Introduction
A green outdoors and a sage people. South Korea is a country swathed in green, prodding its stony fingers skyward, and the Koreans are a people obsessed with nature, and with mountains in particular.
Wherever you travel, you'll see Koreans out in the open air, clad in the latest adventure fashions, pushing ever onward and upward.
With China looming to its west and Japan nudging it from the east, it's no wonder the country has played unwilling host to centuries of war games. But no matter how many times its neighbours try to swallow it, South Korea manages to survive intact.
Geography:
South Korea has its northern border with (unsurprisingly) North Korea. It faces China to the west across the West Sea (Yellow Sea), and Japan to the east across the East Sea (Sea of Japan). The line dividing the south from the north runs roughly along the 38th parallel. South Korea is a little bit bigger than Portugal, and most of the country, particularly the east coast, is covered in mountains - the highest is Hallasan at 1950m (6396ft).
Destination Facts
Capital: Seoul (pop 10.3 million)
President: Lee Myung-bak
Prime Minister: Han Seung-soo
Government: republic
Time zone: GMT +9
Area: 99373
Population: 48000000
People: Korean
Religions: 25% Christianity, 25% Buddhism, Confucianism, Shamanism, 50% none.
Currency: on (W)
Major industries: Shipbuilding, cars, machinery, electronics, chemicals, textiles
Major Trading Partners: USA, Japan, China
Country Dialing Code: 82
Getting there and away
A number of international carriers fly to South Korea. The international airport is in Incheon, 60km (37mi) from the capital; Gimpo airport in Seoul now operates mostly domestic flights with limited service to Japan. The international airports in Busan and Jeju have flights to and from China and Japan. If you're flying from Japan, Tokyo is the best place for cheap fares. Departure tax on international flights is to be paid in won and costs in the vicinity of 10.00. Courier companies offer discounted airfares to passengers willing to accompany packages through customs; you may have to surrender all your baggage allowance. If you want to extend your trip, you could consider a round-the-world ticket; this is a good-value way of seeing several countries, as long as you don't mind booking your stops in advance. If you have the time, the Trans-Mongolian railway via Ulan Baatar to Beijing, with onward connections to Shanghai, is one of the world's acclaimed rail trips. From Shanghai, there are boats to Incheon; book this in advance. Ferries also run from Busan to Shimonoseki, Hiroshima, Hitakatsu, Izuhara, Kokura, Osaka and Hakata in Japan, Dalian, Dandong, Weihai, Yantai City, Qingdao, Yingkou and Tianjin in China. You can get some great combined ferry-train tickets, eg express train from Seoul to Busan, jetfoil to Hakata, plus a rail ticket to Osaka. Other combinations include: Seoul-Tokyo, Daegu-Kobe, Daejeon-Hiroshima etc. To get to/from Russia there are ferries between Sokcho in Korea and Zarubino in Russia. The seafaring adventurer could hitch a ride on a cargo freighter; it's not the quickest way to go, but you'll see a fair few ports on the way and it's a low-cost option. You can forget about entering South Korea by land.
Getting around
All South Korea's main cities are linked by air, but the distances are small so it's usually not worth the extra cost. Land travel may still prove a better bet: buses are fast, safe and on time; the train network is extensive and services are frequent. There are two types of bus, express and intercity - the former go direct and the latter stop. Seats are reserved on the express buses (if you miss your bus, you must buy a new ticket), and unreserved on the intercity services. The trains are also efficient: a high-speed service - called KTX - runs the length of the country and there are several local trains. Trains are clean, safe, punctual and inexpensive, and just about every station has signage in Korean and English. Compartments are non-smoking. Trains are the best option for long-distance travel and mugunghwa trains cost less than deluxe buses. Developed in Korea, the new bullet trains can travel at over 300km/h (186mi/h). Trains are operated by Korea National Railroad. Rail passes (KR Pass) can be a good bet if you're planning on travelling around for a few days. They allow three, five, seven or 10 days unlimited travel on Korean trains; at the moment they can only be purchased in Japan or America, but there are plans to widen their availability. For more details on the rail pass see www.korail.go.kr. Driving in South Korea can be difficult: it's expensive, drivers consistently ignore traffic rules and traffic jams are a common problem. If that doesn't put you off, make sure you take an International Driving Permit. Long-distance share taxis, known as bullet taxis, go between big cities and major tourist sights. They're not metred so you'll need to negotiate a price before you set off. Cycling in Seoul is a bit of an extreme sport, but it can be a pleasant way of exploring the rural areas. Water-babies can take ferries from the mainland to offshore islands and several lakes. Most cities have buses, but the stop names are not in English. Seoul, Busan, and several other cities have subways, which are convenient, cheap and comprehensible (all the signs are in Korean and English). Taxis cost more than the subway, but if you fancy treating yourself, deluxe taxis are comfortable, and the driver usually speaks English.
Weather
South Korea has the dubious distinction of having the coldest temperatures at its latitude so unless you enjoy multi-layer clothing, stick to the months from May to September. On the up side, Korean winters tend to have an abundance of blue skies. Rain is moderate to quite heavy in July and when mixed with high 20 ° C (78-85 ° F) days can make things a bit sticky. Whether you enjoy the steamy summer or the crisp winter will depend on your temperament.
