Wow Korea Goes Island Hopping
The Philippines has 7, 107 islands and honestly, I've only been to 2 of them. But in a span of just one weekend, I was able to tour not one, but 3 islands here in Korea.
Even though it's the onset of winter, that didn't stop our team to explore the majestic islands of Geoje-do, Oedo and Somaemul-do.
Our first stop was the Hallyeo Cable Car. This is the longest cable car in Korea for tourism purposes. Riding this cable car will give you the opportunity to see a panoramic view of the entire Tongyeong. Once you reach the top, the beautiful peak of Mireuksan will greet visitors as well as a nearby Japanese Island called Tsushima.
I've always loved cable cars since they are an efficient way of enjoying the complete scenic wonder of a place. The entire ride lasted for almost 20 minutes and it was enough to give you the harmonious beauty of the sea, landscape and the surrounding Hallyeohaesang National Park.
After our thrilling cable car ride, we headed to Dongpirang Village, a village with colorful mural paintings. It's quite common to see a mural village in Korea, the most famous ones are Hyewha and Busan, however, what makes Dongpirang Village unique is the variety of paintings on the wall. There are artworks that depicts political issues, movie posters, famous cartoon characters, romance, and everyday people's lives.
These are some of my favorite murals in the village.
The beauty of a place has to be appreciated both in daylight and nighttime. So we took a walk to the nearby Nammang Park to bask in the glow of the city lights. The lights reflected in the quiet harbor are just perfect as they illuminate the entire city. This is the best way to cap the night off and end our first day adventures.
Day 2
Day 2 is packed with cruising tours. We began our island-hopping mission at Oedo Botania. The most beautiful place I've ever seen here in Korea with luscious greens and rainbow-colored species of different floral wonders. It actually resembles a small Greek city. The structure of the place is reminiscent of typical ancient Grecian style of marbles, intricate architectural patterns, and a majestic garden.
Our next location is Windy Hill. It reminded of the place in the Philippines called Pagudpud which is a famous tourist attraction because of its wind vanes. Windy Hill has a giant wind vane which has been prominently featured in countless dramas and TV shows. It provides a perfect backdrop for those windy-themed photo shoots. The gentle breeze perfectly blowing against your face and leaving you with that shampoo commercial-worthy hair. hahahaha :)
The last island on the trip is Somaemuldo. One of the things that I actually miss about Manila is its picturesque sunset. Manila bay boasts as having one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world and its beauty never fails to amaze me no matter how many times I've seen it. So when we came to Somaemuldo to capture the day to night transition, I was reminded of home. The spectacular sunset of the island would definitely leave visitors the feeling of awe at the wonder of nature. To witness a perfect sunset such as this can be considered as one of life's simplest pleasures. I am blessed to have been given this opportunity to marvel at nature's magic.
Of course, our Wow Korea Trip wouldn't be complete without a BBQ party! After the tiring trips to various islands, we finally had the time to recharge our energies with our delicious dinner. And since this is our last trip, we just had to end it with a bang! We lit up the night with fireworks which gave the beach a New-year like atmosphere. Yes, Wow Korea Supporters certainly knows how to party!
The 3rd and last day's itinerary is Ssang ssang Gil (Imagination Road). Korea Tourism Organization made a promotional contest where people from around the world can submit their names for a chance for it to be engraved at the tiles that make up the road. Visitors flock to this place just to look for their names engraved in the colorful tiles. Visitors can receive special gifts once they find their names in the tiles. This is actually a unique opportunity to leave your mark in Korea. :)
Save the best for last. Although this is our last Wow Korea trip, the memories I've collected, friends I've made and places I've visited will always have a special place in my heart. During trips, sometimes it's not the place that counts, but rather the people you are with.
I will always be thankful that I was given the chance to join Wow Korea. This is definitely one of the best decisions I have ever made since I came to Korea. All of our wonderful trips would not have been possible without the hard work of our managers so I would like to congratulate all of them for the effort they have put into every preparation.
Thank you for satisfying our wanderlust. :) Each and every experience in the trip made me learn more not only about Korea but also made me discover about myself. I would continue to explore more about this country and I hope more people would appreciate the beauty that it has to offer. ^^
Even though it's the onset of winter, that didn't stop our team to explore the majestic islands of Geoje-do, Oedo and Somaemul-do.
