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[wylies99]

Here's an article about viewing the flowers in the palaces in Seoul.
Note- At the link there is a list of expected blossom times for different flowers.
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2918334

A leisurely stroll around town during the peak flower viewing period is an early spring ritual for many.

The ephemeral nature of the blossoms themselves means those so inclined have only a small window of time in which to enjoy themselves.

It�s almost time to stroll around the grounds of Korea�s palaces and take in the sights, sounds and scents that the royal class enjoyed during springs of the past.

Although it�s still early, royal palace officials said several fragrant spicebush trees are blossoming, but visitors will have to wait a few more days before the other flowers catch up to the early bloomers.


The unusually cold spring weather has delayed blossoming somewhat, but spring is just around the corner. As it always does about this time of year, the Cultural Heritage Administration released the dates when flowers are expected to bloom at the royal palaces in the central Seoul area.

The first things to blossom were the spicebush trees at Changdeok Palace last week. Colorful apricot, Chinese plum and Korean cherry trees, among others, are expected to bloom later this month to early April around the royal palaces in the central Seoul area.

A trip to the palaces will not only provide the beauty of bright flowers set against the backdrop of the ancient royal structures of the Joseon period (1392-1910), but can also reveal some interesting tales about the daily lives of the royal class in the gated grounds of the palaces.

�The prevalence of Korean cherry trees on the Gyeongbok Palace grounds is largely due to the fondness King Sejong [1397-1450] had for the trees,� explained Park Sung-jin, a professor at Kyungpook National University and an expert on royal palace trees in Korea.

(Read the rest at the above link, and there is a great deal of deatiled information at the link.)

[wylies99]

http://10magazine.asia/3284/cherry-blossom-festivals/

Life Is Just a Bowl of Cherry Blossom Festivals

Nothing signals spring�s arrival better than the delicate, pale pink cherry blossoms that burst in unison from once barren trees across the peninsula. Whether you�re looking for a place to enjoy the outdoors with family and friends, take a romantic stroll, or snap scenic photographs, the cherry blossom festivals that take place in April are a sure way to experience Korea�s natural beauty. If there is one thing that you absolutely must see in Korea in the springtime, this is it! You don�t want to miss these opportunities to walk under the ephemeral, fairytale-like canopies of pink and white.

Jinhae

The Jinhae Gunhang Festival (April 1st � 11th) is one of the most famous cherry blossom festivals in Korea. Located in South Gyeongsang Province, the city of Jinhae is home to hundreds of thousands of flowering trees and attracts over one million visitors each spring. To get a view of the entire city as well as the ocean next to it, take a hike at Mt. Jangbok, where you�ll see the city blanketed with blossoms and tourists. Another option is a stroll down Anmin Road, a 5.6-kilometer stretch of blossom canopies. For the best photo opportunities, walk along picture-perfect Yeojwacheon, a stream lined with trees and dotted with yellow canola flowers. Yeojwacheon is especially famous for having been featured in the 2002 drama Romance. There are plenty of food tents dotted throughout the city for food to snack on while you enjoy the blossoms.
From Seoul, take the KTX to Miryang. At Miryang, transfer to the Saemaeul train bound for Jinhae.

Seoul

From April 6th to 18th, tourists and city dwellers alike are free to roam the streets of Yeouido along the Han River, where tree-lined roads are blocked off for pedestrian blossom-viewing. Cultural events including traditional Korean music and dance, scheduled to be held from the 9th to the 13th. For a leisurely evening stroll, visit the LED-lit blossoms at night near the river, or walk down the 1.7-kilometer Yunjungno. Yeouido is sure to be packed with a sea of people, but don�t let that stop you from enjoying the blossoms in the city.
Exit at National Assembly Station (line 9) or Yeouinaru Station
(line 5 exits 1-3).

HWAGAE
The Hwagae Cherry Blossom Festival takes place from April 3rd to 5th in South Gyeongsang Province. According to legend, if two lovers walk down the beautiful, blossom-lined 10-ri cherry road while holding hands, they will eventually get married and live happily ever after. See for yourself if the legend holds true!
From Nambu Terminal in Seoul (line 3), take a bus towards Hadong-gun and get off at Hwagae Terminal. From Hwagae Terminal, a a bus or taxi will bring you to the festival site at Hwagae Jangteo.

