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1. Visit an amusement park
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Lotte World
This huge entertainment and shopping complex offers visitors a chance to experience a folk village, department store, hotel, indoor and outdoor amusement park (the largest indoor facility of its kind in Asia) and a sports center. Open 365 days a year from 9:30am – 11pm
Getting there: Jamsil station (Green Line)
For more info call: (02)411-2000
Everland and Carribean Bay
South of Seoul, this amusement park with attached water park is extremely popular and busy in the summer. Enjoy huge roller coasters, gyro-drops and many other attractions.
Tell your kids you visited this park and they will be so excited.
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2. Take the Seoul City Tour Bus
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This is a cheapest and best way to see the highlights of Seoul. One ticket allows you to hop on and off this bus all day. There are two routes to choose from that go to all of Seoul’s favorite attractions.
Operating hours: 9am – 9pm (No bus on Mondays)
Fare: One Day Ticket: W10,000 (get ticket from bus driver)
For more details on where to get the bus call: (02)777-6090 or Click here
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3. Go to the Theatre and Music Performance
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NANTA (Cookin’)
A non verbal performance integrating Korean traditional drumming with a western style performance. Three Chefs are preparing for a wedding. The rhythmic dance of knives moving in harmony continues and the delicious smells from the pots spread throughout the audience. The most famous show among foreign visitors. (Seodaemun Station-Purple line-Exit 5)
Call: (02)739-8288 for ticket bookings or more info Click here
Jump
A comical Martial Arts Performance. For more info Click here
Cheongdong Theatre
Korean music and dance performances for foreigners on a traditional stage.
Show times: April – November 8:00pm
December –March 4:00pm
For more info call: (02)751-1500 or Click here
(5 minute walk from City Hall Station Exit 1 or 12)
Sejong Centre for Preforming Arts
Has a series of classical musical performances throughout the year.
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4. Hike a mountain
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Because hiking is such a popular sport, Korea has many hiking clubs that offer weekly group outings for its members. Because most members work Monday to Saturday, Sunday is the biggest day for hiking. Unless you like crowds, avoid the mountains on Sundays! This is especially true during the autumn, when the entire country goes to admire the changing colors of the leaves.
Although most of the over 1,700 trails are well marked, many have several branch paths leading off in various other directions. Over the years, hiking club members have marked many trails by placing small, colorful ribbons in tree branches. The USO operates an English speaking hiking club which has organized hikes on most weekends. Contact them at (02) 795-0392. You can also contact Adventure Korea. They offer day and weekend trips FOR FOREIGNERS to some of the best spots on Korea.
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5. Visit one of the many islands off the mainland – Hike, rent bikes or laze on the beach
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Many islands off the coast of Korea are easily accessible for the weekend traveler. Ferries leave regularly and accomadation is fairly cheap. There are so many to choose from and often the best Islands are found through word of mouth from other teachers who have been there already. Get away from the hubbub of Seoul. Enjoy the fresh air, a swim in the ocean, go hiking to amazing view points, eat fresh seafood or rent a bike and explore the islands. The choice is yours.
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6. Visit the Palaces in Seoul
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For an insight into Korean history, it is hard to resist any of the Palaces in Seoul. The impressive palaces haves traditionally designed Korean buildings, majestic towers and offer English speaking tours. Apart from the unique history, the palaces are a perfect place to relax, with an interesting mix of greenery combined with beautiful architecture.
For more info on getting to the palaces, tour times and admissions Click here
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7. Visit a traditional style tea house in Insadong
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There are many interesting tea houses where you can pause while sightseeing in Insa-dong, but one of the most unique is the Yet Cha Jip (the Old Tea House). This mysterious enclave, which is located in one of Insa-dong’s back alleys, looks like a bit like a fortuneteller’s house. It’s furnished with a conglomeration of antique knick-knacks. There are walls and floors made with old hanji paper. The tables are hollowed-out tree-trunks or basins with glass tops.Inside the tables are all kinds of miscellaneous little treasures like antique combs, cups, keys and jade figurines. The base of one glass-topped table is a kimchi pot filled with water and swimming fish. At one end of the tea house, a big picture window overlooks a traditional Korean roof. There’s also a large tree sculpture that is home to several little birds. From time to time the birds fly over your head as you sip your tea. Go to Yet Cha Jip for a magical Korean experience. For further information, call: (02) 722-5019 or Click here
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8. Go Skiing and then to a Hot Spring Spa
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There are thirteen ski resorts in Korea. Each resort continuously updates its facilities for a safe but exciting skiing and snowboarding experience for their guests. Something else not to be missed in Korea's winter season are the hot springs tours. Hot spring spas are distributed all over the country. A day or an evening spent soaking in hot springs and availing of the plethora of health facilities installed in these spas not only relieves stress but also serves as a fun, healthy travel experience. Some hot spring theme parks provide one-stop accommodations and entertainment for a relaxing winter vacation experience.
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9. Participate in the Buddhist lantern festival - May 18th to 20th 2007 in Downtown
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The Lotus Lantern Festival, which is held to commemorate the birth of Buddha, is an important annual festival in Seoul, which brings together Korean and foreign Buddhist devotees as well as the general public. Don’t miss your chance to see this spectacular festival, which is held in the area of Jongno and Dongdaemun for one day only.
This long-revered tradition includes a prayer ritual in which people make wishes as they hang lotus-shaped lanterns. In addition to various lantern exhibitions, the Lotus Lantern Festival features Buddhist events as well as traditional folk events all day long. In the evening participate or just watch 1,000,000 people with lanterns parade through the streets of Seoul
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10. Visit a Korean Jim-jil-bang
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Jjimjilbangs are one of the truly great aspects of a unique Korean culture. These are large, gender-segregated public bathhouses complete with hot tubs, showers, Swedish-style saunas and massage tables. However, in other areas of the building or on other floors, after donning your robe, you will enter the unisex areas and will usually find a snack bar, heated floor for lounging and sleeping on, wide-screen TVs, computer rooms, massage chairs and sleeping quarters with either bunk beds or sleeping mats.
Jjimjilbangs usually operate 24 hours and are a popular weekend getaway for Korean families to relax as the parents spend time soaking in tubs or lounging and sleeping while the kids play away on the PCs. Jjimjilbangs are also a great deal for the cost-conscious traveller in Korea. For 6,000-10,000 won, one can sleep overnight there and enjoy the bathhouse and sauna, and wake up fresh and ready to travel the next morning. If you have bags and backpacks with you that are too big to fit in the lockers, the front desk will usually watch over your bags at no charge for the length of your stay.
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