What is the best thing to do in Korea in the spring. When is the best time to go to South Korea?

rapeseed flowers on Cheongsang Island

Spring in Korea is a very beautiful season and a great time to travel. Cherry trees blossom in the cities, the mountain slopes are covered with yellow forsythia flowers, and in the villages yellow dogwood lights are lit. If you are planning a trip to Korea, take a look at this article about the best places in Korea, where you can enjoy the view of lush spring blossoms.

Travel around Seoul and the surrounding area with a visit to beautiful places to admire the spring blossoms for 1 day

Seoul Cherry Blossom Tunnel, Youiso-ro Cherry Blossom Alley

Seoul's popular Yeouiso-ro (Yongjunno) Cherry Tree Alley is located in the Yeouido area, which is easily accessible by public transportation from anywhere in the city. In early to mid-April, spring flowers bloom can be enjoyed while walking along the alley behind the Republic of Korea. Lush blooming forsythia and azaleas and over 1,800 cherry trees growing here, combined with the Hangang River, give visitors a magnificent view, and cherry blossom petals swirl all over the air. During the event, traffic in the Yongjunno Alley area is blocked in the Yeongdeungpo area, which allows you to enjoy the view of fragrant cherries as comfortably as possible.

Seoul, Yeongdeungpo-gu District, Yeouido-dong (behind the building of the National Assembly of the Republic of Kazakhstan)

Admiring spring blossoms on a walk in Namsan Park

The Namsan Ring Road, which connects with, and Phalgakjeong Pavilion with, is an amazing sight when cherry trees, forsythia and azaleas bloom at the same time here. Despite the fact that the height of Namsan Mountain is 262 meters above sea level, it has very convenient walking paths, which makes climbing the mountains easy and enjoyable. You can climb the mountain along the route that starts behind the Namsan Library. With a leisurely walking step, you can reach the top, where Phalgakjeong Pavilion is located, in about 40 minutes.

The most beautiful palace in spring, Changgyeonggung

Spring snowflakes during the plum blossom season at Maehwa Maeul Village in Gwangyang

The flowering of mume plum trees, which in Korean is called "mehwa", in the province of Jeollanam-do begins in early March and reaches its peak just in the middle of this month. With the advent of spring, plum blossom buds appear on all these trees at the same time, which exude a very delicate and delicate aroma. Because of the white color of the buds, it seems that the whole village becomes as if covered with snow. In mid-March, it is held here with a rich program and various events.

prov. Jeolla-namdo, Gwangyang, par. Taap-myeon, st. Seomjingang maehwa-ro 1563-1

Colza blossom or harmony with nature on Cheongsang Island

It is located 19 kilometers south of Wando Island in Jeollanam-do Province. Cheongsang-do has been designated and recognized as a tourist attraction. This island has received the status of "calm town" (Slow City) and the title of "World's No. 1 leisurely walk route." With the onset of spring in the mountains, fields and villages of the island, you can see the magnificent yellow flowers of the rapeseed, which give this place a special charm in the spring. That is why Cheongsang Island is often used as a filming location for television series, movies, and commercials.

Wild rape flowers in a wide field, Seopjikhoji coast on the island

On the island of Jeju-do, which is located in the very south of Korea, spring flowers begin to bloom before anything else. With the onset of spring, rapeseed blooms throughout the island, so many tourists come here from early spring. In some fields of blooming colza, you can see a variety of creative sculptures against which you can take memorable pictures. In addition, there are also pony rides. All this will allow you to make admiring the rapeseed especially pleasant and exciting. One of the most picturesque places on Jeju Island can be called where everywhere you can see eye-catching rapeseed flowers against the backdrop of the blue sea.

Yeongchwisan in Yeosu - the mountain of azaleas in bloom

On October 3, the Republic of Korea celebrates State Formation Day. In honor of a significant date for South Koreans, we have compiled a selection of places worth visiting when traveling to this country, where skyscrapers and ancient palaces are closely intertwined.

Tourists infrequently choose South Korea for travel and recreation. But in vain, because this is one of the few unique countries in which concrete and metal giants peacefully coexist with the masterpieces of Korean architecture built in the Middle Ages and the amazing beauty of nature, which the Koreans managed to preserve almost in its original form.

