Tag: trip

Around Gwangju

A Return to the Past: Penguin Village, Yangnim-dong

Gwangju News

2023, 2013, 1980, 1970… As soon as you enter Penguin Village, the clock begins to turn backwards. From the beginning to the end of your visit, it feels that the present and the past blend together. If you have ever dreamed of having a time machine, you can always come here. Although there is no time machine, all you need is a camera for fun photos. Penguin Village in Yangnim-dong, Gwangju, is a lovely and amusing place to visit for all ages, with friends, family, or alone.

Lost in Gwangju/Honam

The Shortcut to Knife Rock

Gwangju News

Located about an hour and change southeast of Gwangju, Obong-san (literally “five-peak mountain”) has left me smitten for its topographical variety, bucolic bayside views, and one of the most unique rock formations I’ve ever seen: Knife Rock (칼바위). In this edition of “Lost,” I’ll carve out a few paragraphs on what puts this mountain in my top 10.

From Abroad

Chosun University Hospital Establishes Healthy Relations Between Korea and Saudi Arabia

Gwangju News

Our first impression of Saudi Arabia – the land of mystery, the land of God – was a mixture of excitement and fear. When we arrived at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport after a long 12-hour journey, we were flooded with unfamiliar yet unforgettable feelings.

From Abroad

In Search of The Karate Kid: Okinawa

Gwangju News

One of the things that surprised me most about Okinawa was the serious lack of spontaneous karate demonstrations as well as the virtual dearth of enigmatic old men who were willing to use unconventional training techniques to turn me into a karate-fighting machine in mere days. But apart from this, Okinawa is by far one of the most beautiful places I have visited in Asia.

Lost in Gwangju/Honam

Hwasun’s Hidden Shrines and Fortress Ruins

Gwangju News

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.

From Abroad

Solo Trip to Almaty – Kazakhstan’s Largest City

Gwangju News

The five nations of Central Asia – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan – were once part of the USSR. Their being late to obtain independence has meant that they are arguably still overlooked, though they are hidden gems in their own right. Kazakhstan, like its neighbors, is home to scenery that is nothing short of epic: Mountains capped with snow, glacial lakes, and gorges make it a dream for keen hikers and novices alike. It is a country where the influences of Islam and communism still clash wonderfully with each other, making way for some truly beautiful architecture, the likes of which I have never seen anywhere else. 

Lost in Gwangju/Honam

The End of Jaeun-do

Gwangju News

This month, we’ll trek to the extreme western edge of Jaeun-do, another of Sinan-gun’s many superb but under-visited islands. Jaeun-do has at least a half dozen sites and experiences of note I could talk about: the large, abandoned school complex that haunts the landscape, what Mariposa Resort was like back when I found it a burned-out derelict, the excellent hike to the peak of Dubong-san, dodging bats at the island’s decommissioned military site, discovering one-of-a-kind temple ruins amid a forest of bamboo, and two vast beaches that merge into an epic promontory scarcely anyone visits. For this article, we’ll focus just on the temple ruins and beach promontory.

Around Korea

Namhae and the Sacheon Cable Car

Gwangju News

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.