Blogs from Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea, Asia

Suzanne here... Before our trip I'd read up about Korean New Year and had been led to expect total travel chaos the day before. So I was worried we'd struggle to get a bus to Gyeongju, and even if we did the traffic would be horrendous. In reality the bus was half empty and we breezed there in an hour. I'd also read that it's a big time of year for tourism so had booked The Apple Motel before even leaving England. Again, there was absolutely no need to worry. Still, it did seem to fascinate the owner who was very pleased to finally meet the people who had booked a room in a standard little small town motel six months in advance! He even called over another member of staff to tell her how long ... read more

In Gyeongju in the south east of Korea. (I’m disposing with the “South” in South Korea. Just easier. I’m not sure the North would understand, but I’m not going to worry about it.) The town is a nice relief from Seoul’s 10 million population, with a population of just about 250,000. It’s said to be a great outdoor museum. Arrival was by very comfortable bus with reclining seats and leg rests. About 3.5 hours. Korea is small. My hotel, Apple Motel, is just a few blocks from the bus station and a short walk downtown and to the sights. The town is the center of the Silla kingdom. It began in 57 BC and lasted to 935. About 1000 years. Tombs of the Silla kings and other notables dot the town. They’re obvious as large grassy ... read more

After Andong, it was a quick 1.5h bus ride southwards again to the former capital of the ancient Silla kingdom, now known as Gyeongju, a popular weekend getaway and holiday spot for locals, and known as a sort of museum without walls. Gyeongju boasts a rich history as the former capital of one of the three ancient kingdoms of the Korean peninsular, and today boasts a couple of Unesco Heritage sites in the form of tombs of its ancient royals, temples, as well as the Anapji pond, a beautifully landscaped garden with a pond whose shape is said to resemble the East Asian coastline. Distinctive mound-shape tombs (reminiscent of the Chocolate Hills in the Visayas in Central Philippines) continue to dot the city even today, as Gyeongju continues to pull in the crowds, especially domestic weekenders, ... read more

Warning: This is another boring entry about a boring city. Perhaps it's not a boring city. Maybe I was just homesick and lonely so that has clouded my judgement. Nobody else checked in to Santa's Guesthouse. It would have been nice to have someone to talk to. The sites to visit today are a bit far from the hostel and I can’t walk going there. I went to the tourist office and I was given the option to either bike or take the bus. I was too tired to bike and get lost so I decided to take the bus. I also considered just buying a bus tour if its cheap enough. Turns out it costs 20,000 won and if I take the bus it would only set me back 6,000 won. I’d rather risk getting ... read more

Gyeongju / South Korea - Rich history and kind people Finally, I flew to South Korea, where I had more spare time (fortunately) - although it was still part of a business trip. First of all: flying with Air Korea was AMAZING! Very friendly staff, and a spacious aircraft. Even in the economy class, you had a LOT of space, due to the large spacing to the seats in front of you, and the fact, that you had a complete row of seats for yourself. Perfect =) ... I landed in Ulsan (more about that "special" city later). The first challenge was to find a bus to Gyeongju, with no Korean language skills a hard task, so I missed the first Interbus and had to wait for 1h in the sun. Now I can imagine why ... read more