First of all, of course, you should visit the capital - Seoul, as it is the main city of the country, in which all life is in full swing, and a symbol of South Korea. For travelers accustomed to the neat streets of Europe, the development of Seoul will seem amazing. Chaotic and non-standard - that's what can be said about the architecture of the city. Centuries-old palaces, which now serve as museums, gardens of amazing beauty, and nearby, very close - skyscrapers, ultra-modern multi-lane roads and other achievements of modern man. Anyone who has visited this wonderful city at least once will fall in love with it forever.

folklore village

30 kilometers from Seoul, in the city of Suwon, there is an open-air museum "Folk Village". Korean architecture and the life of ordinary Koreans are represented in buildings brought here from all provinces - from simple peasant ruins to large beautiful estates. The museum is full of life and hosts dramatizations of traditional Korean rituals and performances by Korean folk song and dance groups. Here you can really see Korean artisans working on ancient devices, as well as buy national souvenirs. Walking around the folklore village, you will at least learn a little and understand the traditions and culture of the Korean nation.

From a historical and cultural point of view, a visit to the city of Gyeongju (4 hours by bus from Seoul) will be very valuable. If the capital was practically destroyed by bombing during the Korean War, then this city was lucky - it remained practically untouched. It is here that you can see the oldest Buddhist pagoda Bulguksa with the famous Seokguram grotto-temple, as well as the ancient royal graves of the Silla dynasty. Especially popular with tourists who come to Gyeongju is Cheomseongdae, one of the oldest observatories in the world, recognized as a national treasure of Korea.

If you come to South Korea for a few days, it makes sense to fly to the "Korean Hawaii" - Jeju Island, located 100 km from the coast. Rest on Chechzhudo is simply unforgettable - black rocks, long extinct, but majestic volcanoes, crater lakes, many kilometers of caves, the azure sea - there is something to be surprised on an island made of basalt and lava. In addition, the climate here is warmer than in the rest of Korea, and this attracts tourists from all over the world.

The Seoraksan Mountains on the coast of the Sea of ​​Japan is another must-see place in South Korea. The Korean mountains look exactly like in ancient engravings - wonderful nature, magnificent waterfalls and rivers, Buddhist temples and monasteries hiding among the greenery. in winter national park Seoraksan turns into a ski resort, and in summer you can swim in the sea perfectly. But it is better to visit this place in spring, when all the slopes of the mountains are covered with blooming flowers, or in autumn, when the fallen yellow and red leaves covering Seoraksan are a stunning sight.

" From afar in the darkness of the night

The spring scent blew

It blew in the coming spring ... "

(I. Bunin).

This is how spring begins in South Korea. .One day, returning from work, you will see that the buds, still wrapped in winter fur coats, suddenly became large. And forgetting about business, you begin to understand "that the secret of a young life came into the world under the roof of darkness, that spring has returned - and the first flowers grow invisibly."

The eternal secret of young life is revealed as a delicate, mysterious flower. It seems that its petals are made of elastic silk.

And the next day, clouds of white flowers fly up to the sky like giant butterflies. A butterfly in Korea is a symbol of joy.

Yulan magnolia blooms.

Even at the dawn of our era, in 600, these snow-white flowers served as a symbol of purity. If you write their name in the language of khancha, i.e. using Chinese characters, the name of the flower would be read as "mogen kott". Translated into Russian, it is "forest flower". And in Vietnam, these flowers are called "forest lotus". Their Latin name is Yulan magnolia. But students translate their name into English as "innocent" - innocence.

And in Europe, these flowers are known as Magnolia denudata, translated as "naked Magnolia". Only it is not a flower that is naked, but a tree that does not yet have leaves. Flowers open at the end of winter, when there is still snow in the mountains, and the rest of the trees are in no hurry to open their buds. The birthplace of these unusual flowers is the valleys of the high mountain gorges of the Himalayas.

Remember the valley lost in the mountains from Mine Reed's Plant Hunters. Unfortunately, the hunters of the 18th century were armed only with guns, and they did not have cameras of the 21st century.

"The natives are convinced that their gods live in lonely valleys, lost among impregnable peaks. At that moment, the travelers were ready to believe this legend .... The hunters finished their day's march and settled down on the edge of a small grove, in the shade of a spreading talaum - a kind of magnolia with very large leaves. The transition was difficult, as they approached the foot of the main chain of the Himalayas. And although it seemed to them that there were as many descents as there were ups, in fact they were constantly ascending and by evening they were already at an altitude of more than five thousands of feet above the plains of India. The nature of the vegetation has changed: they have entered into the magnolia forests that encircle the foot of these mountains. In this mountainous country there are most varieties of the wonderful magnolia family; whole magnolia forests cover the slopes of the lower Himalayas. At an altitude of four to eight thousand feet, magnolia with with white flowers, another variety begins to crowd out - with magnificent purple flowers - this is the most beautiful view magnolias; often she dresses the hillsides with a solid purple carpet.

Mine Reid wrote about this Mulan magnolia, also known as Magnolia liliflora, Lily magnolia, Tulip magnolia. And in Europe it is often called "Tulip Tree".

Today purple magnolia Mulan magnolia came from the slopes of the lower Himalayas to the University of South Korea.