CHEONGPUNG
The Cheongpung Cherry Blossom Festival in Jecheon in North Chungcheong Province takes place from April 10th to 12th with cherry blossoms in full bloom from the 7th to 17th. Expect various hands-on events such as flower postcard making and lakeside bungee jumping. Some of the prettiest scenery lies at the end of the blossom road at Cheongpung Lake, surrounded by flowers. Other attractions include a visit to the SBS Jecheon film set and water sports on the lake.
From the Dong Seoul Terminal at Gangbyeon St. (line 2), take a bus to Jecheon Terminal. From the terminal, hop on a city bus or a taxi to reach the festival grounds.

Far from the Madding Crowds
Want to bask in cherry blossom bliss without all of the festive frenzy? Try one of these (relatively) tranquil options. That said, don�t blame us if you have an unpleasant run in with a beondegi stand. This is Korea, after all, and not the Australian Outback.
Incheon Grand Park
About 15 minutes by bus from Songnae St. (line 1) or Incheon City Hall St. (Incheon line). grandpark.incheon.go.kr
Lover�s Road at Yeongnam University
Near Daegu in Gyeongsan-si. yu.ac.kr
Seoul Grand Park
Just south of Seoul in Gwacheon-si near Seoul Grand Park St. (line 4). grandpark.seoul.go.kr
Yunjung-ro in Yeouido
Take a relaxing stroll down this street while the festivities continue a few blocks away. National Assembly St. (line 9, ex. 3) or Yeouinaru St. (line 5, ex. 3)

[wylies99]

These articles are two great guides to the various Cherry Blossoms and flowers that will be featured in Korea over the next two months.

[wylies99]

http://english.visitseoul.net/visit2007en/events/calendarofevents/calendarofevents.jsp?cid=127&sid=2810

From April 6th-18th the 6th Annual Han River Yeouido Spring Flower Festival will be held in the area behind the National Assembly in Yeouido. From April 9th-13th you�ll also be able to enjoy cultural performances in addition to the beautiful Jeju Cherry Blossoms and other flowers. Throughout the duration of the festival, traffic will be regulated along a 1.7 km-long �Car-free Spring Flowers Street� from the southern end of the Seogang Bridge to the northern end of the Pacheon Bridge.

The festival will kick off on April 6th at 4 pm with performances by an international dance and comedy team and other performers, and there will be a street art show. At the festival you can experience a floral decoration exhibition, a sculpture exhibition, and a box art exhibition. There will be other fun events, such as a nail art experience, a quiz game, and snacks will be on hand, offering exciting entertainment for the whole family.

Transportation Information:
Subway:
- Dangsan Station (lines 2, 9) Exit 4, a 10-minute walk
- Yeouinaru Station (line 5) Exits 1 and 2, a 13-minute walk
- Yeouido Station (line 5), Exits 2 and 4, a 15-minute walk
- National Assembly Station (line 9), Exits 1 and 6, a 5-minute walk

Bus (3-5 minute walk from bus stop is required):
- Yeouido Full Gospel Church: 263, 363, 461, 753,
5615, 618, 5633, 5713, 6623, 6633,
7613, 1002, 1008
- National Assembly: 153, 263, 363, 461, 5618,
5615, 6633, 8153, 1002, 1008

[AsiaESLbound]

Too bad there's not a Spring holiday or break. Too few holidays. Gimme sunny and warm days off please. My camera has a serious case of cabin fever. Thanks for all the info. Sounds like Yeouido is the place go if in or near Seoul.

[wylies99]

The Cherry Blossoms will be in full bloom starting this week.

[Globutron]

And ending? I can only go to see in the weekend...

[wylies99]

You can go this weekend.

[meghanr83]

Wow! Thanks for the info!

[wylies99]

[wylies99]

Anyone else have the same question?

[Moldy Rutabaga]

I saw and took pictures of cherry blossoms in Duryu Park today in Daegu, if anyone's in Daegu and unable to get out this weekend. A whole long row of trees near the entrance, and more inside by the lake. Very nice.

[wylies99]

Great rail getaways for spring flower fans

These packages will spirit you away without stressing you out.
April 08, 2010

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2918888

There are two peak seasons for travel in Korea: the warm spring season, when visitors flock to the southern part of the country for a glimpse of the cherry blossoms in bloom, and the nippy autumn season, when the fall foliage draws people to the mountainous areas in the north.

With so many people traveling, traffic is as much a part of the experience as the destinations themselves. One way to avoid the crowded roads, with the added benefit of also reducing your carbon footprint, is to travel by train.

This season, travelers can take advantage of a number of rail packages that promise to spirit you away without stressing you out.



