Borneo Travel Guide: Kuching

Farmboy and I headed to Borneo for 12 days in July last year. We had a great time, and would definitely recommend it. We had a few ups and downs, mainly due to the environmental damage , it was terribly sad to see so much deforestation. I probably wouldn't have noticed it if I was traveling with anyone else, but Farmboy was an environmental consultant is his former life and so was more aware than me (I thought there was a lot of green but what I thought was natural vegetation was 9 times out of 10 palm oil plantations). We also knew very little about Borneo (apart from the fact that it is one of the last places where you can see Orangutan in their natural habitat), and actually ended up deciding to go there because it had the cheapest flights and seemed like a very unique holiday destination. 

We spent the first part of our holiday in Kuching (2 days), moving onto Bantang Ai lake (3 days), then Kota Kinabalu (2 days) and then onto Semporna (1 day) & Mabul Island (4 days). As there is so much to say about our trip I am going to breaking up these posts into different parts. In this part I will be talking about Kuching. In part two I will be talking about Bantang Ai Lake; Part 3 I will be talking about Kota Kinabalu and finally in Part 4 I will write about Semporna & the scuba diving we did on Mabul Island.

You may be thinking of heading to Borneo soon (or sometime in the future) so to help you plan your trip, I have put together this travel guide, as well as some tips from our stay. Please keep in mind that my husband and I may travel very differently to you, and have different likes and preferences for things. I prefer the more luxurious path, while Farmboy would stay in a hammock for the entire trip if it was up to him. So we plan accordingly, and of course, try to stick to the budget.

Borneo is the name given to the biggest island in Asia (it's really big!) and is actually made up of 3 countries; Malaysia, Brunei & Indonesia. Malaysia & Brunei are far more geared to tourism (this has its perks but at the same time means that places are very touristy) whereas the Indonesian side is a lot more rural and natural. As we only had 2 weeks for our holiday we decided on Malaysian Borneo. If you are looking for a more authentic Bornean experience and you have more time, look into traveling around Indonesia Borneo. Also bear in mind the different visa requirements for Borneo & Malaysia before you travel.

Kuching

We flew from Incheon into Kuching (with an overnight layover in Kuala Lumpur). If you do have more than a 4 hour layover at night in Kuala Lumpur, I highly recommend booking into the new capsule hotel in Kuala Lumpur Airport (click here). It was fully booked when we arrived and we spent a very uncomfortable 6 hours sleeping under a cold concrete bench, hanging onto our belongings for dear life. The hotels in and around the airport are expensive and get booked up fast. You can book per hour at the capsule hotel and looked like a really fun experience.

Getting a taxi at the Airport

We arrived in Kuching at 8am and got a taxi to our guesthouse in Kuching. Most of the taxis in at the airports in Malaysian Borneo are regulated. You stand in a link and tell the teller where you are going and they then issue you a taxi voucher. You then give this voucher to the taxi driver and off you go. No dealing with cash or bargaining or being taken advantage of. It was such a different experience to Bali, Vietnam, Cambodia & the Philippines.

Accomodation

We spent 1 night in Kuching at Travellers Homestay in the Chinese Quarter of Kuching. It was a wonderful place, clean and so beautifully decorated and the host, Mai, was just wonderful. Such a warm and welcoming lady and we loved our stay at her guesthouse.

*W20 000 a night for a double room with aircon

The guesthouse is above the family run restaurant, and she is in the process of opening up a cooking centre to offer cooking courses to guests. The food was great and I highly recommend staying there if you're in Kuching.

Things to do in Kuching

We spent the day wondering around Kuching. Kuching is known as the City Of Cats. We walked from Travellers Homestay into the centre of town and spent some time wondering along the harbor. That night there was a food festival in town which was fun to wonder around. 

Semenggoh Nature Reserve

Our main reason for visiting Kuching was to see the Orangutan at the Semenggoh Nature Reserve. The Nature Reserve is home to the Orangutan rehabilitation centre, where you have a high chance of seeing Orangutan. The orangutans there are semi-wild which means that they live in a large area of trees around the reserve and feed themselves. Food is put out twice daily by the staff at the nature reserve to supplement that feeding. This means that during fruiting seasons when food is plentiful within the trees, the orangutans may have no need to (and don’t) visit the platforms. There are two feeding times a day (09h00 and 15h00) but best to get there early. The Oragutan are incredibly shy animals, and it's not guaranteed that they will come out at feeding time. We unfortunately were around a very noisy group of tourists who just wouldn't keep quiet. As the Oragutan are very shy, I'm sure the noise put them off. We had terrible luck and didn't see any oragutan, but travellers we met along our trip had seen the King, Reggie and a number of females with babies. We were really sad to miss them.

The Semenggoh Nature Reserve is easy to get to from Kuching by local bus.

From Kuching town centre, you want the number K6 or 6 from bus station number 2 which is near the mosque. Mai, our host at Traveller Homestay dropped us at the bus station. The bus leaves Kuching at: 7h20am, 9h50am, 1pm & 3pm. Returning from Semenggoh Nature Reserve at 8.20am, 11.15am, 2.05pm & 4.05pm (correct in August 2015). 

Tickets are RM3 per person each way, and the bus ride is about 45 minutes (but up to 1 hour). The bus adrops you right in front of the ticket office.

If you don't mind forking out some money for a taxi, it's about RM30 per way per taxi.

Entrance is RM10 per non-Malaysian adult for a single entry ticket. There are toilets just behind the office here. From there you walk about 20 minutes to get to the feeding area. It’s a nice walk with lots of trees, plants and animal calls to keep you entertained but it is just along the main road so be careful of the cars and tour buses which wizz pass you.

Once you’ve reached the actaul entrance to the Rehabilitation Area there are more toilets, a shop selling drinks and this is where you will congregate to hear a briefing. This is a safety briefings you need to listen to as they tell you what to do and what not to do to in terms of behaviour to ensure you’re respecting the environment of the animals but also to make sure you’re not seen as confrontational or a threat by the orangutans.

After a very disappointing few hours, we walked back to the entrance to the park where we were picked up by our hotel (Hilton Bantang Ai) in their shuttle to make the 4 hour journey to Bantang Ai. Even though we didn't see Oragutans it was still a nice way to spend the morning, and walking through the lush jungle of the National park was fun. 

Look our for Part 2 of our trip where I will be talking about Bantang Ai Lake and our stay at the Hilton.

Baekyangsa temple in Naejangsan National Park, South Korea

Naejangsan National Park is known throughout Korea as one of the best places to see the Autumn foliage. As with all National Parks, it's huge! Even after living in Korea for over 3 years I only just found out that there are in fact two separate temples which are on different sides of the park, each falling in a different province. Naejangsan Temple is in Jeollobokdo (click here for a full post on how to get there) and then Baekyangsa Temple (featured in this post) is actually in Jeollonamdo and closer to Gwangju. 

