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Seoul / Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon / Korean Folk Village / DMZ & 3rd Tunnel / Ganghwado Island
/ Gyeongju / Busan / Seoul |
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9 Days / 8 Nights |
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Day 1 ¡ª Arrive in Seoul
Arrive in Seoul at Incheon International Airport, where you will be met and transferred to your downtown hotel. After check-in the balance of the day is at leisure. Overnight in Seoul.
Day 2 ¡ª Seoul
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A full day tour of Metropolitan city of Seoul, where old meets new in modern Korea. Established by the founder of Joseon Dynasty in 1392, the capital of the Republic of Korea has a population of more than 12,000,000 people. Seoul is a city of incredible contrasts which, despite its immense size, make it one of the most fascinating cities in the world. It is the heart of Korea¡¯s culture and education as well as politics and economics. The tour includes Gyeongbokgung |
Palace (Palace of Shining Happiness) - the main palace during the Joseon Dynasty - passing by Blue House (Presidential Residence)£»National Folk Museum of Korea - the collections display complete items from every region of Korea which illustrate all aspects of traditional life£»Namdaemun (South Gate) Market-one of the oldest and largest markets in Korea, with colorful and bustling spots for bargain shoppers£»Changdeokgung Palace (Palace of illustrious Virtue) - constructed in 1405, and is now the best preserved of Seoul's five palaces of the Joseon Dynasty£»Biwon (Secret Garden) - behind Changdeokgung Palace are tranquil gardens of unequalled beauty and woodland originally constructed for the recreational area for the royal family and palace women£»Insadong Antique District - called "Mary's Alley" by foreigners, Korea's art and antique district reminds many visitors of a street museum. One hundred-odd antique shops, old bookstores, and art galleries are concentrated in this area£»Jogyesa Temple - it is the headquarters of the Jogye sect of Korean Buddhism, and the regional office of the World Fellowship of Buddhism£»and Namsangol Traditional Korean Village - these houses were rebuilt after the traditional houses of Joseon Dynasty. The houses belong to various social ranks of the society from peasant to king. Overnight in Seoul.
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Day 3 ¡ª Seoul / Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon / Korean Folk Village / Seoul |
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This morning travel to Suwon walled city, where was planned as capital city of Joseon Dynasty in the 18th century with the intention of moving the national capital from Seoul to Suwon and Hwaseong fortress wall was constructed. Enjoy tour of Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon-over 5 km in length, the fortress wall averages 9 m high and its bulwark of stone and brick is considered the masterpiece of Korean fortress construction. The fortress wall was designated as World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO in 1997. Afterwards visit the Korean Folk Village outside of Seoul to see a superb and truly authentic display of |
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Korean history including folk traditions, legends, and the lifestyles of the nobility, the 14th-20th centuries, Korea. Return to Seoul. Overnight in Seoul.
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Day 4 ¡ª Seoul / DMZ & 3rd Tunnel / Seoul |
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Today tour includes North Korea¡¯s 3rd Infiltration Tunnel-this is located within DMZ (Demilitarized Zone) area and is 44 km away from Seoul and found in October, 1978, and 30,000 armed military forces with field artillery may permeate through this tunnel per one hour£»Dora Observation Platform-located at a western front line and from here you can get a view of the North Korean territory including Propaganda Village, People's School and Gaeseong city which was a capital of Goryeo Dynasty through telescope£»and Dorasan Railroad Station- recently opened in DMZ by South Korea according to the |
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agreement between South and North Korea to connect the broken railroad. Afterwards, proceed to Imjingak-this spot located at 40 km northwest of Seoul was dedicated for 5 million people who lost home in North Korea and its major facilities include North Hall where you can get a view of lifestyle of North Korea and Exhibition Hall having old tanks and planes used for Korean War. Return to Seoul. Overnight in Seoul.
