Spring Activities to Do in Korea!
Spring has officially sprung in Korea! With the weather becoming warmer and new life beginning to grow, many people want to get outside and enjoy their day. Some people like to travel during this time of year because it’s not blistering hot as it would be in summer. So, if you are planning to travel to Korea this spring, here are some exciting activities to enjoy.
When you think of spring, you often think of flowers and trees blooming. Perhaps one of those trees you might be thinking of are the beautiful cherry blossoms. There are plenty of places in Korea to enjoy these gorgeous trees as they bloom throughout the country. They begin to bloom in March and last ‘till the end of April. Jeju Island, Daegu, Busan, Seoul, and Incheon are a few of the many places you can visit to experience such beauty. But you better hurry to see them as they do not last long.
During the spring, Korea hosts a number of flower festivals for you to enjoy. There are four major cherry blossom festivals throughout the country. Jinhae is the most popular of the four having over 35,000 cherry blossom trees!
Gyeongju
At Gyeonju, which sets in the southeastern edge of North Gyeongsang Province, the trees surround the Bomun Lake. Here, you can take a different approach than and rent bicycles. How the trees reflect on the water makes a breathtaking scenery.
Gyeongpo Festival
The Gyeongpo Festival also has cherry blossom trees surrounding the Gyeongpoho lake.
Hwage Festival
Hwage’s festival is in the countryside of Gyeongsangnam-do. The 2.4 mile stretch of road has a legend attached to it. While taking a stroll, if you hold hands with your significant other, you both will be married and live happily ever after.
Taean Tulip Festival
The Taean Tulip Festival is one of the top five tulip festivals in the world. It features over 1.5 million tulips. The tulips are planted in a new design every year.
Goryeosan Azalea Festival
The Goryeosan Azalea Festival is an hour away from Seoul, where you can enjoy the azalea blooms, take pictures of and in front of the azalea photo backdrop, and enjoy azalea pancakes.
Boseong Green Tea Festival
Of course, flower festivals aren’t the only thing blooming during spring in Korea. The Boseong Green Tea Festival is located in the Jeollanam-do province, featuring an opening ceremony, a Korean-Chinese-Japanese traditional tea ceremony, and more! You can experience picking tea leaves, making your own teacups, learning tea manners, and enjoy a green tea art market. There are many great festivals that take place in the spring!
If you are an outdoors person, Korea has an outstanding number of National Parks. They have twenty-two national parks in total, which could make it overwhelming to decide which National Parks to go to.
Seoraksan National Park
Seoraksan National Park in Seo-myeon, Yangyang-gun offers mountainous terrain with small but breathtaking waterfalls. In 1965, the government classified the region as a nature reserve.
Geumjeong District
The Geumjeong District, just north of Busan, has plenty of trails and mountains for all levels of fitness. You can hike up Geumjeong Mountain and enjoy the view over the city.
Sobaeksan National Park
Camping is offered in the Sobaeksan National Park with auto-camping sites. Not only does Sobaeksan have flat-dirt trails, but it also has staircases in certain areas.
Odaesan National Park
Odaesan National Park, located in the province of Gangwon-do has hiking trails that take hours to complete. The shortest course is the Dongdaessan Mountain course which takes roughly 2–2.5 hours to complete. The longest course is Sogeumgang River course which takes 7–8 hours, depending on your fitness level. Korea has plenty of hiking trails to offer the public.
Children's Grand Park, Seoul
During the spring months, many families and individuals like to get out and go to parks. The Children’s Grand Park Seoul has plenty of activities for children and children at heart. The park features a zoo, a children’s museum, outdoor and indoor botanical gardens, and a small amusement park.
Montamarte Park
Montmarte Park is home to Seoul’s Rabbit Park. You can enjoy a picnic in the park along with seeing adorable rabbits to make your day. The rabbits may eat out of your hand, but they are still cautious and may run or scratch if you try to pick them up or pet them. It is best to admire them from afar.
Seoul Forest
In Seoul Forest, you can feed the deer at the park. They have a vending machine to get a cup of food. Seoul Forest is also home to a butterfly garden, a playground which features an interactive sculpture, and more.
Namdaemun Market
Shopping is always an option in Korea during the spring if you aren’t one for festivals or the great outdoors. Namdaemun Market has over 10,000 retailers which makes it the largest traditional market in Korea. You can buy clothes, toys, street food, homemade items, souvenirs, and much more.
Insadong Market
Insadong Market has plenty of shops and restaurants. Some delicious foods can also be offered through street vendors who sell candies and dumplings.
Lotte Mart
Lotte Mart is a discounted store in Seoul. At Lotte, visitors can pick up an array of K-snacks like honey butter chips, tteokbokki chips, and a packet of the famous fire noodles.
If you find yourself wanting to buy designer clothes while in Korea, Common Ground, Hongdae, and Garosugil are great places to support local designers.
It is safe to say that Korea has an abundance of activities to do for every age. Whether your pace is festivals, hiking, enjoying parks, or shopping. Whatever your taste, Korea is awaiting your arrival.
What would you like to do if you had to opportunity to go to Korea during the spring season?
Written by Brianna Giles