Both temples are beautiful and offer spectacular scenery, but Baekyangsa was my favourite. They are pretty far from each other and unless you have your own car, it would be very hard to get to both in one day. Naejangsan Temple is quite a far walk from the parking lot where the bus from Jeongeup drops you off, but there are lots of food stalls and beautiful leaves to keep you occupied as you make your way up to the temple. The temple at Baekyangsa was a much shorter walk from the parking lot, and had a lot more diverse scenery, and was my favourite place to photograph.

If driving, I have posted the address below. We started at the Naejangsan temple parking lots and then drove the 35km to Baekyangsa temple. The roads weren't very well marked and the sign posts were very erratic. It ended up taking over 1.5 hours to make the 35km journey. You might have better luck by bus going from Gwangju, however as I haven't made the journey by bus I can't offer too much info on it. When in doubt, call the English Helpline (1330 from any cellphone) here in Korea, those guys and girls work magic and will help direct you where you need to go with bus times and other useful info.

There was ample free parking near the entrance to the National Park (W3 000 per person). From there the walk to the temple was beautiful, with lots of views of the mountains and streams.

Address:

26 Yaksu-ri, Bukha-myeon, Jangseong-gun, Jeollanam-do

Just a note

Dogs are not permitted in the national Park (although we did see a few little fluffy heads poking our of handbags and backpacks). #ShadowtheJindo is too big to hide in a bag and so had to stay at home for this trip. National Parks don't allow dogs, but Provincial Parks like Seounusa and Gaemsa Temple near Gochang are pet friendly as long as your dog is lead. 

Autumn in Korea - Naejangsan National Park in Jeongeup

Farmboy and I had a very exciting time last weekend as my mom arrived from South Africa to spend the next 2 weeks with us. She has been wanting to experience a Korean Autumn since we arrived here back in 2013 and so we took her to Naejangsan National Park just outside of Jeongeup so she could experience the vibrant colours for herself.

Naejangsan is one of the most popular places in all of Korea to see the Autumn (or Fall) foliage and it's easy to see why. The hillsides and pathways are covered in a multitude of red, orange and yellow leaves. We headed there on a Friday afternoon in the hopes of missing some of the crowds, but only got lucky because of the freezing cold weather and icy wind. By the time we had arrived most of the people were on their way home, racing back to their cars and tour buses to escape the wind. This was very convenient for us as we had the mountainside just about to ourselves, and were able to quickly take these photographs before it got dark.

Naejangsan is easy enough to get to by public transport. You can catch a local city bus from the Jeongeup bus station. The bus leaves from right outside the CU Convenience store (not from the usual bus platform inside the bus terminal) which is right next door to the bus terminal. If you get lost just pop into the CU and ask for the bus to Naejangsan.

The bus ride is about 40 minutes long and you'll get dropped at the parking lots at the base of the park. From there it's about a 25 minute walk to the entrance to the National Park. There is a small (W3 000) entrance fee...make sure to bring cash as they don't accept cards. From the National Park entrance you slowly make your up through the leaves and trees to Naejagsan Temple, it's about a 1.5km walk.  Along the way there are a few stalls to buy souvenirs and other trinkets, as well as a cable car  closer to the temple which you can take all the way up the mountain side. 

Once you get to the temple and make your way back down to the visitors centre, you can catch a shuttle bus back down to the entrance (W1000 per person) or you can walk the 1.5km back down. 

Here are a few photographs of some of the interesting people we saw along the way. The walk up (and down if you don't take the shuttle) can take a looonnnggg time if you enjoy taking photographs, so make sure to bring along some water and snacks to keep you going. 

Address:

Naejang-dong, Jeongeup-si, Jeollabuk-do
전북 정읍시 내장동 , 전남 장성군 북하면 백양로

Nami Island Zipline and the Autumn Leaves

Nami Island is a teeny tiny 'island' situated in the middle of the Han River just outside of Seoul. It's quite a way from Seoul itself, so keep that it mind if you are hoping to just pop by while you're next in Seoul. You need to get to Gapyoung Station (about a 1.5hour subway ride from central Seoul).

Nami Island became a popular tourist destination after the wildly successful Korean drama, Winter Sonata. In the movie, the famous 'Kiss Scene' can be re-created (complete with little snowmen replicas) but be prepared to queue up for your photo opportunity. Even though it seemed quite silly to replicate something from a movie we had never heard of or watched, it was fun and definitely a part of the Nami Island experience.

We had a long weekend and make the long trek up to Seoul from our town after school, Buan, arriving in Seoul at 11pm and taking the last subway as far as it would go before the lines were closed. We got as far as PyeongnaeHapyeong at midnight and found a motel and restaurant open all night to grab dinner before crashing in our motel. Our aim was to to get to Gapyeong Station (the subway station right the Island) the night before so that we could get to Nami Island early the next morning and catch the first ferry/first zipline. We only ended up getting to the Gapyeoung Wharf at 09h00 and realised that there are a few motels/pensions you could stay at to be right at the ferry terminal to catch the first ferry. Nami Island is ALWAYS busy, so week days would be far quieter but most of us aren't able to get there on a week day. If you get there early it will be MUCH better than later in the day. By the time we were heading home, thousands of people were only just arriving and the queues for everything were so long. Also, we caught a taxi from Gapyeong station to the ferry terminal (W7 000) but there really is no need. It's only about 1.5km's and will only take you about 25 - 30 minutes to walk.

The first ferry runs at 07h30 and goes every 20 - 30 minutes. The Zipline opens at 09h00 and they take about 8 people up at a time so the waiting time is long. We arrived at 09h30 and had to wait until 11am before we could go across. It wasn't a bad wait, as there is a cute coffee shop to grab a drink and people watch. The Zipline itself was a lot of fun. A little scary for me, but nothing crazy, and lasted about 90 seconds. There are two courses (the family course & the adventure course). The family course lands right on the Nami island and the adventure course lands on a smaller island next to Nami, and then you take a small boat across to to Nami. The adventure course was W38 000pp and included entrance to the island and the ferry back to the mainland.

ZipLine Info

Fare: 38,000 won
Operating hours: April-October 09h00 ~ 19h00 / November-March 09h00 ~ 18h00
* 8,000 won discount with SK Telecom T-membership
* Operation may be discontinued in the case of snow, rain, or strong winds
* For inquires: +82-31-582-8092

Dogs up to 5kg's are allowed on the island, you can see all the rules in the photo above.

Nami Island declared its cultural 'independence' in 2006 and re-named itself the Naminara Republic (Namisun).
The Naminara Republic is an imaginary country, but it has invented its own passport, currency, stamp and telephone card.  A 'passport' issued from Naminara is required to enter the Namisum. We didn't need this passport as we got onto the island via the zip line and we were rather happy to avoid the huge lines at 'immigration'. If you bring your passport with you to prove you are a 'foreigner' to Korea you get a small discount on admission. Normal entrance to the island is W10 000 pp but with the foreinger discount it is W8 000.

Korea, (and Nami Island is no exception) sure know how to do cute. Here are some photographs from the coffee shop at the ferry terminal. Snowball couple EVERYTHING.