Purple magnolia is also called red. And in Indochina, red is the color of love and life.

In one of the tales, it is said that an old parrot revealed to a poor flower girl the secret of how to revive paper flowers. To do this, it was enough to sprinkle them with a drop of your blood. Fresh flowers were expensive, and the girl had money. Once she met a mercenary young man, a student. He wanted to live in wealth, and more and more of her blood was given by the flower girl for the sake of the groom. The moment came when she gave her last drop of blood. This last flower turned red. He was the most handsome.

Translated from Korean, this red flower, a symbol of selfless female love, is now called "red magnolia". In Europe, these flowers were given a French name. This happened at the end of the 18th century, in the Age of Enlightenment, when plant hunters, exploring Asia, more precisely, captured colonies, assigned European names to well-known local plants. There was no photography then, it was replaced by herbariums, inaccurate descriptions and hand-drawings. The first Asian plants brought to Europe under new names were Magnolia denudata and Magnolia liliiflora. But their Western name does not come from the word "magic".

The magnolia genus was discovered for Europe by Charles Plumier (1646-1704), a Franciscan, physicist, mathematician, draftsman, painter, turner, Royal botanist under Louis XIV. As a true Franciscan monk, Charles Plumier did not call the flowers he saw his estate. The new flower Pluimier gave them the name of another great French botanist - Pierre Magnol, director of the Royal Botanical Gardens. It must be said that Charles Plumier first saw and sketched a flowering tree with giant snow-white flowers not in Asia, on the island of Martinique during his voyage in the Caribbean in 1703. But it was a different magnolia - the evergreen Magnolia grandiflora. And in 1753, Carl Linnaeus used the descriptions of Charles Plumier and the name of the plant family Magnoliaceae (Magnoliaceae) in his edition of Species plantarum.

But, as Mine Reed wrote, “I dare to say that the most modest plant hunter has brought mankind more benefits than the great Linnaeus. Plant hunters not only introduced us to the vegetation of the entire globe, but also showed us its rarest species, allowed us to breathe the fragrance of wonderful flowers, which, were it not for these obscure workers, would bloom invisibly." (For a Westerner.) "The variegation and brightness of your gardens is the work of his plant hunters. A lush dahlia swaying over a flower bed; a peony sparkling with bright colors; a lovely camellia that delights your gaze in a greenhouse; callias, azaleas, rhododendrons, white jasmine stars , geraniums, and thousands of other beautiful flowers, given to us by the plant hunter, with their help, England - cold, foggy England - turned into a garden full of flowers, more diverse and bright than those that bloom in the famous Kashmir Valley. Many beautiful trees, giving beauty of our landscape, most of the beautiful bushes that adorn our villas and cottages are the fruits of the labors of plant hunters.

Together with fearless hunters for magnolia plants, they first came to the east of Nepal, southwest China, and northern Burma, and then to Korea and Japan. And now in the south of China, Magnolia denudata, blooms in mid-February for the Lunar New Year holiday, which means the arrival of spring. These white flowers have been used in Chinese medicine and cosmetics for centuries. And the smell of Yulan magnolia is divine: gentle, like a spring wind, bitter, like life itself, and refreshing, like the smell of lemon.

Now Yulan magnolia flowers are used by Oriflame as natural Swedish cosmetics. And I invite you to be transported from the cold and foggy West to the warm East. And look at South Korea In South Korea, these flowers appear in the middle of March, when there is still snow in the mountains. And in the mountain Buddhist monasteries of Korea, Yulan magnolia blooms next to ancient pagodas, testifying to the purity of thoughts, just like one and a half thousand years ago.

Yulan magnolia adorns mountain Buddhist monasteries in South Korea

In the Far East, white is a symbol not only of innocence, but also of death. Or maybe immortality?

There is an ancient Chinese legend. Robbers attacked a small village. They killed almost all the inhabitants, leaving only a hundred beautiful girls alive, they were killed gradually. When the last girl was killed, she pleaded: "Native land, do not let us die completelyeat, leave us at least a part of life!" And a miracle happened, in the morning a tree grew at the place of execution, on which a hundred white flowers bloomed. The robbers tried to cut down this tree, but wherever the branches fell, a new tree grew from them, on which a hundred large white flowers.

In modern South Korea, purity and innocence coexist with the exact sciences. At our Cwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), the white flowers of Yulan magnolia thrive especially near the student residence.

Yulan magnolia is a symbol of innocence. And the inscription on the building in Korean means the dormitory of the student dormitory.

But in Korea, innocence does not mean poverty. The largest magnolia, called "forest lotus", blooms in spring under the windows of our hostel for married students. In Korea, a child in a lotus flower symbolizes not only the birthday of the Buddha, but also Children's Day. And at our GIST university, in the shade of the "forest lotus", students' cars, as well as their small children, feel comfortable.

