Traveling in South Korea

Thematic Maps

Precipitation Map

The precipitation map shows the amount of rain, snow or hail in certain time of the year.

http://www.stockmapagency.com/media/Country/Modern/T_SKorea_Precip.jpg

This map shows the precipitation of South Korea during summer to middle fall. They are the seasons to visit South Korea for traveling.

Political Map

Political maps are designed to show governmental boundaries of countries, states and counties. They can also indicate the location of major cities, and they usually include significant bodies of water.

Source: www.mapsofworld.com

There are 1 Capital City(Seoul), 6 Metropolitan Cities(Busan, Daegu, Ulsan, Daejeon, Gwangju, Incheon), 9 Provinces(Gyeonggi, Gangwon, Chungcheong-nam, Chungcheong-buk, Jeolla-buk, Jeolla-nam, Gyeongsang-buk, Gyeongsang-nam, and Jeju). I would recommand you to travel in the capital city, which is Seoul, and Busan where you can enjoy the next biggest southern city with the best sea foods. I am originally from Changwon, which belongs to "Gyeongsang Namdo."

Population & Night-Time Light Map

This map shows the population density and the digital number of night-time light of South Korea.

Source: blogs.ei.columbia.edu

As shown on the maps, the places where Seoul and Busan are located have high density of population. Not only that, but it also shows that those cities are still active during night times.

Traveling in Two Major Cities for Short-Time Tourists, but with Mind-Blowing Experience

As mentioned before, there are 6 Metropolitan Cities and 9 provinces in South Korea, which each has its own attraction to the travelers. However, it takes too much of time to make mind-blowing experiences to travel every single point in every city for short time tourists. I will introduce two major cities, which are Seoul and Busan that those tourists MUST visit, and it is guaranteed because they are all from my life-time experience in Korea. Let's look at the details of fun facts of each city!

1. Seoul, The Capital City. 서울

Seoul is the Capital city of South Korea, and there are numerous places to travel around.
Here is the map of Seoul.

Source: seouljournies.wordpress.com

Through the middle of the city, there is "Han River." It is one of the biggest rivers among the rivers in South Korea, and there are a lot of places where many people find to go for entertainment, picnic, exercising, or traveling as well.

Subway Map 지하철

Subway systems in Korea is one of the best subways in the world. They are easy to find the place to go for everyone, clean, cheap and even well-designed.


Source: korea.lablob.com

Utilizing subway makes tourists easy to go anywhere they want to. However, avoid the time during dinner time when people are going back to their home from work! Now, I will recommend and introduce where the tourists MUST visit in Seoul.

Han-Gang (Han River) 한강

There are many beautiful parks, cafes, restaurants, museums, beautiful bridges and places to entertain near the river. Among those features of the river, people mostly find the parks popular. From number 01-12, those are different Han River Park that you can visit. You can see that in the middle there is Seoul Tower. I would recommend you to travel along the river seeing those parks. So I will start translating this Korean map starting from left to right numerical order.

Source: http://www.minjiya.com/must-visit-hotplace-in-seoul/

1.Gang-Seo Han River park

2. Nan-Ji Han River park

3. Mang- Won Han River park

4. Yang-Hwa Han River park

5. Seon-You-Do Han River park

6.Yeo-Ei-Do Han River park

7. Lee-Chon Han River park

8. Ban-Po Han River park

9. Jam-Won Han River park

10. Dduk-Seom Han River park

11. Jam-Sil Han River park

12. Guang-Na-Ru Han River park

If you continue walking along the river, you can find “Gwang Jang market” to try Korean street foods and other authentic Korean foods. Enjoy walking!

Seoul Tower, or Nam-San Tower 남산타워

You would know this place already if you have searched about where to go in Seoul. This place is one of the most popular places among the tourists. It is also a place that produces scenes from dramas and movies. There is a great luxurious 'rotating' restaurant on the top of the tower where you could enjoy great foods while watching the greatest city view of the whole Seoul city. Enjoy how beautiful it is to travel.

- Day Time

Source: myheartremembersyou.blogspot.com

- Night Time

Source: www.flickriver.com

- Restaurant

Source: memshot.tistory.com

- Night View in the Restaurant

Source: irene-travelogue.com

Chung Gae Cheon 청계천

There is a river surrounded by financial buildings in Seoul. That is this river Chung Gae. This area use to be so smelly and sticky place that everyone used to avoid. It was reconstructed during previous President Lee, and it was loved by many Koreans and inspired foreigners a lot as well. Now this area is considered remembrance of Seoul city.

Source: www.tbha.org

Also, there is an annual festival in Chung Gae Geon, Lantern Festival. This festival in the picture was during November 7th to 23rd, 2014.

Source: rjkoehler.tumblr.com

Source: www.kimchicrew.com

Until now, you must be satisfied touring in Seoul already with those places. Next, I will introduce you to the next place where to visit in Korea, BUSAN!

Busan, The Biggest Marine City 부산

Busan is the biggest marine city in Korea, where most of international trades happen. Busan is located in the south part of South Korea.

Source: commons.wikimedia.org

Source: www.mapsofworld.com

Busan has something for all tastes on land or sea. The mountains criss-crossing the city and the coastline define the urban landscape, while events like the Busan International Film Festival underline the city’s desire to be a global meeting place. The people can be brash but down-to-earth, caring little for the airs of Seoul, which seems like a distant cousin that’s just way too big and complex. Note that Busan is within the boundaries of Gyeongsangnam-do province, but is a separate administrative unit with its own telephone area code. There are many 'Must-visit' places in Busan just like Seoul!

Hae-Un-Dae Beach 해운대 해수욕장

When I think of Busan, a beautiful beach pops up right in my head, which is Hae-Un-Dae Beach. It is the most popular beach in Korea, and most people visit here during Summer season. "Hae-un-dae" was so named by scholar Choi Chi-Won (857~?) of the Silla Kingdom (BC 57~AD 935). When he was walking past Dongbaekdo Island, he was fascinated by it and left the carved words "Hae Un Dae" on a stone wall on the island. Haeundae is 1.5 km long, 30~50m wide, and spans an area of 58,400㎡. The white sand is rough and sticks easily to your skin.

http://www.8269.net/data/file/B31/2010086544_kDaWvZjc_haeundae.jpg

Source: www.8269.net

Not only there is a beautiful beach to lay down for the sun light, but there are a lot of sea food restaurants and hotels near the beach. This is the perfect place to spend the Summer in Korea.

However, it is not the best idea to go there during the middle Summer time because there are too many people come from all around the country.

Source: blog.daum.net

Avoid too crowded place on the beach. Or you will not recognize yourself whether you are in a small crowded market or on the beach.

Now is the time when you get hungry after laying on the beach with a lot of people. Let's get something to eat!

Jagalchi Market 자갈치 시장

Because Busan is a marine city, most of high-quality sea foods are produced in this city.
There is the biggest seafood market called, Jagalchi Market. Every early in the morning, merchants there buy sea foods from the fishers and sell them all in the same day. Sea foods are really fresh and cheap as well.

Source: travelertips.org

Source: larrylee.org

In the market, there are places where you can sit and eat fresh sea foods for cheap price.

Source: wetcasements.wordpress.com

Many people find this place to drink 'Soju' (Korean Traditional Alcohol) with fresh sea foods; usually raw sea foods called, 'Hwae.' It means Sashimi in Korean.

Source: doryeon-trip.tistory.com

Gook-Jae Market 국제시장

This is the second biggest market in Busan, which is not sea food market. There are a lot of clothing stores in this market. So many cheap and high quality clothes and things are there.