We had hoped to see more Autumn/Fall colours on Nami, but we were obviously a little too early. The leaves usually peak at the end of October/beginning of November, but bear in mind that is when the rest of Korea will be wanting to see the colours too. Be prepared for the crowds and go as early as possible. Even with a lot of green, Nami was beautiful. There is a wonderful, relaxed feeling on the island. Everyone was smiling and there was a lot of laughter. I would definitely recommend going there, and from what I could tell online, it's beautiful in every season so even if you miss the Autumn leaves, you can can go anytime of the year. The recommended months to visit are May, July - August & October.  

Everything is more expensive on Nami, this isn't a surprise (our pizza costs us W28 000!!!!) so I'd suggest packing a picnic lunch and a blanket and finding a spot under the trees to enjoy your lunch/breakfast. There are also a number of places to stay on the island (cute cottages and a hotel of sorts) in case you are able to book ahead and want to spend longer on the island. We were there from 11h30 and by 3pm we were definitely ready to head home. Nami isn't big, you can wall around the entire island in an hour or so. There are also bycicles, tandems and other things to rent and we saw lots of families enjoying themselves.

How to get to Nami Island

By Subway:

• Get off at GAPYEONG station (on the Gyeongchun Line) & walk/taxi to Gapyeoung Wharf (the ferry terminal). It's a 30 minute walk or a W7 000 taxi).
• If walking, head out the station and turn left. Then follow the cars!

By ITX Train:

• Yongsan → Gapyeong Station (about 60 min.)
• Cheongyangni → Gapyeong Station (about 42 min.)
• Chuncheon → Gapyeong Station (about 20 min.)
• Bear in mind the train doesn't go very often so make sure to look at the train schedule (or book online here). 

By Shuttle Bus:

• Insa-dong: 09h30 (Nearby the West Gate of Tapgol Park)
• Namdaemun: 09h30 (Sungnyemun Square Bus Stop in front of Namdaemun Market)
• Price: Adult W15 000(round-trip) / W7 500(one-way) 

More info on the shuttle bus can be found here >>> Nami Shuttle Bus

Let me know if you make it to Nami Island and what you thought of it! I love hearing from you.

Where to see the Autumn/Fall Leaves in Korea 2015

Typically, mid-October into early November is the peak time to see the leaves turning here in Korea. But this year, the leaves have begun to change earlier than expected. 

Just as wonderful as the spring blossoms (click here) the Autumn/Fall foliage is breathtaking. For us South Africans, we just don't get sights like this back home. The trees turn of course, but it's just nothing like the sea of red and yellow that greets you here in Korea.

The four most popular mountains (and therefore the busiest!) places to see the Autumn colours are Naejangsan (내장산) just outside of the town of Jeongeup, Jirisan (지리산) which is close to Namwon, Seoraksan (석악산) in Gangwon Province and Gwanaksan (관악산) which is closer to Seoul. 

We made it to Naejangsan (pictured below) in 2013 and and last year I took some photographs at Seonunsan, just outside Gochang (pictured at the bottom of this post).

As with many outdoor activities here in Korea, be prepared for the crowds! We were stuck on a bus for 2 hours making our way to Naejangsan, due to the hoards of people and cars, and eventually jumped off the bus and decided to walk the 5km road from the base of the mountain to the actual main viewing. It was a logistical nightmare. But, as long as you know it's going to be chaos and you are prepared for that, you will be rewarded with stunning sights. Seoununsan is much quieter, and offers just as much beauty as Naejangsan.

Here is a map of the expected Autumn/Fall foliage here in Korea:

Naejangsan (Jeongeup, Jeollobokdo)

Seonunsan, Gochang Jeollobokdo

Do you have any recommendations of places to see the foliage here in Korea? Any secret spots you've been to? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below.

Camping & Fishing in Korea, Gyeongbok Province & Andong Folk Village

Farmboy and I camp a lot here in Korea. One of the main reasons for all of our camping is because of our pup Shadow. Another reason is that once you invest in your camping gear you no longer have to pay anything for accommodation (apart from campsite fees if you camp in actual camping grounds).

Having a car here in Korea has always been a big life changer, as we would never be able to get to the places we have explored without a car (and, being a CityGirl, camping for me should still involve some level of comfort and there is just no way I would be able to carry a blow up mattress and pump in a backpack loaded with everything else). If you'd like to read more about owning a dog in Korea then click here. I've written lots of helpful posts that you might find useful if you have a dog. Also, click here to see all our other posts on camping.

We went camping over the Chuseok holidays (we had a 4 day weekend this year with Monday & Tuesday being public holidays) up near Yeongju (Gyeonbok Province) and so this left us enough time to make the 6 hour journey up North from our town. Something to bear in mind over Chuseok, most Koreans head South to their family home towns meaning there are fewer cars heading North at the start of the holiday. We were warned about the traffic and had no problems as we were going against the traffic in both directions. We left at 3am on the Saturday and although out lane was completely clear, the traffic was almost to a standstill in the opposite direction...at 3am! So keep that in mind when planning your trip. We also tried as best we could to avoid the IC (main highways) and stuck to the smaller roads.

Farmboy has really been into his fishing lately (both bass and fly fishing) and so we were headed up North in search of trout. Much to his disappointment, there weren't too many bites, even though we were in an area that is well known for trout. He still had a great time fishing, and the areas surrounding the streams and rivers were beautiful, so that made up for it. For this trip, Farmboy had heard that the streams around Bonghwa are great places to fish for trout and so we went onto google maps and searched for Bonghwa, and then zoomed in on the map in search of legitimate camp sites. If you zoom in close enough on an area in Maps on your iPhone you'll see the little brown tent symbol which shows campsites in the area. Then we simply drove along the road in search of the best place for us to itch our tent.

After our very early start, we arrived at 8am at one of the most beautiful valleys I have ever seen here in Korea.  We followed a small country road (following this address: 산129 Daehyeon-ri, Seokpo-myeon Bonghwa-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do). The area is known as Kosun Creek (고선계곡) and is filled with camping sites, MinBaks and Pensions (Korean Guesthouses). The first camping site we came across looked abandoned, and across from it another site only had one caravan. We headed over to chat to the only camper we could see and find out more about that particular campsite. He was incredibly friendly, spoke wonderful English and proceeded to tell us about much better spots to fish and set up camp further up stream. He also shared his breakfast with us. He had a rather impressive camp set up, which he told us was just for him when he needed a break from his family. He told us he has a much bigger caravan back home for when his wife and kids join him...sounds like a good life to me!

We don't like camping in specified camping grounds, and we also know that we would probably be turned away when people catch sight of Shadow, and so we usually just drive to a quiet spot to set up camp. We have yet to be kicked off a spot or to run into any problems just setting up camp. We also always make a fire and have yet to have any issues. If you do this, just make sure to clean up after yourselves. Toilets are the only downside to this kind of camping...bushes are your only option. We either burn the used toilet paper or keep it in a packet to throw away at home/along the way. We also like to camp near water so we can at least have some version of a bird bath if we are camping for more than one night.

