Most Popular
-
1
Hyundai Motor eyes 80,000 jobs, W68tr investment at home by 2026
-
2
Korea enters full election mode
-
3
Seoul bus drivers go on general strike, cause morning rush hour delays
-
4
Immigrant woman stabbed to death by Korean husband
-
5
Official campaigning kicks off for April 10 elections
-
6
Court upholds jail term for man who attempted to murder ex-girlfriend
-
7
S. Korea to boost support for single-parent families
-
8
Yellow dust engulfs S. Korea, advisory alert issued
-
9
Kia EV9 wins world car of year
-
10
Lee Jong-sup resigns as envoy to Australia
-
Where nature beckons: Sri Lanka
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka -- Experiencing a foreign country can turn out to be one that is quite different from one’s expectations. But that is the beauty of travel. As Lewis Carroll, the author of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland," said, "In the end, we only regret the chances we didn't take." Those who wish to leave the familiar to explore the unfamiliar away from the urban crowd, Sri Lanka merits consideration. Sri Lanka, which means “resplendent island,&
Sept. 17, 2022
-
[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea
Siheung Gaetgol Festival The Siheung Gaetgol Festival is scheduled to be held from Sept. 23 to 25 at Siheung Gaetgol Eco Park in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province. The three-day event offers ecological experiences at the park, which is considered to be the world’s largest ecology art playground. Various programs, including photo exhibitions, a drawing area, salt playground, trekking around the Gaetgol trail and more, are offered to visitors so they can enjoy both nature and art to their fullest
Sept. 16, 2022
-
[Photo] Paik Nam-june's masterpiece is back
Paik Nam-june’s masterpiece “The More the Better” restarted operations on Thursday, unveiling its prototype after completing its three-year restoration. The largest piece by Paik, the video tower consists of 1,003 monitors and had a test run for six months early this year. "The More the Better" was first unveiled to the public on Sept. 15, 1988. (MMCA)
Sept. 15, 2022
-
Vietnam, Japan surge in popularity as tourist destination for S. Koreans
As COVID-19 travel restrictions start to ease further across Asia, more S. Korean travelers are eyeing Vietnam and Japan. South Koreans topped foreign tourist arrivals in Vietnam in August, according to the General Statistics Office of Vietnam. Some 486,000 foreigners traveled to the Southeast Asian country, of which 173,000 were from South Korea, followed by the US and Cambodia. With nearly 1 in 3 visitors to Vietnam last month being South Koreans, the figure marks the country’s growing d
Sept. 11, 2022
-
[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea
Yeosu Jinnam Turtle Ship Festival The Yeosu Jinnam Turtle Ship Festival will run from Sept. 30 to Oct. 2 at Jongpo Marine Park in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province. Commemorating the achievement of Adm. Yi Sun-sin and his famous naval battles during the Imjin War, the annual three-day festival offers a chance to enjoy various exhibitions, parades and performances. With an attempt to promote local art and customs, the festival provides hands-on programs as well as traditional games. Opening as an on
Sept. 9, 2022
-
[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea
Gyeryong World Military Culture Expo The Gyeryong World Military Culture Expo is scheduled to be held at Gyeryong Emergency Runway in Gyeryong, South Chungcheong Province, Oct. 7 to 23. Though the festival was initially held to celebrate Korea’s national military service members in 2007, the event has expanded to celebrate the military culture of countries across the globe. The expo seeks to promote peace and technical aspects of the military for future leaders. Visitors can enjoy vari
Sept. 2, 2022
-
Nation's longest walking trail opens along west coast
South Korea's longest walking trail, stretching 1,800 kilometers along the west coast, opened to the public Wednesday, the culture ministry said. The Seohaerang Trail links an area near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) bisecting the two Koreas in Ganghwa of Incheon to Haenam on the southern tip of the Korean Peninsula, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and its affiliated Korea Tourism Organization said in a release. The trail consists of 109 courses featuring beautiful scenery, such a
June 22, 2022
-
[Weekender] Busan, beloved filming location of content creators
BUSAN -- Though there are many coastal towns in South Korea, the southern port city of Busan is one of the most treasured sites for renowned television and film directors and content creators. The city mesmerizes them with upscale luxury high-rise apartments, hotel buildings, vast natural landscapes, panoramic seascapes and, of course, the unique Gyeongsang dialect. Visiting the city’s famous tourist sites will surely make for an exciting getaway. Especially if you are a passionate Netfl
May 28, 2022
-
Train package trips to star gazing, cultural heritage spots in Gangwon Province
For travelers seeking weekend getaways, Korail and Gangwon Tourism Organization are jointly offering a set of tour packages. The Gangwon Province Byeolcheonji package consists of four main themes -- visits to areas hit by forest fires, stargazing spots, cultural heritage locations and nighttime walks. The nighttime walk package ends Oct. 31 while the others run through November. All packages depart Fridays and Saturdays, but schedule details are subject to change, according to Korail. The pa
May 21, 2022
-
[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea
Beartree Park’s Royal Azalea Festival The Beartree Park’s Royal Azalea Festival, which started from April 14, will run through May 8 at Beartree Park in Sejong. After the cherry blossoms and plum blossoms fell off, the azaleas are dressed in red, white and purple, creating some colorful sceneries across the park. The park welcomes the flower-loving visitors of all ages from 9 a.m. Tickets for children are 8,000 won. For teenagers and adults, it is 10,000 won and 12,000 won, respe