,

Yulan magnolia also blooms in the student parking lot.

Meanwhile, golden rain descends on Korean soil. "Canary wives" are blooming. On the mountain slopes, among the stones and snow, streams of its dazzling yellow bushes flash. And the city walls are covered with openwork of branches bending in the dance of small flowers.

In a gentle choir, in a light dance. "Canary Wives".

And against the background of thin gold, evergreen camellias reveal their rich flowers.

In the south of South Korea, camellia grows everywhere: in yards, in the mountains, on the streets.

Camellia is called "dong-baek" in Korean. And unlike the West, where after the famous novel by Dumas, the camellia became a symbol of consumptive beauty, in its homeland in Southeast Asia, the camellia is a symbol of health. After all, camellia is a tea tree. Do you love good tea? Then take a look at his flowers.

On one bush, indeed, both white and red camellias can bloom at the same time. Whatever some journalists write about 28 days, it does not depend on them, but on vaccination. But camellia flowers do not live human, but their pure life. Although white represents death in Korea and red represents life, the camellia is an evergreen plant. In the place of dying flowers, seeds appear, followed by new flowers. Camellia, unlike the Lady with Camellias, does not die, although both of them are immortal due to their beauty.

As for symbols, red stripes on a pink background of camellia petals can mean passing stripes of love and tenderness that live even "in the hustle and bustle of cities and traffic."

Stop, look around. Against the background of last year's dry grass, pink camellia flowers look at you.

These soft pink camellias bloom in the shade from our GIST university administration building.

With their purity and modesty, they remind me of Korean students

But here, in the stormy symphony of oriental flowers, the subtle aroma of our native gardens also appears. This wild apricot opens its first buds. They glow on dry and dark branches, dispersing the morning mist and the last cold of the outgoing winter.

Awakening.

Wild apricot in Korean is "meshil", in the North Caucasus and Moldova they are called "zherdela", or "zarzary". And in Korea, the small, bitter-sour fruit of the meshil helps to endure the period of monsoon rains and heat in the summer. Well, in the spring, meshil means awakening, the beginning of the most tender, thoughtful and vulnerable season of flowering plums and cherries.

Following the apricots, Korea is filled with white waves of plum blossoms.

And after magnolias, camellias and plums, wild cherry blossoms begin in Korea. In the West, this tree, studded with delicate and festive flowers, is also called mountain cherry, or wild cherry. And in Japan it's sakura. But it is better not to pronounce this word in Korea. It is better to say that you are simply admiring the flower. Better yet, call this tree in Korean "pot kkot".

Wild cherry waterfall in our yard

After the Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895) and the period of the Armed Occupation of Korea by Japan (1910-1945), Japanese flower names seem bloody. For example, at dawn on October 8, 1895, a group of armed Japanese, the so-called "hired swords", killed Queen Ming in her own bedroom of the Changdekung Palace. After that, in front of the paralyzed court ladies and servants, the Japanese chopped the queen into pieces and threw her into the royal pond to be eaten by fish. In diplomatic circles, Queen Ming was compared to Elizabeth I. The organizer of the conspiracy was the Japanese envoy to Korea. The murder was carried out in deep secrecy, and the world would never have known about its circumstances, if not for the testimony of two foreigners, including a Russian citizen who served as a watchman in the palace.

And I am reminded of the death of Queen Ming and her courtiers by an old tree that has been preserved in the secret royal park of the Changdekung Palace, now protected by UNESCO. This is "shidarezakura", translated from Japanese as "weeping sakura". But it is better to call it in Korean "pot kkot".

Weeping wild cherry "pot kkot" in the secret park of Changdekung royal palace.

But there is also a bright red wild cherry, i.e. red sakura, or red pot kkot flower. The red wild cherry is associated with the tragic fate of a Japanese child.

There is a legend: in order to prove to the ruler Shogun the cruelty of Prince Hotta, the brave foreman of the village of Sakura brought his children to him and showed their backs, covered with scars from the beatings of the prince's servants. Hotta was punished, but harbored a deadly grudge against the complainer. He managed to stealthily capture Sakura and the children. He then tied them to a wild cherry tree and ordered them to be flogged to death. Since then, some cherry trees in Japan have bloomed bright red, believed to have been sprinkled with the blood of Sakura's innocent children.

But my next shots were not taken in Japan, but in the center of Seoul, however, next to the Japanese consulate. And Japan and Korea are eternal rivals. It's good that flowers are always above political and economic strife.

Red wild cherry

In Korea, these red trees are also called "pot cott". Not as popular as the delicate pink and white sweat cotts, they brighten up business and modern residential areas.