A green outdoors and a sage people. South Korea is a country swathed in green, prodding its stony fingers skyward, and the Koreans are a people obsessed with nature, and with mountains in particular.
Wherever you travel, you'll see Koreans out in the open air, clad in the latest adventure fashions, pushing ever onward and upward.
South Korea has its northern border with (unsurprisingly) North Korea. It faces China to the west across the West Sea (Yellow Sea), and Japan to the east across the East Sea (Sea of Japan). The line dividing the south from the north runs roughly along the 38th parallel. South Korea is a little bit bigger than Portugal, and most of the country, particularly the east coast, is covered in mountains - the highest is Hallasan at 1950m (6396ft).
Capital: Seoul (pop 10.3 million)
President: Lee Myung-bak
Prime Minister: Han Seung-soo
Government: republic
Time zone: GMT +9
Area: 99373
Population: 48000000
People: Korean
Religions: 25% Christianity, 25% Buddhism, Confucianism, Shamanism, 50% none.
Currency: on (W)
Major industries: Shipbuilding, cars, machinery, electronics, chemicals, textiles
Major Trading Partners: USA, Japan, China
Country Dialing Code: 82
A number of international carriers fly to South Korea. The international airport is in Incheon, 60km (37mi) from the capital; Gimpo airport in Seoul now operates mostly domestic flights with limited service to Japan. The international airports in Busan and Jeju have flights to and from China and Japan. If you're flying from Japan, Tokyo is the best place for cheap fares. Departure tax on international flights is to be paid in won and costs in the vicinity of 10.00. Courier companies offer discounted airfares to passengers willing to accompany packages through customs; you may have to surrender all your baggage allowance. If you want to extend your trip, you could consider a round-the-world ticket; this is a good-value way of seeing several countries, as long as you don't mind booking your stops in advance. If you have the time, the Trans-Mongolian railway via Ulan Baatar to Beijing, with onward connections to Shanghai, is one of the world's acclaimed rail trips. From Shanghai, there are boats to Incheon; book this in advance. Ferries also run from Busan to Shimonoseki, Hiroshima, Hitakatsu, Izuhara, Kokura, Osaka and Hakata in Japan, Dalian, Dandong, Weihai, Yantai City, Qingdao, Yingkou and Tianjin in China. You can get some great combined ferry-train tickets, eg express train from Seoul to Busan, jetfoil to Hakata, plus a rail ticket to Osaka. Other combinations include: Seoul-Tokyo, Daegu-Kobe, Daejeon-Hiroshima etc. To get to/from Russia there are ferries between Sokcho in Korea and Zarubino in Russia. The seafaring adventurer could hitch a ride on a cargo freighter; it's not the quickest way to go, but you'll see a fair few ports on the way and it's a low-cost option. You can forget about entering South Korea by land.
All South Korea's main cities are linked by air, but the distances are small so it's usually not worth the extra cost. Land travel may still prove a better bet: buses are fast, safe and on time; the train network is extensive and services are frequent. There are two types of bus, express and intercity - the former go direct and the latter stop. Seats are reserved on the express buses (if you miss your bus, you must buy a new ticket), and unreserved on the intercity services. The trains are also efficient: a high-speed service - called KTX - runs the length of the country and there are several local trains. Trains are clean, safe, punctual and inexpensive, and just about every station has signage in Korean and English. Compartments are non-smoking. Trains are the best option for long-distance travel and mugunghwa trains cost less than deluxe buses. Developed in Korea, the new bullet trains can travel at over 300km/h (186mi/h). Trains are operated by Korea National Railroad. Rail passes (KR Pass) can be a good bet if you're planning on travelling around for a few days. They allow three, five, seven or 10 days unlimited travel on Korean trains; at the moment they can only be purchased in Japan or America, but there are plans to widen their availability. For more details on the rail pass see www.korail.go.kr. Driving in South Korea can be difficult: it's expensive, drivers consistently ignore traffic rules and traffic jams are a common problem. If that doesn't put you off, make sure you take an International Driving Permit. Long-distance share taxis, known as bullet taxis, go between big cities and major tourist sights. They're not metred so you'll need to negotiate a price before you set off. Cycling in Seoul is a bit of an extreme sport, but it can be a pleasant way of exploring the rural areas. Water-babies can take ferries from the mainland to offshore islands and several lakes. Most cities have buses, but the stop names are not in English. Seoul, Busan, and several other cities have subways, which are convenient, cheap and comprehensible (all the signs are in Korean and English). Taxis cost more than the subway, but if you fancy treating yourself, deluxe taxis are comfortable, and the driver usually speaks English.
South Korea has the dubious distinction of having the coldest temperatures at its latitude so unless you enjoy multi-layer clothing, stick to the months from May to September. On the up side, Korean winters tend to have an abundance of blue skies. Rain is moderate to quite heavy in July and when mixed with high 20 ° C (78-85 ° F) days can make things a bit sticky. Whether you enjoy the steamy summer or the crisp winter will depend on your temperament.
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