“Small Europe in the Forest” is what Jade Garden Natural Arboretum (제이드가든 수목원 is, with 24 unique themed areas to stroll around. Located at Chuncheon, Gangwon-do and only an hour of traveling from Seoul. This attraction is a de facto to locals as location for TV drama’s and romance movie. It’s not quite surprising hence from the scenery outside we could see how fanciful it is.

Let me tour you around this 160,000 square meters garden of gardens. This panorama is divided into three paths and each with categorically incomparable landscape. Wandering around those three courses will consume three hours of your time. And actually more because of frequent stopping for resting and refreshments.

Ready? Let’s start!

Allow me to guide you around to all the gardens from the entrance namely; the English Border Garden, Italian Garden, Kitchen Garden, Alpine Greenhouse and the Ginkgo Maze.

Walking further are the lovely array of colorful tulips.

Now we reached the middle and this is where we rested for a while because of that refreshing ambiance of the waterfall.

Approaching the higher part of the hill we reached the Sky Garden and the turning point to another path. The view from the top gave us a feeling of very much close to nature.

Here comes the best path for me 🙂 The magnolia and longer tulips trail!

The path going back is more of leisurely walking for us. Just can’t get enough of the beauty of this place. Took tons of photos literally and I could give you more.

Planning to visit too? It isn’t hard to find, here’s how.

From Sangbong Station (Seoul Subway Gyeongchun Line), go to Gulbongsan Station.
From Gulbongsan Station, take a shuttle bus to Jade Garden.

• Shuttle Bus (refer to the official website for more information & schedules)
  Gulbongsan Station → Jade Garden: 10:45-16:45, 1 hour interval
  (Bus departing at 12:45 available on Weekends & Holidays only)

Jade Garden → Gulbongsan Station: 11:10-17:10, 1 hour interval

• No bus services at 12:10
• ENTRANCE FEE: Adults 8,500 won / Teenagers 6,500 won / Children 5,500 won (discount is available from a group of 30 though)

Have fun on your visit!

Bored on the second day day of my holiday. I checked out my cellphone and happened to see the screenshot which I saved weeks ago from a Korean blogger. It was a picture and direction of this unknown park in Yangju, the Nanuri park.

It was a only an 8minute bus ride from Yangju station. I wasn’t expecting any special thing to see, I just wanted to take a walk and breathe some air. Apparently, it wasn’t a bad choice of place. The park was another sea bed of flowers, varieties of fall flowers. When it comes to flowers I love spring, no doubt but these flowers are added to why I’m loving fall more.

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And it just came to my senses that flowers in fall are far much more prettier. The flower fields on these previous parks which I’d been too were really awesome and worth the travel time. Landscapes were so picturesque and flowers were vivid.

Nanuri Park is another huge flower farm with an alluring murals of a far cry varieties of floweret. It also has a wide array of  yellow cosmos, I remembered when we visited the tulip festival, it was as big as this but the crowd is huge, while here in Nanuri park, almost the same size of park but less crowd.

To get a glimpse of this park, take Line 1 (blue line) to Yangju station, head to exit 2, cross the pedestrian, get on bus #80 and get off at Haedungmaeul.

Afraid of heights? This is then, maybe not for you. But if you want an amazing adventure in Korea, then you shouldn’t miss this. I am afraid of heights, yet from time to time I overcome my fear. Fear is just a state of mind. I’m telling you, it feels good to over power your fear.

Saturday group of adventure seekers 🙂

the taking off site… paragliding pilots getting ready..

From my zip line adventure at Mungyeong, it triggered me to try more exciting trips in Korea. After I discovered I can withstand my fear of heights, I planned this paragliding thing and can’t wait to try and fly.

our group of 3 and Craig, our pilot and tour guide…

briefing of safety precautions….

I’ve gathered a group of 3 and there we booked to the paragliding course. Since I don’t want to travel away from Seoul I look for a closer one and I stumble on this paragliding booking on a facebook ad and initially deposit 50,000 for the swing.

aerial view

where my heart stops… LOL!

Craig, the only foreigner licensed paragliding pilot and the contact person from the website, waited for us at the Express Bus Terminal at 7:30 in the morning of Saturday. We arranged for the transportation , as what the website asserted, and ended up taking the train from Yongsan station. Buses were full of passengers that day.

gearing up…

my tandem pilot 🙂

We were picked up from Daecheon station and headed straight to the paragliding site. A mountain 10minutes ride from the station and was 600feet above sea level. Cool panoramic view awaits us. Eventually it wasn’t a clear day and clouds dramatically covered most of the countryside.

a bit relaxed 🙂

After some instructions and safety precautions, we were assigned to a Korean paraglider for a tandem flight. We get ready to tango, anxious of course and a bit hesitant to take off but there’s no turning back now. Excited and aghast, deep and long breathing, leaned forward and run till I saw my feet hang and the trees below.

What a start!I sit comfortably and enjoy the scenery while screaming a bit when we glide. It took us 9minutes on air, 9 minutes of nevertheless heart-stopping moment of my life. Well honestly, I just feel like I was in an open airplane, windowless! LOL!

enjoying the glide….

And off to the landing site at the foot of the mountain where we waited for our friends. We took our souvenir videos and photos, Of course that will surely not slighted. Indeed, it was fun. Safe and sound adventure.

the landing site….

