Forest Service released a map this week showing when fall foliage will peak across major mountains and arboretums in South Korea. If you are planning a trip to spot autumn leaves, late October will generally offer the most beautiful views of mountains, according to the forest authority, with the average peak date at Oct. 26. The average peak date is calculated when the leaves of more than fifty percent of three tree types -- Korean maple, ginkgo and Mon

Sept. 29, 2022