Our first stop was the Hallyeo Cable Car. This is the longest cable car in Korea for tourism purposes. Riding this cable car will give you the opportunity to see a panoramic view of the entire Tongyeong. Once you reach the top, the beautiful peak of Mireuksan will greet visitors as well as a nearby Japanese Island called Tsushima.
I've always loved cable cars since they are an efficient way of enjoying the complete scenic wonder of a place. The entire ride lasted for almost 20 minutes and it was enough to give you the harmonious beauty of the sea, landscape and the surrounding Hallyeohaesang National Park.
After our thrilling cable car ride, we headed to Dongpirang Village, a village with colorful mural paintings. It's quite common to see a mural village in Korea, the most famous ones are Hyewha and Busan, however, what makes Dongpirang Village unique is the variety of paintings on the wall. There are artworks that depicts political issues, movie posters, famous cartoon characters, romance, and everyday people's lives.
These are some of my favorite murals in the village.
The beauty of a place has to be appreciated both in daylight and nighttime. So we took a walk to the nearby Nammang Park to bask in the glow of the city lights. The lights reflected in the quiet harbor are just perfect as they illuminate the entire city. This is the best way to cap the night off and end our first day adventures.
Day 2
Day 2 is packed with cruising tours. We began our island-hopping mission at Oedo Botania. The most beautiful place I've ever seen here in Korea with luscious greens and rainbow-colored species of different floral wonders. It actually resembles a small Greek city. The structure of the place is reminiscent of typical ancient Grecian style of marbles, intricate architectural patterns, and a majestic garden.
Fun fact: This island became famous as a shooting location for the Korean drama Winter Sonata. And there's actually a tourist spot in the place called "Stairway to Heaven". Oedo Botania is truly paradise on earth.
Our next location is Windy Hill. It reminded of the place in the Philippines called Pagudpud which is a famous tourist attraction because of its wind vanes. Windy Hill has a giant wind vane which has been prominently featured in countless dramas and TV shows. It provides a perfect backdrop for those windy-themed photo shoots. The gentle breeze perfectly blowing against your face and leaving you with that shampoo commercial-worthy hair. hahahaha :)
The last island on the trip is Somaemuldo. One of the things that I actually miss about Manila is its picturesque sunset. Manila bay boasts as having one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world and its beauty never fails to amaze me no matter how many times I've seen it. So when we came to Somaemuldo to capture the day to night transition, I was reminded of home. The spectacular sunset of the island would definitely leave visitors the feeling of awe at the wonder of nature. To witness a perfect sunset such as this can be considered as one of life's simplest pleasures. I am blessed to have been given this opportunity to marvel at nature's magic.
Of course, our Wow Korea Trip wouldn't be complete without a BBQ party! After the tiring trips to various islands, we finally had the time to recharge our energies with our delicious dinner. And since this is our last trip, we just had to end it with a bang! We lit up the night with fireworks which gave the beach a New-year like atmosphere. Yes, Wow Korea Supporters certainly knows how to party!
The 3rd and last day's itinerary is Ssang ssang Gil (Imagination Road). Korea Tourism Organization made a promotional contest where people from around the world can submit their names for a chance for it to be engraved at the tiles that make up the road. Visitors flock to this place just to look for their names engraved in the colorful tiles. Visitors can receive special gifts once they find their names in the tiles. This is actually a unique opportunity to leave your mark in Korea. :)
Save the best for last. Although this is our last Wow Korea trip, the memories I've collected, friends I've made and places I've visited will always have a special place in my heart. During trips, sometimes it's not the place that counts, but rather the people you are with.
I will always be thankful that I was given the chance to join Wow Korea. This is definitely one of the best decisions I have ever made since I came to Korea. All of our wonderful trips would not have been possible without the hard work of our managers so I would like to congratulate all of them for the effort they have put into every preparation.
Thank you for satisfying our wanderlust. :) Each and every experience in the trip made me learn more not only about Korea but also made me discover about myself. I would continue to explore more about this country and I hope more people would appreciate the beauty that it has to offer. ^^
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