If you find yourself in Seoul with a few days to kill, you could do a lot worse than visiting Chuncheon, a small city in the rural north-eastern Gangwon-Do province of South Korea.
Chuncheon is now connected to Seoul via the subway, so getting there is quick and easy. Once you’re in the city, here’s a few things you can do...
1. Visit A Different Country That’s right! In nearby Gapyeong lies the self-proclaimed Naminara, which advertises itself as an independent country. It’s all a gimmick (you won’t need your passport), but it adds to the fun. Non-Korean nationals even receive a discounted visa at the immigration counter.
Naminara is actually Nami Island, a beautiful piece of land that lies in the Bukhan River. Many Korean TV programmes (such as Winter Sonata) have been filmed here, so all you K-Drama fans can get your geek on.
The island has pretty scenery to enjoy, a local population of squirrels, rabbits and ostriches, and if you rent a Duck Boat ($15 per boat, time unlimited), you might get lucky and spot a turtle, too. Get there early in the morning (before 9.30am) to avoid the hoardes of day-trippers coming from Seoul.
To get to Nami Island, take a bus from Chuncheon Bus Terminal to Gapyeong ($2.70 one way, 27 minutes). You can then take a taxi to Nami Island ($3-4, about 10 minutes) from Gapyeong Bus Terminal. Entry is $10 for Korean citizens, $8 for foreign nationals. If you want to zip-line your way to the island, you have to pay $38 (entry fee included).
2. Dalkgalbi Street Dalkgalbi is a kind of mildly spiced chicken-stew-stirfry conconction, and Chuncheon is its home. You’ll find a whole street dedicated to it in the Myeongdong area of Chuncheon’s downtown. The street is overflowing with restaurants, so you may have a difficult time picking one! A meal for two, with beer and soju, will run to around $25 - but it’s worth every penny and by the time you leave, your stomach will have a hard time staying under your sweater.
3. Animation Museum Chuncheon is also home to Korea’s premier Animation Museum. Taking the hourly number 83 shuttle bus from Chuncheon Train Station ($1.10), this is one for the kids. Admission is $4 per adult. But be warned - everything (apart from the exhibit titles) are in Korean. Yet, kids and the young-at-heart will be too distracted by the colourful surroundings and interactive exhibits (look out for the pin animation one) to care.
4. International Mime Festival Every year, towards the end of may, the city plays host to the Chuncheon International Mime Festival. There are free outdoor exhibits, and shows that you pay for (tickets are roughly $10) at various venues around the city. Make sure you read the show description before hand - it’s not all laughs and giggles as me and my partner found out with the show we saw! Most of the shows happen in the second weekend of the festival, so try to plan around that if you’re in the area at the time.
5. Traditional Sauna If you’re stuck for a place to stay, try out Namu Hyang-gi - a Korean-style sauna set in a gorgeous traditional Hanok building with an outdoor garden and seating area. To get there, just hop in a taxi and tell the driver the name (the fare should be no more than $3-4 maximum). From Chuncheon bYou’re given a uniform on arrival (it costs $10 for one night) which you wear in the uber-relaxing sauna area. If sweating’s not your thing, you can play O-Mok, a traditional Korean board game (think Connect 5), order some food, or simply chill out and catch up on your favourite K-Dramas in the communal areas.
You’re provided with a sleeping mat and pillow (blankets cost extra, but you shouldn’t need them) and can choose any of the rooms to crash for the night - on the floor (it’s surprisingly comfortable). There are men-only, women-only, and couple areas available.
Tom has been working in South Korea since June 2009, and is currently saving his pennies for a round-the-world trip. Tom's site waegook-tom.com is focused on providing information for travelers and expats about Korea, as well as any other destinations that he manages to visit in the meantime
