Heart n Seoul

One of the many traditions in South Korea is to do with drinking, a surprising major pastime for this nation.The national drink is Soju, a clear like vodka.drunk out of shot glasses with meals, and  one which you should never pour your own,but when you pour a drink for someone older than you, put your hand on your heart as a mark of respect.

As a destination, South Korea is now on the bucket list of many people with more and more cruise lines now looking at multi stop itineraries in this fascinating country.The latest was the Costa neoRomantica, which berthed in Sokcho this week,followed by Silverseas visiting in May and Royal Caribbean later this year , South Korea is certainly on the radar for many cruise lines for the future.i

Travelling distances can be long from some of the cruise ports but Incheon is South Koreas largest seaport, just an hours transfer (30 miles) to Seoul and favourite stop of the cruise lines with stops at  Jeju island,and Busan also gaining in popularity.

Jeju Island is a stunning volcanic island and designated a World Heritage Site, there are lava tubes to explore,the largest is over 5 miles long ,Seongsan or Sunrise Peak the charming Seongeup Folk Village and sculptures such as “Loveland” but im not going to explain that one !  Much gentler would be a visit to the Teddy Bear Museum, popular with the Chinese tourists.

Busan is much more of a cityscape but the skyscrapers are set all dwarfed by the green mountainside backdrop in South Koreas second largest city with over 3.5 million people living and working there.Highlights to see are:

Gamcheon Culture Village, a fascinating exploration of Korean culture and history, with pretty multicoloured houses with art, murals and graffiti set amongst the hillside. Visit the powder sands of Haeundaw Beach, with a slight reminisence of Rio with towering skyscrapers fringed by the beach.If you are tired of the beach and ocean views you can head to the Shinsegae department store, its the worlds largest with a whole floor dedicated to shoes and a whole floor dedicated to makeup ! There are plenty of other temples of worship such as the Haedong Yonggung Temple, sent on the coastline with dramatic vista views.

Most travellers want to experience Seoul with its mix of ancient history, tea gardens, the latest technology and vibrant food culture.The city was founded in 18 BC and all cruise lines will have dedicated excursions or transfers from Incheon cruise port and it takes around an hour into the city.With a population of over 10 million, getting around is easy in the orange taxis, all meter based and very economical, you also get taxis with international writing on the side and an indication of what languages are spoken ,as Chinese are still the largest visitors, but you will have no problem speaking English. The Winter Olympics held there last year have brought a huge spike in tourism.    One of the must see sites is the Gyeongbokgung Palace, built in the 1300s, or if you are taking a taxi ask for the Northern Palace, its one of the most beautiful and largest palaces in South Korea.Also try and visit Bukcheon Hanok Village, its a very picturesque fishing village where you can wander amongst the Hanok, the traditional Korean houses and sip tea at one of the traditional tea houses ,or explore  the cafes,restaurants and handmade craft shops.More culture to be found at the chief temple of Jogyesa, one of the most important in the country , founded in 1935 at the beginning of the Joseon Dynasty and a testament to South Korean Buddhism,you may be lucky to see parades especially during Buddhas birthday in May.

On a little lighter note, you could pay homage to the hit record Gangnam style, in front of the Codex mall in Seoul is a statue with the crossed hands from the song. Its got to be a selfie !

So, consider South Korea as a captivating cruising option, you are going to love the scenery, the history and the friendly people,our Autumn and Spring are a great time to visit with the Summer  rather hot and humid.Cherry blossom time is early April.And then there is the food-wonderful.Get in touch to find more about the voyages available including South Korea.