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After the paragliding, we took a taxi to Sky biking, another attraction in Boryeong and only in Korea.

Cost of Paragliding: 100,000won…. refer to this website.

Our transportation expenses was paid included in the package but ours going back to Seoul that costs 11,500wonby bus at Boryeong Bus Terminal or 17,000won if you wish to take the train to Yongsan Station.

Just about two-hours travel from Seoul and we finally reached the one and only sky bike in Korea. Located around the coastline of Daecheon beach where the much-publicized Boryeong Mud festival was housed. It is sitting right next to the zip line course and 5minutes walk from the mud plaza.

We went on a line, took the waiting number from the ticket booth, wait to be called and paid 30,000won for 4 persons. Once we were given the ticket we directly went inside and get ready to ride. The sky bike extends up to the other side of the beach.

Back and forth, the 20minute ride gave us a breathtaking panoramic view of the ocean. The splendid outline of the shore was so pleasant. Though the sun shines brightly the sea breeze was cool and enough to enjoy the attraction. 

Direction: By Bus…. from Express Bus Terminal Station (Line 3, 7 & 9) Follow the way to Shinsegae Famille Street, it is on the east side of Central City Terminal. Buy the ticket to Boryeong Bus Terminal. The beach is just walking distance from the terminal. Cost: 11,500 won (one way)

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By Train…. from Yongsan Station, buy the ticket to Daecheon Beach. From the station, take the taxi to the sky bike. (Note that there is also a rail bike available, so make sure to tell the driver that you’re heading to Sky Bike. Cost: 17,000 won (one way)

Sky Bike cost: 2 persons for 1 bike…. 22,000won

4 persons for 1 bike…. 30,000won

I love outdoors and got really excited of my first beach camping in Korea. We departed from Seoul at midnight and arrived at Samcheok beach about four in the morning of Saturday. Less traffic and smooth running travel to the countryside.

Hence we arrived before the day break, we put up our tents and got everything ready before the sun rises. It’s what I’m clinging so far from this summer trip.Tents were up and we rested for a while. Soon the sun slowly rises. Golden sky, cool sea breeze and calm sea waves hitting the shore were totally what I longed for every summer. Nature’s delight!

Samcheok beach is one among the popular beaches in the peninsula that holds a splendid view of sunrise especially on New year’s day. This place holds a yearly festival on this. When the sun’s up, we walked along the shore and ended up on those rocks sitting on the east side of the beach. We took photos and enjoy the scenery.

We then went back to our tent, prepared our breakfast and get ready for canoeing. From the beach it only took us 15minutes to the area by bus. It was another picturesque view of the ocean. I’m not quite sure how much the rentals for the canoe was as we paid our one night and 2 days travel ahead.

Canoeing took about 20minutes. Paddling back and forth was so much fun. Snorkeling was also available but we weren’t able to try it. But I guess It’s also fun because of the crystal clear water in this beach. Back to beach, we enjoyed swimming so much though waves are a bit rough still we had the best summer time.

• If you wishes to visit… I hope this direction will help:
• Travel time: Seoul to Samcheok is 4 hours.

Bus departs regularly with 40 to 50minutes interval from Express Bus Terminal Station, Line 3, 7 and 9 to Samcheok Bus Terminal.

• Fare: close to 25,000won one way.

From Dong (East) Seoul Bus Terminal to Samcheok between 7:10 am and 8:05 pm.

You could bring along your own tent if you wishes to stay overnight. If tent is not your thing, hotels and motels are available near the beach side. Toilets and public showers were also available.

Suggestion: for a hassle-free trip…. check this link..Samcheok Beach + Snorkeling.

From two days and one night camping as our summer outing, though we had a sleepless night, we still manage to visit Soyanggang Sky Walk. Seeing that our camping site was about 30minutes away only by train, we then took the chance to take the trip.

Located at Chuncheon-si, Gangwondo, the Sky Walk stretches over Ulamho Lake. From Seoul, rather from Sangbong Station, it will take you 81minutes to the last stop which is Chuncheon station.

From Chuncheon station, exit 1, we walked to the taxi stand and got a ride to the sky walk. Though if you wishes to walk you can do so by just walking straight passing the taxi stand for approximately 10minutes. Hence, we had a quiet heavy bags from our overnight we chose to take a ride.

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There is an entrance fee of 2,000won per person but tickets are given with a coupon worth the admission. So, it’s kind of free. The coupons then can be used to purchase drinks or foods from the stores around the premises.

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Before we could get to the entrance, we chose our shoe covers which all visitors are required to wear for protecting the glass floor from scratches. As we walked along, honestly I though it was a bit hair-rising nevertheless walking above water and conquering my fear of heights was unexpectedly effortless. It is because the panoramic view was just colossal.

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There is a circular plaza at the end of the sky walk facing a fish statue and duck boats below. The duck boat ride can be tried costing us 15,000won (4 persons in one duck) for 30minutes.

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Try it and be thrilled.

Direction: Take Gyeongchun Line….from Sangbong Station get off at the last stop Chuncheon Station (81 minutes travel)…. head to exit 1.

• Fare (train from Sangbong Station to Chuncheon) 2,450won
• Taxi will cost you about 3,000 won
• Admission is 2,000won (with coupon)
• Duck boat ride is 15,000 for 4 persons maximum

Opens from 9:00am to 5:00pm and till 8:30 on summer.