For our camping trips we eat the following:

• Breakfast: coffee/tea and digestive biscuits
• Lunch: Bolognese mince/tuna wraps with salad
• Snacks: store bought popcorn/crackers/Gim or seaweed packs 
• Dinner: samgyupsal/pre-cooked sausages/vienna sausages, sweet potatoes fire 
• Dessert: s'mores (& wine/soju!)

The only downside to this style of camping is you don'c actually know where you are going to be sleeping that night. This means you need to factor in time (while it's still light) to find and set up camp. We don't usually stay at the same spot 2 nights in a row as there is so much to see and explore here in Korea, and so we end up driving around (often times getting frustrated) in search of the perfect spot. We found the one below after about an hour and at the end of a very tiny country road that wasn't even on our gps. It was below a train line (a little bit nerve wracking) but the train was still far enough above us to not cause us any worry. It only ended up going a few times during the night.

As we had made it all the way to Gyonbok, we headed to Andong for the Mask Festival. I hadn't realised that there are two parts to the festival (the Folk Village and the Mask Festival) and that they are really far from each other. The Mask Festival is in Andong itself, whereas the folk village was about 30km out of town. There are shuttles that go between the two, but bear in mind that you probably need a car to get to the Folk village. We also had no idea if they would allow dogs in, but they seemed to have no problem with Shadow. 

Are there any great camping spots you can recommend? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below. There are still a few more good weekends left before it gets to cold to camp. 

Jinju Lantern Festival

The Jinju Lantern Festival kicked off this past weekend (October 3rd) and goes on until next weekend (October 11th). Next Friday is also a public holiday (it's Hangul Day!) making it a long weekend for everyone here in Korea. Here are photographs from the festival last year. We drove there from our town (Buan) and had underestimated the traffic that comes with festivals here in Korea. Sometimes, especially when it comes to festivals here in Korea, it can end up being easier to just take a bus instead of driving. We had no choice but to drive as we had just rescued Shadow and had planned on camping for the night, therefore needing lots of space for all our camping gear.

We had already planned to go to the festival before we found Shadow, and so our poor little pup had to just put up with the fireworks and hustle and bustle of people. There were so many people at the festival, but it was still a good experience. We ended up caping on a spot of green that we could see on our iPhone map, which turned out to be the plush, very well cared for, front lawn of a Public Library! We woke up as soon as we heard the first library visitors and packed up as fast as we could, and hurried on down to the water front to have breakfast.

You can 'technically camp' anywhere in Korea (we have camped on abandoned tennis courts, closed roads, river streams, near train lines and in a golf course parking lot!) as long as you clean up after yourself. I wouldn't say it's actually legal to camp on library laws or golf courses where we have camped, but we usually leave before anyone can find us, and make sure to leave the place spotless so no one would know we were even there. Click here to see more posts on camping in Korea.

Address:

The festival is all along the Namgang River:

626, Namgang-ro, Jinju-si, Gyeongsangnam-do
경상남도 진주시 남강로 626 (본성동)

By bus: Take an intercity bus to Jinju Intercity Bus Terminal.
Exit the terminal towards the river.
Turn right, and walk for 5min to arrive at the festival site.

Borneo Through Photographs

For the last summer holidays Farmboy and I headed to Borneo. Before researching for our trip I didn't know too much about the island (did you know that Borneo is actually the second largest island in the world and is made up of 3 countries; Malaysia, Indonesia & Brunei). Along our travels we had a wonderful taxi driver who spent the hour we had with him telling us tales of pirates, folklore and other stories relating to the history of the Island.

We spent time in 3 different cities in Malaysia Borneo and their surrounding towns, all of which were very different from each other. We explored the concrete jungle of Kuching, the rain forests and lake surrounding Bantang Ai National Park and scuba dived amongst the reefs of Mabul Island. It was one of the most diverse travel adventures we have had and I look forward to sharing more with you about this incredible place.

I will be doing a full travel guide soon, but in the mean time here are a few photographs from our trip. 

Enjoy x

Kuching & Semonghoh Nature Reserve

Bantang Ai Lake & Visit to a Traditional Longhouse

Jungle Trek around Bantang Ai Lake & Rasa Risa Orangatun Rehabilitation Centre in Kota Kinabalu

Floating Palace in Kota Kinabalu & Mabul Island, Sabah.

Things to do & places to stay in Seoul, South Korea

We had friends out from South Africa recently and spent a wonderful weekend with them in Seoul. Farmboy and I have been to Seoul numerous times (click here to see other posts with things to do in this vibrant city) but there is always more to see and do in Korea's capital.

We found a wonderful apartment on AirBnb called SeoulSketch (click here to make a booking) and stayed there for 2 nights. The apartment was clean and spacious with 2 double beds, a kitchen, living room area and bathroom.

It was perfect for 4 people and was situated only a 5 minute walk from the Gyeongbokgung Palace Subway Station.

We spent our first evening wondering around Hongdae (Hongik University Subway Line) and doing some late night shopping. The stores only close around 10/11pm and restaurants are usually open till even later. 

Saturday morning we spent walking around Samcheon-dong which is the very artsy neighbourhood surrounding Gyeongbokgung Palace. The Buckcheon Hanok Village (a traditional Korean folk village) is also right next to the palace, so you can definitely spend a good number of hours strolling around, taking photographs and eating your fill of great food. 

We spent the morning wondering around Samcheon-dong, and then headed to Myeong-dong for some more shopping in the afternoon. There are also dog & cat cafes in Myeong-dong (click here to read more about these interesting cafes) which are a fun way to spend a few hours. 

After an afternoon nap we got showered and all dressed up for a night out at Club Ocatagon, one of the famous super clubs in Gangnam. Entrance for Octagon was W10 000 before 11pm (after which it jumps up to W30 000 per person) and includes a drink. Make sure to bring ID (you must be over the age of 19) and they ask EVERYONE! Never in my life did I think I would be asked for ID at the ripe old age of 27, but I was, along with every other person in line.

Saturday morning was spent at Suji's in Itaewon for brunch (click here for a full review). Suji's is our absolute favourite place for breakfast/lunch in Seoul. Most restaurants and cafes in Seoul only open at 10am making eating more of a brunch than a breakfast.

Then it was back to Yongsan station to catch the train to take us home. You can book train tickets In English online through the Korail website using your Korean/International credit card or Korean debit card.

Do you have any other recommendations of places to see and things to do in Seoul? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below.

The Philippines Travel Guide: El Nido

Farmboy and I spent two weeks in the Philippines over the December holidays in 2010. Even though that was a few years ago, the following information is still relevant and all the links have been updated to help you in planning your trip. We spent a total of 5 days in Puerto Princess (click here) at the start and end of our trip, and the rest of the time we spent in El Nido.