Cherry trees galore

It�s not clear when it all started but cherry blossoms are a big part of spring in Korea. A number of places around the country are known for their cherry blossom displays, but the most popular is in Jinhae, South Gyeongsang, a port city that is home to the country�s Navy shipyard and base facilities, as well as the Naval Academy.

Jinhae is the only city in the country that keeps data on the number of cherry blossom trees it has. The number is released on an annual basis and, according to the latest count, there are approximately 35,000 cherry trees in the city.

Jinhae is also the home of the Jinhae Gunhang (Naval Port) Festival. The first festival was held on April 13, 1962, to commemorate the unveiling of a statue of Admiral Yi Sun-shin, who is known for fighting off Japanese invaders in the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). The cherry trees provided the perfect backdrop for the festival�s events, and the cherry blossoms are now a highlight of the festival.

The naval port festival is the oldest cherry blossom festival in the country and the date of the festival varies from year to year depending on the weather. This year, the festival kicked off last Thursday and ends Sunday. The blossoms started to bloom in Jinhae on March 26, which is four days later than last year, and reached their peak on the festival�s opening day.

Although the festival is the most popular place to see the cherry trees in full bloom, it also attracts the most complaints. A few years ago, the festival was held after the flowers had all fallen from the trees. It was an unfortunate turn of events that was the result of unpredictable weather, but embarrassed city officials nonetheless.

The biggest complaint from visitors is the traffic. The festival brings at least two million people to the city, and last year, attendance was 2.5 million. For a city of 160,000, it can be a bit overwhelming.

This year�s festival has been relatively quiet, and attendance has declined considerably due to the colder than average weather and the sinking of the Navy vessel Cheonan. Although many of the planned festivities involving the Korean Armed Forces have been canceled, Jinhae is still worth a visit at this time of year.

There are two train stations in Jinhae: Gyeonghwa Station and Jinhae Station. The area between the two stations, a distance of roughly three kilometers (2 miles), is known as the most scenic in the city.

*For more information, visit http://gunhang.jinhae.go.kr or call (055) 548-2433.
Popular places

The Seomjin River area near the foot of Mount Jiri in South Jeolla is another popular place to go at this time of year, when the area is covered with sansuyu, or cornelian cherry trees. The Gwangyang area nearby is also flush with cherry trees.

But perhaps one of the best places to visit in the spring is Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, when the historic city transforms itself into a blooming garden filled with pink cherry blossoms and bright yellow rape flowers.

Once the capital city of the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-935), Gyeongju is a living museum and home to historical treasures such as the Seokguram grotto and Bulguk temple. The surrounding countryside is just as lovely, its pastoral fields dotted with small hidden temples and other relics.

It is possible to drive to Gyeongju (the estimated time from Seoul City Hall to Gyeongju City Hall is around 4 hours and 35 minutes), but the large number of weekend travelers pushes the time to well over five hours. That�s bad news for the person behind the wheel.

But a train ride down to Gyeongju takes just three hours. The ride on the KTX from Seoul Station to Dongdaegu Station takes two hours. The remainder of the trip is one hour, after a quick transfer to a Saemaul train at Dongdaegu Station for the final leg to Gyeongju.

*The Gyeongju Cherry Blossom Marathon was held on April 2, but Gyeongju has a lot to offer visitors almost any time of year.



Fabulous flora

Korail has designated several train trips for flower viewing this spring. One of these takes passengers on a day trip to Jinhae, South Gyeongsang. The trains depart from Seoul Station at 7 a.m. and return at 10 p.m. In addition to the train fare, the package includes a tour of the Naval Academy and the navy base, which is covered with cherry blossoms this time of year. Visitors will also hike Mount Jaewang, with its panoramic view of the Jinhae area. The package costs 55,000 won ($49) on weekends.

Another package whisks you away to Gangneung, Gangwon, for a two-day trip through Jeongdongjin, a popular place to see the sun rise, Gyeongpo Lake, known for its cherry blossoms, and Daegwallyeong, which is the site of a local sheep farm. That package costs 69,000 won.

*For more information on these and other packages visit, www.korailtravel.com or call 1544-7755.


By Sohn Min-ho [[email protected]]

[Hyeon Een]

All the 'festivals' in Seoul have been cancelled (Yeoido, Children's Park, Namsan) due to the Cheonan incident.

Since the trees will still be there though it shouldn't matter much I suppose. Maybe fewer people?

[wylies99]