Up the Mountain and into the Fog
I was assured by my friend that hiking through the Mudeungsan National Park (무등산국립공원) would be a gradual incline.
“It will be perfect for your first time hiking,” she said. “We will take it slow.”
I was lied to.
Tag: mountain
Sunchang’s Ami-san and Moonie Church
Sunchang County’s been on a roll lately in terms of tourism promotion. The county boasts a pair of suspension bridges at Gangcheon-san and Chaegye-san, plus the new zigzagging boardwalk up Yonggwol-san. The county’s tourism crown jewel is probably its hanok-inspired Gochujang Village, adjacent to which is the new Sunchang Fermentation Theme Park (순창발효테마파크), which is about the most Jeolla pair of tourism facilities imaginable.
The Mysterious Case of the Missing Hiker
Detective Johnny McGruff was a seasoned detective from North America who was in Gwangju, South Korea, for a short vacation. He had always been fascinated with South Korean culture and could not wait to explore the city. As he was walking down Geumnam Street, he noticed a commotion near the ACC in downtown Gwangju. Curiosity getting the better of him, he made his way over to the crowd to see what was happening.
Beyond Bukhansan
In fact, arguably the first mountain you’d think of when South Korea comes to mind is Bukhansan, nestled in its eponymous national park spread out over 30.86 square miles along the northern periphery of Seoul. Unsurprisingly, it tops most peoples’ to-do list and would likely be your first port of call as a hungry hiker newly moved here. But there are many more mountains to be explored beyond Bukhansan.
Hwasun’s Hidden Shrines and Fortress Ruins
This month, we’ll turn to the interior for a visit to Hwasun County, located just southeast of Gwangju. There we’ll visit a pair of abandoned family shrines and the ruins of a mountain fortress dating back to the Goryeo era.
Enjoy Autumn Leaves in Gwangju and Jeollanam-do!
Korea is known as a peninsula which has four distinct seasons and four distinct landscapes according to each season. Since Koreans enjoy seeing red and yellow foliage in the autumn, there is a specific Korean word called danpungnori (단풍놀이, directly translated as “autumn foliage play”), which refers to the act of going out to enjoy the autumn leaves. For this year, it is expected that we will be able to see the first fall leaves from late October (in the southern provinces). Below are the spots that are famous for danpungnori.
Namhae and the Sacheon Cable Car
While the big cities in Korea get all sorts of attention with their newfangled technology and shiny buildings, some of the most overlooked areas in the country are the southern coastal regions. There is a plethora of destinations along the coast, all within a two-hour drive from Gwangju, that offer unparalleled natural beauty, wide-open spaces, fantastic beaches, and plenty of good times. Shinan, Jindo, and Goheung (but not Yeosu, an area that has become much too congested for my liking) all have many hidden treasures, but if I had to pick one that offers the most bang for your buck (or “wow for your won”), it would have to be Namhae.
Art on the Mountain
Opened to the public since 2001, the Uijae Museum of Korean Art was established by the Uijae Foundation and Gwangju City Council, with the hope that it would become a place where his works could be celebrated and brought back to life.