"Pot kkot" on Korean streets.

In general, there are about 16 species and approximately 400 varieties of pot kkot wild cherries.

But in Korea, the Land of the Morning Calm, it is most loved by white and pink flowers. Maybe they remind Koreans of the pink foam of the sea surf at dawn?

For two weeks, mountains and lengths, ancient monasteries and modern avenues of South Korea are buried in the foam of blooming wild cherry "pot kkot".

"Pot kkot" in the coolness of a mountain stream.

"Pot kkot" in your eyes.

Tremulous beauty. This is also "pot kkot".

But there is another tree that you cannot pass by with your head down - this is Yoshino's Cherry. In Latin Prunus Uedoensis, in Japanese Somei-yoshino.

Cherry Yoshino

This is a hybrid of cherries and several types of plums, which has been cultivated for many years in the Japanese city of Yoshino, hence its name.

The whole of Korea is buried in the white-pink foam of Yoshino Cherries in the spring, here they are also called "pot kkot". The dense alleys of Yoshino's Cherries also surround the building of the Korean Parliament - the National Assembly. You can freely go there, unless the opposition is speaking on that day. On one of those days, leaving the modest building of the South Korean Parliament, I, like the entire Korean people, raised my head. And I forgot about politics. Above me, the sea of ​​Yoshino Cherries boiled.

heavenly beauty

It is a pity that real beauty is vulnerable and short-lived. The spring wind knocks down the delicate petals, in two weeks the mountain slopes and the streets will be covered with them like snow. And the pot kkot trees themselves will just turn green.

But spring is getting brighter. In place of flying wild cherries, new trees bloom.

Flowering tree "Chelchuk".

What about smells? What is it like for allergy sufferers in this paradise? Nature has thought of everything here. Flowers in Korea do NOT smell. True, there are exceptions to this rule.

I have already written about Yulan magnolia. But the subtle "lemon" scent of white magnolia is nothing compared to the thick, honeyed, intoxicating scent of wisteria. Waves of sweet southern fragrance float over Korean squares, evoking the words of a Russian romance:

All night the nightingale whistled to us,

The city was silent, and silent at home,

Fragrant bunches of white acacia

All night long they drove us crazy...

The fragrant clusters of lilac wisteria remind us of our white locust, our southern spring streets and all the good that comes with it. Only wisteria is even larger, even more fragrant. The word "wisteria" comes from the Greek "sweet", its Russian name is wisteria, or Chinese wisteria, Latin Wisteria. This is a subtropical plant from the legume family, widely distributed in China, Korea, and Japan. It is a pity that the photo does not convey the smells, but take a look at the wisteria that grows near our store.

Sweet wisteria clusters fragrant...

In the spring, all the pavilions and bicycle stands of our university bathe in the same lilac shade.

And at this time, the flower parade begins on earth. Seedlings are sold everywhere, even in Down Town Seoul. Spring in Korea, as elsewhere, is not only an office struggle with the crisis and competitors. This is eternal labor in rice fields, in gardens, orchards. And, of course, planting-transplanting flowers. Check out Jongno shopping street in the heart of Seoul. In spring, it is famous not only for its "gold" shops, but also for the sale of seedlings. On its flowering sidewalks you move with difficulty, but with great pleasure.

The sidewalks of Jongno business street are filled with seedlings

And here is the apotheosis of spring. Azaleas begin to bloom, "chin-tale". Scarlet, white, red waves fill the palaces, courtyards, streets and mountains

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Our street in spring

Our lake in spring

And not a single children's and women's dress can do without pink - the color of spring azaleas.

Spring silks

And ahead is an even brighter May, with lotus blossoms, with flower festivalsand happy holidays. There are many more good things ahead.I wish it to be good, and that even in bad weather, for you:

From afar in the darkness of the night

The spring scent blew

It blew in the coming spring ... April 2009

You can find more stories about Korea in the e-book: Remembering Korea

The advantages of South Korea are healing mineral springs and clean sandy beaches, magnificent monuments of ancient dynasties and excellent ski resorts. Modern Seoul, colorful Incheon and Jeju resort islands - all about South Korea: visa, map, tours, photos.

• Hot tours to South Korea

The country of morning freshness has long and firmly entered the top five most popular holiday destinations among the inhabitants of our Far East. Every week, charters full of Russian tourists rush from Primorsky Krai to first-class beach and ski resorts in South Korea with occasional flights to Seoul. The rest of Russia exhales enviously, because for them this is the same expensive exotic as Japan, Australia or the Philippines. However, when choosing a vacation from such countries, it is worth thinking about Korea 10 times.