I have been told that there are now direst flights to El Nido, but when we were there we had to take a 7 hour mini van trip. That trip was pretty horrendous as we were packed into a van with a number of other people and it was terribly uncomfortable. But it was cheap and that was the idea. We hadn't booked any accommodation before arriving, and so spent the first few hours walking from place to place in search of a room. We spent one awful night at a place on the beach called Spider Pension (AVOID AT ALL COSTS!) which consisted of a dingy room, hole in the floor for a toilet and cockroaches and flies everywhere. After that awful experience we set off early the next morning in search of anything better. We eventually found some newly build cottages set off the main road and part of Rosanna's Pension. Clean and cheap it was the perfect place to base ourselves for 3 nights. From there the restaurants and cafes were a short walk into the main part of town.

We ate a lot of our meals at Art Cafe; a wonderful laid back spot that served great food and drinks all day.

As it was the holiday period and it seemed most of the nicer places were fully booked but we eventually found a place with 2 double beds and air-conditioning. Although El Nido at the time was running on generators which turned off in the middle of the day and the middle of the night, something to keep in mind if you need to charge things or plan to have a hot shower at a particular time. We managed fine though and barely noticed the power outages. 

El Nido itself is gorgeous. When we were there it was still very undiscovered, with only a few restaurants and cafes. I think there is much more variety now, but friends have told us it is still magical and not over crowded like Boracay. From El Nido you can take boats out for the day to hundreds of different islands and spend the day seeing no one. Pure Bliss! 

We booked a 3 day 2 night island hopping tour with Tao which was both incredible and disastrous at the same time. Incredible because of the sights, but disastrous as we were served pork which had not been kept cold and gave us all food poisoning...not something you want when spending the day on a boat traveling from island to island. Even though we were all rather queasy throughout the trip, it was an incredible experience. It costs us at that time about $250 per person for all meals, boat rides and accommodation in basic local lodging.

Once back in El Nido it was New Years eve and we welcomed the new year in the woven basket pods surrounding The Alternative restaurant. We then spent 2 days hiring scooters and traveling around El Nido where there are more beautiful beaches to discover, our favourite being Nacpan Beach. Hiring scooters is a great way to avoid the crowds and it's very inexpensive too.

After our fill of beaches we headed back to Puerto Princessa by the local public bus for our final night.  We spent it the one and only 'fancy' hotel we could find, for some well deserved luxury (at the time it was $65 for a room for 4 people for the night). We did some last minute shopping at the pearl markets, and finally headed back to the bustling metropolis of Manila, and finally home to Korea.

USEFUL TRAVEL INFO FOR THE PHILIPPINES

• 30 day visa free entry for citizens of South African, USA, UK, New Zealand, Australia (and a number of other countries...click here for more info).
• Pack an emergency medicine kit. As this was only our second trip to Asia, none of us had packed the basic supplies like flu/stomach cramps/pain pills. After the food poisoning I went and got full on flu and just had to live through it for the last 4 days of our holiday...make sure to pack some nose spray/decongestants to help with any flu symptoms you may have. Rather be safe than sorry!
• Use travel apps like Orbitz to book hotels/hostels if you can (they often give discounts for using the app and you can score some great deals!)
• Pack a travel towel/cotton sarong that you can wet at night and sleep under if you don't have airconditioning. This will help keep you cool if you only have a fan in your room (and this will especially help you sleep at night if you have no fan/electricity).
• Buy a waterproof bag to store your valuables in when going on boat rides. At the very least have a few spare ziplock bags handy to store passports and cash in, just in case your bags get wet.

Do you have any recommendations of things to do and see in Puerto Princessa? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

Camping with your dog in Korea

Owning a dog in Korea isn't easy. Especially if you own one of the larger breeds and you can't carry them in your handbag or in a pet carrier. This is why we spend a lot of time camping (click here to see more posts about camping in Korea), as finding pet friendly accommodation is pretty near impossible. If you live in Seoul you have a much wider selection of places you can easily visit and stay at with your dog, but if you live in the smaller country side towns in Korea, camping is your best bet. It's also the perfect time of the year to head outdoors, and so I hope this post is useful for you if you have a dog here in Korea and want to head out in search of an adventure.

Camping in Yongdam...click here to read more.

Camping in Gangwon...click here to read more

Of course, having a car makes the whole camping experience that much more enjoyable as you can transport all your gear easily, but it's not a pre-requisite. Although, I can imagine carrying/walking your dog and your camping gear would all together be quite a feat!

From what we have gathered, you can camp pretty much anywhere in Korea, as long as you clean up after yourself. We have camped on tennis courts, closed off and abandoned roads, in river beds and in Museum gardens (that last one being a very late night find). Camping with a dog is slightly trickier, as if your pup is anything like our Shadow, he likes to explore his new surroundings and this often finds me running around like a headless chicken trying to catch him.

We have stayed at one actual dog friendly campsite in Yongdam (near Jinan, South Jeolla Province...click here to see a full post on it) and have also stayed with him the National park in Muju (click here to see the post). Dogs are not allowed (legally) to stay or be in National Parks according to the National Park website, but with a lot of smiling and our broken Korean we were told that he would have to be on lead and kept in the car. I think as long as your dog doesn't terrorise the neighbours and you keep them on lead, you shouldn't have any problems. Shadow just sleeps with us in our tent at night and so no one really notices him.

You might have a problem if your dog is very yappy or barks a lot as people will probably complain. Just keep that in mind and just use your common sense. We like to camp off the beaten track and so haven't had any problems so far with anyone complaining about us. We have also just bought a very long roll of rope to create a kind of extension running lead set up so we can keep an eye on him but Shadow can still move around. 

Overall, camping in general is really fun and being able to do that with your canine companion just makes it even more so.

I hope I inspire you to try out camping with your pooch.

If you come across or know of any great camping spots that are dog friendly, please leave me a comment below!

Philippines Travel Guide: Puerto Princessa

Farmboy and I traveled to the Philippines over Christmas 2010, and even though it was a number of years ago, the information posted here has been verified and will still be useful for you when planning your trip to this beautiful country. Things will have changed since then, but we have had numerous friends travel there since we were there using our travel tips so this guide should at least provide a basic overview of places to see and things to do. I have checked all the links that they do indeed go to the right hotel/websites but if anything isn't linking up, please leave me a comment below.

Farmboy and I met up with his brother and sister in law in Seoul and then made our way to Incheon airport for the 5 hour flight to Manila. We flew Cebu Pacific from Incheon to Manila, and then had a domestic flight to Puerto Princessa. We had an 8 hour wait for the flight to Puerto Princessa, and as it was late at night we decided to 'splurge' and book into a hotel just outside the airport for a cold shower (it was HOT!) and a quick nap before our flight the next day. We spent 3 days in Puerto Princessa, 6 days in El Nido (click here) and then 1 more night back in Puerto Princessa before flying back to Korea. 

Once arriving in Puerto Princessa we headed to our accommodation for the next 2 nights, at Albon Pesion. We were picked us up at the airport (something I would highly recommend as you don't have to fight over taxis and waste time haggling for a fair rate). Albon Pension was a very reasonable, basic place to stay, but the staff were very friendly and the location was very central. We were able to walk to most restaurants and cafes and it was clean. 

