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#9 Travel Hot Spot for 2009: South Korea
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bucheon bum



Joined: 16 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 10:50 am    Post subject: #9 Travel Hot Spot for 2009: South Korea Reply with quote

At least according to yahoo travel

Quote:
In just two decades, South Korea has emerged as a stable democratic country with big ambitions. The bustling megacity of Seoul embodies the nation�s new spirit, where towering skyscrapers and posh department stores are interspersed with venerable imperial palaces, traditional teahouses, and centuries-old Buddhist temples. Ancient Gyeongju, meanwhile, offers a glimpse into Korea�s 5,000 years of history, and was ranked in 1995 by UNESCO as one of the world�s ten most historically significant places. Nearby, a sunrise climb to the temple-topped peak of Mt. Tohamsan reveals the origin of the country�s moniker, �Land of the Morning Calm.�

Why Go In 2009: The South Korean won has lost more than 30 percent of its value against the dollar since just one year ago, giving the American traveler plenty of purchasing power � of particular interest for shoppers looking to pick up brand-name consumer electronics and designer fashions in Seoul. What�s more, the number of international tourists boomed some 12 percent between 2007 and 2008, a trend that�s inspired hotel chains like Wyndham and InterContinental to expand their presence in the country in 2009.
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mises



Joined: 05 Nov 2007
Location: retired

PostPosted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 10:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I always encourage friends/family to travel to the ROK. It is rough around the edges at times, but Seoul in particular is a really wonderful city. With the won where it is, it can be an affordable place to eat, drink and shop.
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D.D.



Joined: 29 May 2008

PostPosted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 3:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ya the fog is so nice today. Makes me think why would people want to go to a nice sunny beach for their holiday.
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Underwaterbob



Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Location: In Cognito

PostPosted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 4:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

D.D. wrote:
Ya the fog is so nice today. Makes me think why would people want to go to a nice sunny beach for their holiday.


Does the article say go today, immediately? There will be sunny beaches in 2009. Quite a few nice ones I discovered last summer. Some surprisingly uncrowded ones as well. Seriously, with the crap won these days Korea is looking more like a decent place to travel.
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VanIslander



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

PostPosted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 4:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

D.D. wrote:
Ya the fog is so nice today.

Fog? Laughing How cute!

http://eng.airkorea.or.kr/

The air is unhealthy today, more so than in the last week and a half, at least in the capital area, as a low pressure system brings nitrogen dioxide and particulates from worldclass polluted Chinese cities directly upwind of this system.
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Hanson



Joined: 20 Oct 2004

PostPosted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 4:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

VanIslander wrote:
D.D. wrote:
Ya the fog is so nice today.

Fog? Laughing How cute!

http://eng.airkorea.or.kr/

The air is unhealthy today, more so than in the last week and a half, at least in the capital area, as a low pressure system brings nitrogen dioxide and particulates from worldclass polluted Chinese cities directly upwind of this system.


And some people in another thread were complaining about breathing in 3 seconds of second-hand smoke from a smoker... Rolling Eyes

Korea's air aside, for someone who has never been to Korea before, or even Asia for that matter, a trip to Seoul would be very interesting and fun, especially now that the won is so affordable.
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Gamecock



Joined: 26 Nov 2003

PostPosted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 6:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Really there isn't a single reason to come to Korea as a tourist unless you know someone who lives or works here and are visiting them as well. Everything you can see here can be seen better somewhere else.

This isn't a slam on Korea. It is a nice little country with its own charms. Tourism just isn't one of them. I'm from Wisconsin and think it's a nice place. But if foreigners were coming to the USA on thier vacation, I wouldn't recommend they go there.
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mindmetoo



Joined: 02 Feb 2004

PostPosted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 6:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I loved Korea as a tourist and will visit again. The tanking Won makes it extreee attractive. Seoul is Japan Lite (or Japan Extra Lite). You can look at it that way. But I dunno about bargains on electronics even with the currency boost.
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Kuros



Joined: 27 Apr 2004

PostPosted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 6:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you don't think Korea is charming, take a trip to some of the islands for a week.

I recommend Gwangmedo, a small island off of Jindo.

Go to somewhere where non-Asians don't go.
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Temporary



Joined: 13 Jan 2008

PostPosted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 7:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

mindmetoo wrote:
I loved Korea as a tourist and will visit again. The tanking Won makes it extreee attractive. Seoul is Japan Lite (or Japan Extra Lite). You can look at it that way. But I dunno about bargains on electronics even with the currency boost.


Uhm.. Your smoking Crack.. Korea is like Japan Extra Lite.. Don't belittle Japan, I find this remark insulting.

Korea is like Beijing Extra lite.
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Ukon



Joined: 29 Jan 2008

PostPosted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 10:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've met western tourists here...they were having a blast.
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Perceptioncheck



Joined: 13 Oct 2008

PostPosted: Tue Nov 25, 2008 11:46 pm    Post subject: Re: #9 Travel Hot Spot for 2009: South Korea Reply with quote

bucheon bum wrote:

What�s more, the number of international tourists boomed some 12 percent between 2007 and 2008, .
[/quote]

The number of international tourists boomed from six to eight between 2007 and 2008.

Ah, statistics. . .where would be without you?
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santafly



Joined: 20 Feb 2008

PostPosted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 12:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Korea sucks as a tourist destination, it is indisputable. This exactly why it has the least American visitors of any Asian country with a coast.

Gyeongju has one decent temple - Korean is a terrible option for architecture and history. Beijing alone has more to offer than the whole of Korea.

I was eating chicken on a stick from a street stall near my hagwon in Jongno. Another foreigner, who wasn't a native English speaker, ordered some chicken. I asked where he was from. He said Spain. We switched to Spanish and I asked why he had come to Korea. He said he was on vacation in Japan and figured why not. He asked why I was here - teaching english, for the money (because otherwise it would be embarrasing to be here - of course, the money situation is fukked now). He said -

Falta algo, sabor...

Korea is missing something, it has no flavor

that pretty much sums it up perfectly
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santafly



Joined: 20 Feb 2008

PostPosted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 12:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

My brother and sister both mentioned how they want to come visit me here. My response:

No, you can't - I would hate for this to be your first impression of Asia.

Honestly, I think a lot of the people who blog/post on forums about Korea have never really spent time in other parts of Asia and have no idea how much Korea sucks in comparison.
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ciccone_youth



Joined: 03 Mar 2008
Location: Japan

PostPosted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 12:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think Seoul can be a fun place to see if you also go to Japan, or just around Asia.

There's is plenty to do and see in Seoul, and nice places around Korea. But don't make Korea your only destination, make it part of a trip.

My sister came to visit me in Seoul, but I told her to go to Japan (and spend more time there). She really liked Seoul actually, but obviously liked Japan a lot better.
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