Nov-Feb 09:00 – 17:00 Web www.koreanfolk.co.kr Keyword kids, quiet, village Set around a quiet river, the folk village houses a temple, a Confucian school and shrine, a market, a magistrate’s, storehouses, a bullock and cart, and household furnishings and tools. They represent traditional housing styles from all over the country.
This is a real village, not just a tourist show – the people you see working here live here all the time, although there are regular dance performances and parades held every day, which may be a nod to sightseers.
The village takes at least half a day to look around and has a true rural village atmosphere: hanbok-clad artisans create pots, make paper and weave bamboo while other workers tend vegetable plots, pigs, and chickens.
Next door is an amusement park for children, an art gallery and a world folk museum. A combo ticket to all three gives you a discount off the separate admission fees.
Seongnamsa
Transport bus: Miryang bus terminal Hours 03:00 – 20:00 Keyword religious/spiritual, mountain, national park, forest This must-see temple is a visual masterpiece. The 800m (.5mi) walk along an interlocking stone path from the park entrance to the temple is sublime. At the temple’s main gate, pause half way up the stairs and take in the image of a multi-storeyed pagoda and bamboo trees juxtaposed against the mountain.
Seongnamsa is an easy day-trip from Busan. The bus climbs a steep road carved into the mountainside with stunning views of peaks and valleys smothered in a green forest. Be savvy and sit on the right hand side of the bus for the best views.
South Korea: Money & Costs
South Korea is steadily shouldering its way into the big league when it comes to costs – Japan is about the only place that’s still more expensive. If you’re staying in a hostel or a traditional Korean inn, you might be able to get by on US$40.00 a day assuming you lead an extremely frugal existence. If you’re planning to travel around and would prefer more luxurious accommodation, you should expect to spend significantly more. As for sustenance, the nightlife in Seoul will dig into your coffers, but food is generally quite cheap – US$7.00 should fill you up. Travelling will up your spending, but happily Korean transport is both efficient and reasonably priced. A high-speed train runs the length of the country and a ticket on this only costs US$40.00 .
Currency
Name South Korean Won
Symbol ₩ Sample Price Guide
small bottle of water 500 loaf of bread 1600 movie ticket 7000 litre of petrol 1500 litre of bottled water 1100 half litre of beer 1000 souvenir t-shirt 5000 street snack (Tteobokki) 2000 local newspaper 700 food court lunch 6000 movie ticket 7000 steak dinner 25,000 tailor-made suit 200,000 Average Room Prices
Low Mid High Deluxe
₩8000-23000 ₩23000-45000 ₩45000-70000 ₩70000+
Average Meal Prices
Low Mid High Deluxe
₩2300-3400 ₩3400-12000 ₩12000-20000 ₩20000+
South Korea: Getting there & around
Getting There
A number of international carriers fly to South Korea. The international