There are lots of tours that leave from Puerto Princessa, the most famous being the under ground river in Sabang. The Underground river has recently been declared one of the Natural Wonders of the World and is a must if visiting Puerto Princessa.  There are also a number of boat rides you can take through the mangroves which are well worth a trip. In 2010 the mangrove tour cost us $5 a person, and the underground river tour was $35 pp including lunch. Albon Pension arranged the tours for us, including the 2.5 hour bus ride to Sabang in an airconditioned mini van.  The ride to Sabang itself was beautiful, and the driver will stop along the way for you to get some scenic shots.

We also booked a day trip to Honda Bay, and onto Snake Island. It was a short drive to Honda Bay and from there a short boat ride to the island. We again booked this with Albon Pension. The weather wasn't too great and the water was quite murky, but we still were able to see a few fish while out snorkelling. We also had our first taste of fresh fish for lunch which was a fun experience, especially sharing a table with the locals.

Back on the mainland, there are lots and lots of great restaurants to eat at with seafood buffets and loads of other interesting dishes. We spent our last 2 days in Puerto Princessa after our 6 days in El Nido (post to come soon) and had a great time wondering around the markets and buying fresh water pearls as gifts for friends and family. We all put our left over cash together and booked a room in one of the fancier hotels in Puerto Princessa for our last night as a treat. We slept so well that night and really enjoyed the hotels pool and breakfast buffet the next morning. It was a great way to spend our last night in the Philippines.

I will be posting the second half of our trip where we spent 6 days in El Nido and the surrounding islands soon.

Useful Travel Info for the Philippines

• 30 day visa free entry for citizens of South African, USA, UK, New Zealand, Australia (and a number of other countries...click here for more info).
• Pack an emergency medicine kit. As this was only our second trip to Asia, none of us had packed the basic supplies like flu/stomach cramps/pain pills. After the food poisoning I went and got full on flu and just had to live through it for the last 4 days of our holiday...make sure to pack some nose spray/decongestants to help with any flu symptoms you may have. Rather be safe than sorry!
• Use travel apps like Orbitz to book hotels/hostels if you can (they often give discounts for using the app and you can score some great deals!)
• Pack a travel towel/cotton sarong that you can wet at night and sleep under if you don't have airconditioning. This will help keep you cool if you only have a fan in your room (and this will especially help you sleep at night if you have no fan/electricity).
• Buy a waterproof bag to store your valuables in when going on boat rides. At the very least have a few spare ziplock bags handy to store passports and cash in, just in case your bags get wet.

Do you have any recommendations of things to do and see in Puerto Princessa? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below!

Experiencing a Korean Temple Stay: Naesosa Temple

All the English teachers in my small town were taken on a workshop recently, hosted by our local department of Education. Most education departments organise for their teachers to attend workshops, some of which are more team building, while others are planned around lectures and seminars. For this one we were taken to Naesosa Temple to experience a traditional Korean Temple Stay.

Temple Stays are a way for ordinary people to experience the life of the Korean Buddhist Monks, with 4am wakeup calls for worship and meditation as well as arts and craft activities.

We did a lot of activities during our 2 day 1 night program. We made lotus lanterns, painted traditional Korean Buddhist temple designs on wood, rung the bell to call monks to worship, participated in a tea ceremony as well as a traditional Buddhist monk eating ceremony. I found the eating ceremony to be the most fascinating. During the meal, we had to sit in front of our bowls and wait to be called upon to complete a particular role during the ceremony (dish out water or rice). Each bowl had to be placed in order, chopsticks and spoon were only to be placed on top of the top right bowl, and once e had eaten, we were instructed to clean each bowl 2 times using water that was ceremoniously poured at the start. We used a piece if radish to clean the bowls in order, three times, and then had to drink the water used to clean the bowls. Our Monk leader told us that people these days are so wasteful, and so drinking the water used to wash the bow reduces waste and creates more of an awareness for food wastage...it was a rathe interesting experience to say the least. 

As Christians, Farmboy and I were a little hesitant before the trip, and although the local monks wern't too happy with us not wanting to participate in the 108 bows to Buddha, we were able to just wait outside until everyone else was done.  I had a really great time and enjoyed the experiences. If you are interested in a temple stay (and are prepared for the traditional Korean sleeping style and vegetable diet eaten by the Monks) then I would really recommend a temple stay. Naesosa is situated in Jeolloboko, near the Byeonsan National Park.

For more information about Naesosa and the programs they offer, click here.  

Address:

243, Naesosa-ro, Jinseo-myeon, Buan-gun, Jeollabuk-do 
전라북도 부안군 진서면 내소사로 243

Boseong Green Tea Fields

The Boseong Green Tea fields are a very popular tourist destination here in South Korea. With rolling green hills, a souvenir shop selling green tea ice cream and every other kind of green tea infused souvenir you can possibly think of, a trip to these fields is a must while here in Korea.

We headed to Boseong on Labor day in 2014. Labor day a public holiday for us English Teachers, but a normal working day for the rest of Korea. This means it is the ideal time to visit the tea fields, unless you like being around big crowds. It was an awful day for photographs really, harsh bright sunlight and lots of smog meant that most of my photographs came out looking so contrasty, hence the use of film filters below. Labor day falls in Spring, which is a really good time to visit as the fields are really lush.

There is a W4 000 entrance fee payable once you walk through a gorgeous avenue of cedar trees. There is also a restaurant, gift shop and ice cream stand near the entrance. These particular fields are part of the Daehan Dawon Tea Fields (there are loads of green tea plantations in Boseong) but these are the most famous.

The fields are open in Summer (Mar-Oct) from 09h00 - 19h00 and in Winter (Nov-Feb) from 09h00 - 18h00. 

How to Get There

From Boseong Bus Terminal take a local bus bound for Yulpo and get off at Daehan Dawon Bus Stop (don't worry about missing the stop, you'll see the fields as the bus drives past). 

763-43, Nokcha-ro, Boseong-eup, Boseong-gun, Jeollanam-do 
전라남도 보성군 보성읍 녹차로 763-43

Camping in Korea - Namhae Island

Four weekends of camping in a row, I didn't know I had it in me! We spent 2 weeks in Jinan at Yongdam (click here to find about more about this dog friendly camp site), a long weekend in Gangwon Province (click here) and then this, our last camping spot on a secluded beach on Namhae Island, on the Southern Coast of South Korea. 

Namhae is an island off Korea that you can reach without a ferry, something that is quite important to bear in mind if your are traveling over a long weekend and haven't booked ferry tickets in advance. It only took us 2 hours to get to from our home in Buan (a small town near the South West coast of Korea). Namhae Island has quite a lot of interesting attractions (which we did our best to avoid due to the large crowds) like the German Village; an odd settlement of houses along the coast built to welcome home the Korean families (and their German spouses) who had moved to Germany in search of work in the 1960's. 