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Day 5 ¡ª Seoul / Ganghwado Island / Seoul |
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A full day excursion travels to Ganghwado Island, the fifth largest island of Korea at the mouth of the Han River just northwest of Seoul, provides visitors a look at Korea's rural life and natural beauty, offers numerous prehistoric remains and historical attractions. See the Ganghwa Historical Museum-exhibits historical records of the entire spectrum of Korean existence, from the time of Tan' gun, the mythical founder of the Korean nation, to the opening of Korea, to the Western World£»Birthplace of 25th Joseon King-King Cheoljong was born in this house and it was the residence of King Cheoljong before he ascended the throne in 1849£»the Oldest Anglican Church-is the oldest Anglican Church in the country, with Western, Korean, Christian, Buddhist and Confucian influences which is definitely the most unusual£»the Prehistoric Dolmen-a granite dolmen from the Neolithic period which more than 2 m high, its one-m-thick oblong capstone rests on 2 sturdy upright supports, and open at each end, its high enough to crouch through£»Jeondeungsa Temple-a major |
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Buddhist temple that was built about 1,600 years ago during Goguryeo Kingdom. Here, in the 1230-40s, 81,258 wood printing blocks were made. Collectively known as the Koreana Tripitaka£»the Gwangseongbo Fortress-Ganghwado is still a fortress island of sorts, with a large but relatively unobtrusive military presence, this fortress was constructed in 1656 with additions in 1679 and 1745 and saw battle in 1866 against the French and in 1871 against the American Navy£»Ginseng Center-Ganghwado Island is one of the largest concentrations of ginseng farming in the country, five to six years are required to raise the plant to maturity, while great care and expertise are needed in its cultivation, thatched straw-roof lean-toss are erected in long rows to protect the tender plants from too much rain, wind or direct sunlight. This Ginseng Center is the largest wholesale market in the island for all kinds of Ginseng products being sold directly by the farmers. Return to Seoul. Overnight in Seoul.
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Day 6 ¡ª Seoul / Gyeongju |
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Today, journey to Gyeongju, where was the capital of the Silla Dynasty from 57 B.C. to 935 A.D. and designated by UNESCO as one of the world's ten most historically significant sites with numerous relics of that era, and is called the "Museum Without Walls". An afternoon tour includes Bunhwangsa Pagoda-erected in 634, is considered, with Cheomseongdae, one of the country's two oldest stone structures, and the pagoda was originally 9 stories high, only 3 remain today£»Gyeongju National Museum, which has the best collection of |
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Silla Dynasty artifacts with more than 100,000 pieces£»Anapji Pond - constructed in 674 A.D. as a pleasure garden to commemorate the unification of the peninsula by the Silla forces, used the recreational area for the Silla royal family and banquet garden to entertain royal important guests£»Cheomseongdae Astronomical Observatory- built in 634 A.D., is considered the world's earliest known existing observatory and admired by archaeologists worldwide£»Royal Tumuli Park-a collection of royal Silla tombs located in the middle of Gyeongju with 20 tombs, of which Cheonmachong (Flying Horse Tomb) is the most famous with its excavation which yielded more than 10,000 treasure-artifacts£»and the 15th century built Family Choi's House. Overnight in Gyeongju.
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Day 7 ¡ª Geyongju / Busan |
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A morning tour visits Bulguksa Temple-originally constructed in 535 A.D., the most frequented and best-known temple in Korea, was added to UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage List in 1995, and Seokguram Grotto-dating back to the same era as Bulguksa Temple, one of Asia's finest Buddhist shrines, an attempt to represent physically the highest spiritual aspirations, the crowning achievement of Silla religio-artistic work, was added to UNESCO's World Cultural Heritage List in 1995. Continue to Busan, the country's principal |
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international port city, second largest city with a population of 4 million, and is the San Francisco of Korea built along the sea at the site of an excellent harbor. An afternoon tour visits Yongdusan Park, where provides a pleasant touch of greenery on a hill in the heart of the city and a very popular public park with Busan Tower£»Busan Tower-Yongdusan Park crowned with the tower, 120-m-high tower observatory dominates the most of the area of the city, and the sea and harbor views spreading below the tower are spectacular£»Jagalchi Fish Market-Busan's most active fish-dealers' cooperative, the colorful spectacle is also a great attraction for tourists and camera buffs£»Taejongdae Seaside Cliff Park-the scenery of rugged cliffs dropping straight down to the sea is breathtaking, along with a panoramic sea view from the Park, overlooking the Korean Strait-on a very clear day you can even see the Japanese island of Tsushima on the horizon to the southeast£»and UN Memorial Cemetery, where the Korean War (1950-53) dead from the sixteen UN allies rest in honored serenity and is the unique one in its kind in the world. Overnight in Busan. |
Day 8 ¡ª Busan / Seoul
Return to Seoul, passing the rolling, green countryside and clusters of unique tiled houses. The balance of the day and evening is free for shopping or individual activities. Overnight in Seoul.
Day 9 ¡ª Seoul / Depart Korea
Transfer to Incheon International Airport for departure. |
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