A skyscraper tinted with 24-carat gold, a two-headed turtle, drunken bullfights, 50 varieties of tangerines, an old woman-divers for pearls, toilets with remote controls, ubiquitous Wi-Fi and sauerkraut ... No, this is not a wish list of a madman, but an everyday reality this small, but surprisingly picturesque and diverse country. But do not be afraid: the 22nd century that has come for them does not mean at all that tourists who are used to more conservative entertainment will have nothing to do in South Korea. They are waiting for the luxurious beaches of Jeju Island, the well-equipped slopes of the South Korean Alps, ancient monasteries and pagodas.

Regions and resorts of South Korea

It is Gangnam that the song Gangnam Style is dedicated to, the video for which was included in the Guinness Book of Records for an unprecedented number of views and “likes” on YouTube.

Insadong Street is famous for its antique and handicraft shops, where you can buy everything from ceramic dishes to antique clocks. With art galleries, vintage shops and trendy nightclubs in Hongdae, Itaewon is a gourmet paradise with a string of colorful restaurants. The Apgujeong district is home to expensive boutiques and department stores, and on the bustling Myeongdong Street is Korea's first Catholic cathedral.

The second largest after the capital - Busan with magnificent beaches. They are sandy, well-groomed and very picturesque here, the most popular is Haeundae with classic resort entertainment and a large aquarium. It is better to go on an excursion to the Geumjong-gu area, where the impressive Pomosa temple complex is located, for shopping - in central Busanjing-gu, and for recovery - in Dongne-gu with its famous spas.

Time difference with Moscow

6 hours

• with Kaliningrad

• with Samara

• with Yekaterinburg

• with Omsk

• with Krasnoyarsk

• with Irkutsk

• with Yakutsk

• with Vladivostok

• with Severo-Kurilsk

• with Kamchatka

Climate of South Korea

Most of the country is located in the temperate zone, where the seasons are clearly felt. Spring and autumn are rather short and warm, with the most sunny days from March to May. Summers are hot and humid, temperatures can reach up to +35 °C. The monsoon rainy season ("chanma") usually starts in late June and lasts until mid or late July. August is hot and humid. Autumn in late September brings continental winds and clear, dry weather, making it the most pleasant time of the year. Winters are cold (up to −10 °C) and dry, with occasional precipitation in the form of snow or rain. The best time to visit the country is from the end of April to October. The ski season in Korea opens at the end of November and lasts until April.

Maps of South Korea

Visa and customs

Citizens of Russia do not need a visa to enter South Korea for up to 60 days. But it is still worthwhile to issue a medical insurance policy for the entire duration of the trip in advance.

Import and export of national and foreign currency is not limited, cash over 10,000 USD must be declared. The amounts allowed for export are not exceeding those indicated in the declaration, which must be kept until leaving the country. The limit for the import and export of local currency is 8,000,000 KRW. When leaving, unspent funds can be exchanged for dollars, but only if there is a receipt from a local bank confirming the previous exchange for won. If there is none, a maximum of 100 USD will be exchanged at the border. Prices on the page are for November 2018.

Jewelry, expensive watches, photographic equipment, fur, firearms, knives and expensive foreign-made items are also subject to declaration. Persons over 19 years of age are allowed to import duty-free one liter bottle of alcohol, 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars or 250 g of tobacco, 60 ml of perfume, gifts worth up to 400 USD.

Coins, seeds, fresh fruits, walnuts, soil, potted plants, as well as pornography, political materials and any printed, audio and video products from communist countries are prohibited from being imported.

Pets require an international veterinary certificate issued no earlier than 30 days before entering South Korea, and a certificate of vaccination against rabies.

The export of antiques, precious metals and archaeological finds without special permission is prohibited.

tax free

South Korea has a Tax-free system: for purchases in the amount of 30,000 KRW, 10% VAT is returned. If the store is marked with the Global Blue logo, it is enough to ask at the checkout for a special form, enter your personal data and stamp it at customs upon exit, presenting the purchased goods in undamaged packages.

Tax-free refund counters are located at the capital's Incheon and Gimpo airports, as well as at the airport in Daegu. If the tax amount does not exceed 3,000,000 KRW (in Gimpo - 177,000 KRW), cash will be issued directly at the counter. Otherwise, stamped Tax-free receipts will have to be sent to the Global Blue office by mail and wait for the funds to be credited to a bank card.

How to get to South Korea

shopping

Traditional souvenirs: embroidery, porcelain, textiles and macrame, costume jewelry, paintings, masks, woodwork and shells, dolls in traditional costumes, fans. In the country they sell very beautiful lacquerware inlaid with mother-of-pearl (caskets, snuff boxes, etc.). Korea is the only country in the world where women have been pulling shells and other valuables from the bottom of the sea for centuries. "Hene", or "women of the sea" - stocky and broad-shouldered skuas, every day in any weather sinking to the bottom of the sea without any scuba gear. As you might guess, absolute matriarchy reigns in the families of these ladies: fragile Korean men have no chance to withstand the psychological pressure from their mighty swimmers.