Namhae is also very famous for it's rice terraces (although rice is farmed all over Korea it seems that Namhae is one of the few places that farms on terraces) and these terraces made an interesting contrast to the ocean views. The canola (or Rape Seed as it is called here in Korea) fields were still out in full bloom and also made for a pretty photo stop on our drive around the island.

I can't tell you exactly where we ended up camping, but i can say that it took us nearly 4 hours to find. We ended up driving up a tiny forest road, parking at the top of a very steep hill and then having to bundu (bush) bash through a forest and along a path that had not been used in years to get to this gorgeous stretch of quiet beach. We were alone, apart from a few early morning fisherman and hikers and had the beach to ourselves the entire time. 

Food is always a challenge with camping, unless you are able to bring along a fridge (something we would never be able to fit in our little red Matiz) and so one has to do quite a bit of planning. We only ended up camping on Namhae for one night (although we had planned for two).

Here is the menu we planned and prepared for:

DAY 1

• Breakfast: coffee/tea and digestive biscuits
• Lunch: bologniase mince wraps with salad
• Snacks: store bought popcorn 
• Dinner: pre-cooked sausages/vienna sausages, sweet potatoes fire roasted with garlic & spices
• Dessert: s'mores (& wine!)

Day 2

• Breakfast: coffee, tea and digestive biscuits
• Lunch: tuna wraps with salad
• Dinner: Left over mince, sweet potatoes and sausages
• Dessert: s'mores (& wine!)

We spent the weekend on Namhae Island over Buddha's Birthday, one of the many long weekends here in Korea but what we hadn't realised is that it was also the famous Namhae Beef & Garlic festival. As we drive around the island we were greeted wit the warm smiles of of garlic farmers going about the business, reaping (is that even the right word?? must ask farmer husband) garlic. I have never seen so much garlic in all my life. We also managed to buy a small bunch/pocket/posie??? of garlic from a gaggle of adjumma's on the side of the road. They were full of smiles as we we drove away with our prized garlic in tow. 

The first picture below is of the famous Silver Sands beach, which we avoided at all costs as it seemed like the whole of Korea had gathered to camp there. We prefer to stay away from all the noise and chaos of the traditional camp grounds here in Korea and were so happy to finally find our secret spot after many hours of driving and searching. 

You can technically camp anywhere in Korea, as long as you clean up after yourself. We have on occasion when we have been able to find a land owner, asked permission to camp and have so far been greeted with a warm welcome (even with our pup!). 

Have you been camping here in Korea? Do you have any recommendations of places to stay? Please leave me a comment below, I'd love to hear from you!

How to Get a Korean Drivers License in Korea For South Africans

Buying a car in Korea has been one of the best decisions we have ever made as it has freed us up to travel and explore so much more of the country without having to worry about bus schedules. As we live in a small town, we were very much at the mercy of the last (usually very early) bus that returns to our town from all destinations. Having a car means we never have to worry about that anymore and can on a whim decide to make travel plans. Also, as we have a dog here, having a car has made life so much easier especially as he isn't small and can't be popped in my handbag or in a pet carrier. Now that the weather is so mild, camping has been a dream with a car (click here to see more posts on camping in Korea).

There are two ways for South Africans to go about getting a Korean drivers license; either doing the whole test like you would have done in South Africa when first getting your drivers license, or exchanging your current license for a Korean one. This post is all about exchanging your current South African License for a Korean license.

You are also able to drive in Korea with an International Driving Permit (we got ours from the AA in South Africa, I was able to write a letter and have my mom apply for it for me in South Africa) but I had read conflicting information on how long it would be valid here and our insurance required us to both possess full Korean licenses in order to be fully covered.

Getting a Drivers License in Korea

As mentioned above there are two ways to obtain a Korean license. The first is the long and arduous process of taking the actual Korean licensing test. I simply didn't have time during my work hours to go to the nearest station and do the tests. The second, and easiest way of getting a Korean licence is to exchange your South African one for a Korean one.

What this means is you go to your nearest licensing station (click here for a list of all of them in Korea as well as their contact details). You basically hand over your current South African license and they give you a Korean license, which is then valid for 10 years. In this time your SA license will probably expire. If this happens, when you are next in SA take your expired license, copies of your ARC card and Korean license as well as proof of being abroad and you should have no problems renewing it (please note I have no first hand experience with an expired license but this is the information I have found online).

The License Office here in Korea will then keep your South African license on record, until you return to South Africa (either for a holiday or permanently). If you are going back to SA on holiday, you simply go to the same Licensing Office with a copy of your airline ticket and then they will give you back your SA license AND you keep your Korean license. You then will have both licenses.

Getting Started

You need to get your current SA license certified by the South African embassy in Seoul. You can do this in person, or you can send it via express mail. If sending it by post you need to send your original drivers license, as well as a return envelope with paid postage to the following address:

남아프리카공화국대사관 (South African Embassy)

1-37 Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul

Tel: 02-792-4855

I sent both mine and my husbands licences and got back the certified copies within 5 days.

What you need to take to the Licensing Office

• Original South African Driver’s License
• Original passport (with the stamp for most recent entry into Korea)
• Original Foreigner Registration card (ARC card) or equivalent (issued from Korean government)
• Colour photo x 3 (we had these taken at the Licensing Office for W7000 pp person for a set of 8 photos)
• Confirmation letter or such from the South African Embassy stating the validity of the Foreign Driver’s License (this is the certified copy of your license)
• Processing Fee : KRW 12,500

Then simply stand in the queue, look a little lost (this always helps!) but with big smile on your face so someone feels compelled to come up to you and offer you assistance. Then hand over all your documents to the teller. You will need to fill in a few forms and then do a test of sorts. We were only asked to do an eye test (done right there at the office) but I have heard some people being asked to do a written test. It seems to depend on the office. We did our test in Jeonju. I have even heard of people having to do very strange 'physical' tests; squats, jumping, raiding their hands in the air (I am not kidding! So be prepared for a few squats). Click here to find out more information on the aptitude tests sometimes required. 

Cherry even managed the snow without snow tires, what a good girl!

Some Useful Info on Buying a Car in Korea

We bought our car second hand from a private seller on Facebook through one of the many Facebook groups for foreigners here in Korea. We paid W1 million (about $1000) and it was the best $1000 we've ever spent. Cherry, or Cheryl when she's struggling up hills, is a very old little Matiz, but she gets us safely from A to B and her fuel consumption is so good that we barely notice the cost of fuel. Also, as she is a small car (under 1000cc's) we are charged half price on all tolls and ferries #cherryforthewin!

Some Useful Info on Car Insurance

Insurance is something else to budget for when getting a car, and ours costs about W650 000 ($650) per year. If you are looking for an insurance agent I highly recommend Sami from Car Insurance in Korea (click here for his Facebook group) who offers a free price comparison of all major Insurance companies in Korea and is always such a pleasure to deal with. He helped us get our car registered in my name and sorted out all the hiccups we came across when it comes to insurance. 

Have you got a Korean license here before? Did you have any problems getting it? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment here and I'll get back to you asap.