April 29, 2022
-
Seek health and well-being at wellness tourism destinations
Although the pandemic brought the tourism industry worldwide to a virtual standstill starting in 2020, the years 2015 to 2017 saw the global wellness industry’s average growth rate reach 6.4 percent, according to the Global Wellness Institute in 2018. That was almost double the global economic growth rate during the same period. In 2020, the global wellness tourism market was estimated at 908 trillion won ($735.8 billion), according to the GWI’s Wellness Tourism-Global Market Trajec
April 23, 2022
-
Hangang Park named third most picturesque park in the world
South Korea’s Hangang Park, or Han River Park, has been named the world’s third most Instagram-worthy park. With the goal of helping to reduce metropolitan cities’ carbon emissions, green energy experts at the United Kingdom-based comparison website Uswitch analyzed Instagram data to find the most picturesque parks and gardens around the world in an article published earlier this month. Hangang Park, made up of 12 riverside parks along the Han River, is one of the beloved sp
April 22, 2022
-
[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea
Cheongnamdae Spring Flower Festival The Cheongnamdae Spring Flower Festival will run through May 8 at Cheongnamdae in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province. Once a private villa used by former presidents of South Korea, Cheongnamdae opened to the public in 2003. Surrounded by spring flowers, the festival welcomes visitors of all ages with various sculptures, art paintings and wild flowers. Cheongnamdae is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and closed every Monday. Admission fees range from 3,000
April 22, 2022
-
[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea
Gyeongju Cherry Blossom Festival The Gyeongju Cherry Blossom Festival has returned after a two-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The festival, which started on March 25, is scheduled to run through April 16 at various sites in Gyeongju, including Gyeongju Expo Grand Park, the park of royal tombs, or also known as Daereungwon, and more. Celebrating the return of in-person festivities, visitors can try their hands at various activities like “plogging” under cherry blossom tre
April 8, 2022
-
Les Clefs d’Or full member wishes to give more to guests
At the core of hotel concierge service is knowing a guest’s needs through even the subtlest gestures, and remembering them on their next visit, according to Kum Sang-jin, assistant manager of the rooms team at the Grand Walkerhill Seoul. Kum received the Les Clefs d’Or badge of two golden keys on Feb. 14, which symbolizes professional expertise as well as the best and most unique concierge services. Founded in 1929 by Pierre Quentin, head concierge of the Hotel Ambassador Paris, th
Feb. 24, 2022
-
[Eye Plus] School supplies shops come to life with start of new academic year
As the warm weather approaches, blue skies mark the beginning of a new school year. At this time of the year, the Cheonho Stationery and Toy Shop Street is busier than ever. Located around Cheonho Station exit No. 1, the complex greets families looking to purchase school supplies and gifts for children at affordable prices. The complex has shops selling basic school supplies as well as the latest cartoon character toys and party goods that children love. Packs of colored penc
Feb. 19, 2022
-
[Herald Interview] Putting localization at the center of hotel experience
When planning a new hotel, incorporating the distinctive culture of its location to the guest experience is one of the top priorities for Serena Lim, vice president of hotel development for Southeast Asia and Korea at the IHG Hotels and Resorts. “Around the world where people can travel, they are travelling,” said Lim about travel in pandemic times during an interview with The Korea Herald on Tuesday at the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas. Lim, who has been in the hospitality in
Feb. 18, 2022
-
First five-star hotel of global brand to be built in Gyeonggi Province
Gyeonggi Province, which surrounds Seoul, will get its first five-star hotel with a global brand in Pyeongtaek by 2022, the city government announced on Thursday. According to the municipality of Pyeongtaek, about 70 kilometers south of Seoul, the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), a global hotel company, plans to build a voco hotel with more than 250 rooms near a United States military base in the city by December 2022. Voco is a luxury brand owned by IHG. The municipality said it h
Oct. 15, 2020
-
South Korea to resume flights with Vietnam, Russia
South Korea said Thursday it has agreed with Vietnam and Russia to resume flights following months of suspension over the new coronavirus outbreak. Flights linking Incheon, west of Seoul, with Vietnamese and Russian cities will start this and next month, according to the land and foreign ministries, helping businesspeople having a hard time due to months of disruptions in international travel. Under an agreement with Vietnam, flights connecting Incheon with Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City will oper
Sept. 24, 2020
-
Suncheon Bay Nat'l Garden most popular regional travel destination in 2019
The Suncheon Bay National Garden, a massive ecological park in the country's southwestern region, was the most popular regional tourist destination last year outside of hot spots in and around Seoul, according to government data Wednesday. The number of visitors to the park, located 415 kilometers south of Seoul in the province of South Jeolla, reached 6.18 million, the largest among regional tourist destinations, last year, according to data provided by the culture ministry and its affiliated
July 15, 2020