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Weekend in Jeolla-do-Need Advice

 
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plato's republic



Joined: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Ancient Greece

PostPosted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 8:20 pm    Post subject: Weekend in Jeolla-do-Need Advice Reply with quote

I'm planning a three-day trip to Jeolla-do in May, primarily interested in visiting Damyang-Boseong-Yeosu, though I'll be staying in Gwangju.

Is it possible to take the KTX from Seoul to Gwangju? If so, does it run from Seoul Station or Yongsan Station? And will I be able to buy tickets from the station a week or two in advance?

Thanks for any help.
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genezorm



Joined: 01 Jul 2007
Location: Mokpo

PostPosted: Wed Apr 09, 2008 9:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

http://info.korail.com/2007/eng/eng_index.jsp
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Smee



Joined: 24 Dec 2004
Location: Jeollanam-do

PostPosted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 1:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Don't know anything about the trains since I've never used them.

Just wanted to say that it might be better to do it Damyang - Yeosu - Boseong, in that order. It's a little tricky finding buses between the smaller towns. Damyang - Yeosu - Boseong will take you in a circle.

You'll get into Gwangju, then from Gwangju go to Damyang then take a bus to the bamboo forest. There's a festival the first week of May in Damyang, and you can dig around these sites for transportation information:
http://english.tour2korea.com/02Culture/events/Depth04.asp?sight=Event&sightseeing_id=456&ADDRESS_1=32863&ADDRESS_2=30921&konum=1&kosm=m2_1
http://www.bamboofestival.co.kr/
Soswaewon is also worth a visit, but that's about it. Damyang is quite boring.

Buses run from Gwangju to Yeosu from 5:30 am to 11:00 pm. The sites to see there are to be Hyangiram, Odongdo, and Dolsan Bridge. Next to Dolsan Bridge is a little harbor with cruise ships that will take you on tours of the outlying islands. Worth it if you have time.

Boseong has the tea fields. Also worth a visit is Daewonsa temple, which has a Tibetan Museum on site. http://www.daewonsa.or.kr/ That's about it, as Boseong is fairly boring, too.

A lot of other things to do . . . but with three days, that should keep you fairly busy. Let me know if you have any other questions.
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plato's republic



Joined: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Ancient Greece

PostPosted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 4:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for the help. Boring sounds good to me right now. I just want to breathe some fresh air and visit a different part of the country. I'm sure I'll find enough to do in the three days. Thanks again.
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plato's republic



Joined: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Ancient Greece

PostPosted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 4:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just tried to find info about the KTX schedule from Seoul-Gwangju, but according to the Korail website, no trains run from Seoul to Gwangju! Confused
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hogwonguy1979



Joined: 22 Dec 2003
Location: the racoon den

PostPosted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 4:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

plato's republic wrote:
I just tried to find info about the KTX schedule from Seoul-Gwangju, but according to the Korail website, no trains run from Seoul to Gwangju! Confused


they run from yongsan station not seoul station
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ajgeddes



Joined: 28 Apr 2004
Location: Yongsan

PostPosted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 6:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Any train going to Jeolla-do goes from Yongsan station and any train going to Gyeonsang-do goes from Seoul station. KTX or the slow trains.
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plato's republic



Joined: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Ancient Greece

PostPosted: Thu Apr 10, 2008 7:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK then, thanks for that.
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moosehead



Joined: 05 May 2007

PostPosted: Fri Apr 11, 2008 6:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Smee wrote:
Don't know anything about the trains since I've never used them.

Just wanted to say that it might be better to do it Damyang - Yeosu - Boseong, in that order. It's a little tricky finding buses between the smaller towns. Damyang - Yeosu - Boseong will take you in a circle.

You'll get into Gwangju, then from Gwangju go to Damyang then take a bus to the bamboo forest. There's a festival the first week of May in Damyang, and you can dig around these sites for transportation information:
http://english.tour2korea.com/02Culture/events/Depth04.asp?sight=Event&sightseeing_id=456&ADDRESS_1=32863&ADDRESS_2=30921&konum=1&kosm=m2_1
http://www.bamboofestival.co.kr/
Soswaewon is also worth a visit, but that's about it. Damyang is quite boring.

Buses run from Gwangju to Yeosu from 5:30 am to 11:00 pm. The sites to see there are to be Hyangiram, Odongdo, and Dolsan Bridge. Next to Dolsan Bridge is a little harbor with cruise ships that will take you on tours of the outlying islands. Worth it if you have time.

Boseong has the tea fields. Also worth a visit is Daewonsa temple, which has a Tibetan Museum on site. http://www.daewonsa.or.kr/ That's about it, as Boseong is fairly boring, too.

A lot of other things to do . . . but with three days, that should keep you fairly busy. Let me know if you have any other questions.


this is a pretty good post - what do you know about visiting the tea fields? like time of year, how one gets around? is it necessary to rent a car or what?
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plato's republic



Joined: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Ancient Greece

PostPosted: Sat Apr 12, 2008 4:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I just got my KTX tickets for the trip down to Gwangju today. I'll be heading down there for the May 3rd-5th holiday weekend. I'll try to follow Smee's advice and do the Damyang-Yeosu-Boseong loop. Thanks again for the tips.
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JungMin



Joined: 18 May 2005

PostPosted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 6:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

moosehead wrote:
what do you know about visiting the tea fields? like time of year, how one gets around? is it necessary to rent a car or what?


The tea fields are just outside of Beoseong. You can get the country bus to Beoseong and then a cab or another bus to the tea fields.

There are a couple different plantations to look at. But I think the best is the first one you come across as you drive from Beoseong. It's on the right hand side of the road and the entrance road slopes down, away from the main road. Can't remember the name.

I haven't been there this year, but i'd say in a few weeks to a month it should be looking really nice. There is some festival every spring, but not sure when it is (and not sure of the website, sorry). Nothing special about it anyways, just a lot of people.

If you want to take pictures without hundreds of people in them, you need to go really early.

The area is nice for driving, especially if you have a motorcycle. So if you have a car, take it and enjoy an hour or so at the tea plantation, have a picnic and go for a hike.





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Smee



Joined: 24 Dec 2004
Location: Jeollanam-do

PostPosted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 8:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, you can get around easily with a bus. The festival will be held during that first three day weekend, but any other time is fine to go: http://dahyang.boseong.go.kr/dahyang2005/

Also, there's a spa / green tea bath in Boseong, Yulpo Spa. I hear it's worth checking out, but it'll probably be jam-packed if you go during one of those weekends.

Rob, do you have any other photos of the area? Your own site? Wouldn't mind checking them out.
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VanIslander



Joined: 18 Aug 2003
Location: Geoje, Hadong, Tongyeong,... now in a small coastal island town outside Gyeongsangnamdo!

PostPosted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 8:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Smee wrote:
... a spa / green tea bath in Boseong, Yulpo Spa. I hear it's worth checking out

No, it wasn't worth it for me. Confused Though it's next to the sea, if it's the green tea pool in Yulpo, and I was there in July so at least swimming in the sea helped salvage a disappointing detour on a southern coast vacation trip.
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moosehead



Joined: 05 May 2007

PostPosted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Nice photos - thanks for posting the info - I'll probably rent a car in Gwangju or something -

Thanks! Laughing
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