Camping in Korea - Hwacheon, Gangwon Province

After a very successful camping trip with our pooch to Yongdam (click here to read more about this dog friendly camp site near Jinan) Farmboy and I, #ShadowTheJindo & our fellow SA friend and blogger Jenna (who blogs over at Komodoness) set off in search of adventure in Gangwon-do. It was a rather long, 8 hour drive to get there and so we broke up the trip with our first stop on a random gold course near Wonju. We left on the thursday after school and arrived at 10pm, and so we just set up camp in a very random place. It has been our experience that you can camp anywhere in Korea (we have camped on abandoned tennis courts, closed off roads and museum gardens) as long as you clean up after yourself. We did feel rather nervous about the golf course though, as it seemed very fancy, needless to say we packed up at first light and beetled out of Wonju and further up north to Hwacheon in search of a better site for the next 2 nights.

Before we set out we had looked on google and Naver maps and had found a load of great looking camp sites. We drove to a lot of them but didn't stay at them as they were very much the Korean set up on either gravel roads, or with tents right ontop of each other. We had something very particular in mind; a river/stream, shade and a whole lot of nothing else. After another 5 ours of driving we finally came across a stream and river bed with a very friendly looking farmer overlooking his crops. As it looked like he was the closest authority in the area, Farmboy used his Korean skills and asked the farmer is it was okay to camp on his stretch of the river. He was so friendly! With a big smile we told us that we could camp there for as long we wanted to. I wish I had gotten a photograph of him (note to self...take more photographs of the delightful people we encounter along our travels).

Bear in mind when looking for a camping spot, those neglected gravel roads are usually where the best spots are. Don't be afraid to go off-road a little. Our car has done some serious off-roading and hasn't failed us yet! 

Camping is never complete without a roaring fire. Luckily I married a farm boy who knows exactly how to make the perfect fire.

And then there's the food. Camping for 1 day is easy, but when you camp for 2 or more days there's lots to prepare and of course you have to figure out a way to keep everything cool. For this trip, we went to our local Baskins & Robbins ice cream shop and asked very nicely if we could buy some dry ice (our town is so small we know the manager by name and he was very kind to give us a huge chunk free of charge). The dry ice kept everything cold for 3 and a half days!

We are still working on the perfect menu, but here is a rough idea for 3.5 days worth of meals, from the thursday night dinner (it was a long weekend and we had dinner at one of the rest stops along the way) to the Sunday afternoon:

Day 1

• Breakfast: homemade granola bars, coffee, tea and digestive biscuits
• Lunch: tuna wraps with salad
• Snacks: store bought popcorn
• Dinner: pre-cooked sausages/viennas, samgyupsal cooked on the fire with a grill plate with kimchi, garlic, lettuce & onion
• Dessert: s'mores!

Day 2

• Breakfast: homemade granola bars, coffee, tea and digestive biscuits
• Lunch: pre-cooked bolognaise wraps with salad
• Dinner: pre-cooked sausages and fire roasted sweet potatoes
• Dessert: S'mores!

Day 3

• Breakfast: coffee, tea and digestive biscuits
• Lunch: left over Bolognaise mince, wraps & salad

If you make it all the way up to Gangwon Province, the east coast isn't too far a drive for the day and is incredible beautiful. The ocean at Gangneung was incredible blue, and the sand was like powder. It was still a rather windy day with a quite a cold breeze as summer has yet to hit Korea, but it was a great way to spend a few hours.

Can you recommend any great places to camp in Korea? I'd love to hear from you in the comments section below.

Gamcheon Art Village, Busan

I didn't know much about Gamcheon Art Village except for having seen images of multicoloured house dotting a hillside in Busan. Armed with the knowledge of how to get there, and that it would be a very different experience to most festivals and temples in Korea, I set off in search of the village with a group of adventure loving friends.

Here is a little more on the history of the Art Village as written by Jessica Steele for the BusanHaps Website (all images are my own):

"Gamcheon has long been home to the city’s poorest residents. In the 1940s, only 20 or so houses dotted the hillside, but that number swelled dramatically at the beginning of the Korean War in 1950. War refugees fled their homes for the relative safety of Busan, the only area of the peninsula that remained free from fighting. Within a year, Busan’s population grew from 880,000 to 1.4 million people, and a half million homeless refugees needed a place to live–and fast. Approximately 4,000 people moved from the crowded port areas surrounding the Jagalchi Fish Market to nearby Gamcheon, erecting some 800 makeshift homes using scrap iron, wood and rocks.

Those shanty homes were built up into the brick-and-concrete Lego-like houses that you see today partially thanks to a man named Chol-je Cho. Cho founded Taegukdo, a religion that believes that the Taeguk, or yin and yang symbol, represents the true meaning of life and the universe. Practicing again after persecution and suppression during the Japanese occupation, Cho and his followers converted nearly 90 percent of the refugees living in Gamcheon with their gifts of rice and candy. With this help, residents were then able to funnel their earnings into rebuilding, and in 1955 the area became known as the Taeguk Village when Cho moved the religion’s headquarters there.

Although better established by the 1990s, Gamcheon and the Taeguk Village remained poorer than the rest of Busan, which busied itself by erecting skyscrapers and high-rises. In 2009, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism stepped in with the Dreaming of Machu Picchu in Busan project. Reparations were made, artists were hired to paint murals and 10 artworks were installed, some created with the assistance of the residents. In 2010 the follow-up Miro Miro project saw the addition of 12 more works, including alley paintings and path markers perfectly suited to the project as miro means ‘maze’ in Korean. These days, visitors can see trick art, sculpture, and even rooms or buildings remodeled around a singular art concept, such as the Book Cafe shaped like a giant coffee mug, or rooms interpreting themes such as ‘peace’ or ‘darkness’.

While the village’s remaining 10,000 residents are now used to the influx of tourists, photographers and filmmakers, they are still wary of them, and many do not care to be the subject of photos. The village is open from 9:00 to 5:00, and is free of charge. For more information, and to buy the illustrated souvenir tourist map, you can head to the village’s Haneul Maru Tourist Information Center and Observatory, where you’ll also get a great view of the city".

When we arrived we headed straight for the tourist help centre and bought one of the super cool Gamcheon Village maps. There is a blank page inside the map for you to collect stamps that are hidden inside some of the art rooms. This made our walk into a sort of treasure hunt adventure and was lots of fun. My tip to the art village was one of the highlights so far of my 3 year stay in Korea and I highly recommend visiting it. Perhaps in Spring or Autumn when it's not so cold and try head there for early morning or late afternoon when the light isn't as harsh for photographs.

Directions

1. Take Subway Line 1 (accessible from Busan Station) to Toseong Station.
2. Come out at Exit 6.
3. You will be facing an intersection. Turn right at the corner and walk straight. You will see a hospital on your right. The bus stop is right in front of the hospital.
4. Take either Bus 2 or 2-2 (W800 pp)
5. This will take you to Gamcheon Culture Village at top of the hill.