Korea is the only country in the world where women have been pulling shells and other valuables from the bottom of the sea for centuries.

Korean pottery is a very elegant gift. When buying it, you should consider color, sound (we did not seal) and workmanship. If the ceramic has a transparent, smooth surface and clear sound, it is considered to be of high quality. We should not forget about ginseng. It can be bought in different forms: tea, tinctures and extracts, dried, dried in honey, ginseng in syrup, in alcohol, there is even ginseng chocolate and lollipops.

Another worthy souvenir from Korea is the traditional hanbok costume. It can be bought at Dongdaemun, Gwangjang, Namdaemun and Insadong markets. These markets are good for their moderate prices, and at Insadong, on top of that, you can pick up hanbok of the most fashionable design.

It is worth paying attention to Korean antiques: interior items, calligraphy, ceramics, books, etc. The largest accumulation of valuable goods is observed in the Seoul Changanpyong market. But it should be remembered that it is forbidden to export items older than 50 years from the country.

Large department stores are open from 10:30 to 20:00, small shops open earlier and close later on any day of the week. In Seoul and other major cities in Korea, there are ample opportunities for shopping: many arcades, department stores, duty-free shops, specialized shopping areas, and finally markets (where most purchases are made) are open.

South Korea

Cuisine and restaurants of South Korea

In Korea, 4 national cuisines are presented at once: actually Korean, Chinese, Japanese and European. In all settlements countries - many restaurants, canteens and eateries of various profiles. Japanese restaurants are the most expensive and prestigious. Chinese - simpler, the dishes there are divided into two categories: "siksa" and "eri". "Sixa" - relatively cheap (3000-6000 KRW) and easy to prepare, "eri" - noticeably more expensive (10,000-40,000 KRW), complex, prepared only in large portions - enough for at least two.

A European restaurant in Korea is the place where a middle-class person goes when they want to eat something out of the ordinary. The menu in most of these meals is not very diverse: the main and often the only dish is "tonkasy", a kind of schnitzel baked in a thin layer of dough.

In Korea, they eat a lot of rice: they make chhaltok bread, pabi porridge, spicy pilaf with vegetables bibimbap, gimbap rolls and other goodies. They are most often served as a side dish "kimchi" - all kinds of pickled, salted and pickled, spicy seasoned vegetables. The most popular soups are soy "sundubu-chige" with clams and eggs, spicy "hemulthan" with seafood, rich "galbithan" with beef ribs and burning fish soup "meunthan".

The main extreme of Korean cuisine is Posintang dog meat soup. True, now it is prepared extremely rarely - the indignation of the West has yielded results.

Of the meat treats, it is worth trying marinated beef “bulgogi” in sesame oil and soy sauce, grilled beef “kalbi” ribs, chicken “takkalbi” stew and dumplings “mandu”. Seafood dishes are also held in high esteem: raw hwe fish, fried sanseong gui, hemul jeongol stew, bajeong flatbread, odjino bokkeum squid and nakji octopus.

For dessert, fruits are usually served, and instead of tea, they drink a variety of decoctions and tinctures. Of the drinks with a degree, the most popular are McCory rice wine and Soju rice liquor.

The cheapest food is sold on the streets: tortillas for 500-1000 KRW, dumplings for 2000-3000 KRW, octopus "koloboks" for 2000 KRW, battered shrimp for 4000 KRW - tasty, satisfying and safe. In unpretentious cafes, it is also inexpensive for locals: 5,000-10,000 KRW for lunch for two. A burger in a Western fast food restaurant will cost 9000 KRW, a coffee in a coffee shop - 4000-5000 KRW. Dinner with alcohol in a good restaurant - 30,000-50,000 KRW per person.

Korean restaurants are the most versatile and democratic, both in terms of prices and audience. Man and designer Artemy Lebedev tells doubting tourists: if you want to dine in a guaranteed good restaurant, look for the official sign with a white flower on the facade of the institution, where it says: Good Restaurant.

Guides in South Korea

Entertainment and attractions

Multifaceted South Korea is an incredible mix of ancient sights and modern monuments. It is better to start acquaintance with them in Seoul - the impressions will definitely last for a long time.

The most spectacular architectural structures are the royal residences in the traditional Korean style, united in the Five Grand Palaces group. The largest is Changdeokgung with "live" 3D paintings.

The oldest Confucian temple in Korea is the 14th century Seoul Jongmyo, dedicated to the memory of the kings of the Joseon Dynasty.

Another iconic location is the Demilitarized Zone, a sad memorial to the split of the peninsula. Its most obvious symbol is a sculptural group depicting two families, personifying the South and the North, and trying to connect the halves of a large ball. The main points of the tour are the Unification Park, an underground tunnel and an empty border station.

Thermal springs and water parks in South Korea

Koreans take care of their own health and love to combine business with pleasure. Proof of this is the unique water parks, where there are baths in healing thermal springs, and all kinds of attractions. For example, "Seorak Waterpia" (off. site in English) at the foot of the Seoraksan Mountains is famous for its 49-degree water with alkaline components and negative ions, useful for arthritis, geriatric and neuralgic diseases. And after relaxing in hot tubs, you can have fun on steep slides, seething waterfalls, playgrounds and wave pools.

The pride of the water park "Danyang Aquaworld" (off. site in English) - outdoor baths with magnificent views of the mountains. For children there is a separate swimming pool, for couples in love - special spas and saunas, for those who want to improve their health - baths with mineralized water, hydromassage and other procedures.

Asan Spavis Water Park (Chungcheongnam-do Province) offers relaxation in saunas with yellow clay and aroma baths with jasmine.

The famous “SpaPlus” was opened in Incheon (official website in English), where traditional Korean saunas (amethyst, jade, oxygen, clay, coal) and unusual pools (herbal, fruit, pine and even wine) are equipped. In the park "Bugok Hawaiian Island" (Gyeongsangnam-do province) they relax in the caves, and in the "Greenland" (Gwangju) - in the baths with healer fish.

Holidays and events

Holidays in South Korea are celebrated noisily and brightly. On the 8th day of the 4th month of the lunar calendar, they congratulate Buddha on his birthday: hang paper lanterns symbolizing enlightenment, decorate houses with flowers, arrange theatrical processions. And be sure to water the Buddha figurines with sweet flower tea, washing away all the bad things that happened during the year.

Seollal, Korean New Year in late January - mid-February, until it became an official holiday, but is celebrated with love and respect for traditions. Families get together and hold a “sebe” ceremony: young people in national costumes bow to their older relatives as a sign of honor, and they, in turn, reward their descendants with money.

Traditional New Year's dishes are tteok glutinous rice cakes and tteokguk soup with these dumplings.

On August 1, the Busan Sea Festival starts: a week of general fun on city beaches. Concerts, exhibitions, sports competitions, master classes, free lessons in rowing, scuba diving and kayaking - there are interesting activities for everyone. On April 5, trees are planted, on October 3, the birth of the state is remembered, and on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar (usually in September-October), celebrations are held in the royal palaces of Seoul in honor of the Chuseok harvest festival.

The best time of the year to travel to South Korea is spring or autumn. Why not summer? Summer in Korea is just a test for us. In July and August, such hell sets in, as if you are somewhere in hot Thailand. The usual temperature of 35 degrees for this time of year is doubly hard to bear due to 80% humidity. There is only one desire these days - to escape in a cool room. From mid-July to mid-August, the rainy season begins, but this is only conditional. As a rule, there is little rain, even if according to weather forecasts they are.

In spring, the weather is more familiar to us. It’s already warm and green, and in May it’s our Russian summer in general. During the day, people are already walking in T-shirts, only in the evening it is cool, so sometimes a windbreaker will not hurt.

In the spring, a lot of interesting things happen in Korea: in April or May (8th day of the 4th month according to the lunar calendar), Buddha's birthday is celebrated.
In many Buddhist temples, solemn ceremonies are held, and lanterns are hung in front of the entrance. On the evening of the last Sunday before Buddha's birthday, these lanterns are lit and carried in the parade of lights.

May 5th is Children's Day in Korea. On this day, parents devote all their time to their children - they take them to parks, zoos, cinemas. Many supermarkets have small gifts for children, such as bananas.

The main beauty of Korean spring is, of course, cherry blossoms. Many travel here at this time to see the immense cherry blossoms at Hadon (near the monastery of Ssangesa), 6 kilometers long. The flowering season starts April 5-13. Thapsa Buddhist Monastery on Maisan Mountain is also a favorite place for connoisseurs of natural cherry blossoms.

Autumn in Korea is no less attractive than spring. Considering especially the fact that September-October the weather is especially pleasing - the heat has already subsided, but it is still warm in summer.
This is the best time for hiking in nature and in the mountains. At this moment, they are covered with multi-colored autumn foliage, which, unlike Russian nature, does not quickly lose its colors, but stretches the radiance of beauty for almost the entire season. Although the peak season is at the end of October-beginning of November.
70% of the Korean Peninsula is mountains. Therefore, there are a lot of places to visit here. I will single out only the main ones - Seoraksan, Najangsan, Chirisan, Keryonsan.