From December to March every year, Korea transforms into a winter wonderland as its weather turns chilly and snowy. With an average temperature ranging from -10 to -5 degrees Celsius (14 to 23 degrees Fahrenheit), the weather in winter may sound a little harsh for some to enjoy. However, do not let the cold deter you from experiencing some wonderful winter fun in Korea. From skiing and hot spring adventures, to snow and ice festivals, winter is the perfect time for a family holiday in Korea. Read on for the top 10 destinations you can visit to enjoy some fabulous, winter family fun in Korea.
1. Onyang Hot Spring
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
There are countless hot springs and spas in Korea. They make for very popular places to visit during winter to enjoy a warm and rejuvenating vacation. However, if you only have time for one, make your way to the Onyang Hot Spring (온양온천지구). It can be found a convenient 90-minute train ride to the north of Seoul.
Founded about 1,300 years ago, Onyang Hot Spring is Korea’s oldest hot spring! It is reputedly renowned for its effective treatment of neuralgia, arthritis, skin problems, liver disease, high blood pressure, and various geriatric diseases. Many kings of the Joseon Period, including King Sejong, visited this hot spring to seek treatment for their ailments and to relax. Coupled with over 100 quality hot spring accommodations that have sprung up in the area, Onyang Hot Spring is definitely worth a visit for a warm, therapeutic dip during winter.
Onyang Hot Spring (온양온천지구)
Address: Oncheon-dong, Asan-si, Chungcheongnam-do
Access: From Seoul station (Seoul Subway Line 1), take a train to Onyangoncheon Station (90 minutes).
Website: Onyang Hot Spring
2. Geoje Island
Located off the coast of Busan, Geoje Island (거제도) is Korea’s second largest island. Geoje Island boasts spectacular scenery. Because of its location in the south, even during winter, Geoje Island’s temperatures rarely dip below zero. The relatively warmer temperatures here coupled with its stunning coastal scenery make Geoje Island a popular destination to visit in winter. While you’re in the area, do not miss a visit to the Oedo-Botania (외도 보타니아-해상관광농원), a marine botanical garden located at the Hallyeo Maritime National Park. Immerse yourself in its exotic European ambience as you admire its Mediterranean-style buildings covered in a plethora of flowers from all over the world. Climb the “stairway to heaven” to the summit of Geoje Island’s main hill. At the top, enjoy a panoramic view of the radiant landscaped garden with the clear blue sea in the background. This truly feels like paradise, and you have to come here personally to truly experience its magic.
Since you are making your way down south, why not extend your family trip to include the thriving port city of Busan as well? If you’re interested, read this article about how to explore the best of Busan in 3 days while on a budget: Busan On A Budget: Superb Food, Sights & Culture All In 3 Days.
Geoje Island (거제도)
Address: Geoje-myeon, Geoje-si, Gyeongsangnam-do
Access: From Busan Seobu bus terminal, take a bus to Okpo via the new bridge (1 hour 20 minutes) for 7,200 KRW (6.60 USD).
Contact: +82-55-639-4178
Website: Geoje Island
3. Vivaldi Park
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
Located in Gangwon-do, an accessible one hour journey from Seoul, Vivaldi Park makes for a convenient ski getaway out of the capital city. It is the largest resort in Korea. Vivaldi Park is open all year round, offering a wide range of leisure facilities on its premises in Ski World, Ocean World, Equestrian Club and golf club.
Being the closest ski resort accessible within an hour from Seoul, and equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and ski slopes suitable for all levels, it is little wonder why Ski World has held strong to its title of being Korea’s favourite ski resort for seven consecutive years. Have you never skied before? Fear not, as they offer a range of safe and systematic instructional programs for beginners to attend before you get on the slope to experience the thrill of skiing firsthand.
Besides skiing, you can also partake in exhilarating activities held at different pools and exciting rides at Ocean World. With such a diverse array of facilities in Vivaldi Park, you will be able to find something for everyone in the family to enjoy.
Vivaldi Park (비발디 파크)
Address: 262, Hanchigol-gil, Seo-myeon, Hongcheon-gun, Gangwon-do
Access: Refer to official website for free shuttle bus for foreigners to and fro Seoul
Contact: +82-1588-4888
Website: Vivaldi Park
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4. Taebaeksan National Park
Winter is a great time to venture out to explore the national parks of Korea and marvel at the picturesque landscapes covered in snow. Taebaeksan (태백산), also known as Big White Mountain, is one of the highest mountains in the country. Taebaeksan encompasses several peaks such as Janggunbong Peak and Munsubong Peak. This national park is located in a small town called Taebaek, in the centre of Gangwon province, which used to be a coal mining town. The main filming site of Medicube and the base camp featured in the 2016 Korean hit drama “Descendants Of The Sun”, has been reconstructed in Taebaek, to the sheer delight of fans.
The Taebaek Snow Festival is a popular attraction held in Taebaek from around January to February each year. In 2018, the festival will be held from 19 January to 11 February some 800 metres (2,625 feet) above sea level. Enjoy winter-themed activities here such as snow sledding and rafting. Do also check out the impressive snow sculptures found in the park. Feel free to hit some gentle slope and walkways of the easy route up the mountain to enjoy majestic views of snow-covered mountains and the quaint little town below. The Taebaek Snow Festival is definitely a significant winter event worth checking out in Korea.
Taebaeksan National Park (태백산 국립공원)
Address: 4778, Taebaeksan-ro, Taebaek-si, Gangwon-do
Access: From Dong Seoul Bus Terminal, take an intercity bus to Taebaek. After that, take a bus bound for Danggol (당골) at Taebaek Bus Terminal, and get off at Taebaeksan National Park.
Contact: +82-33-550-0000
Website: Taebaeksan National Park
5. Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
Located to the north of Gangwon province, is Hwacheon County. It parallels the Korean Demilitarized Zone at its northern border, and is the first area in the country to freeze over each year. Comprising largely mountains and rivers, the relatively untouched natural landscape found here makes an ideal winter getaway filled with plenty of snow and ice. Since 2003, the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival has been held annually in the county, along the frozen Hwacheon Stream. This festival has grown so popular with both locals and foreigners that it has been touted as one of the Seven Winter Wonders of the World by CNN.
Here, you can fish in the frozen stream for Masou salmon, locally known as sancheoneo. If you are feeling adventurous, jump into the icy cold waters of the pool built besides the stream to try your hand at barehanded fishing. Alternatively, you can also enjoy winter sports such as ice soccer, ice hockey and more. In fact, the entire town of Hwacheon is bustling with activities for the whole family to enjoy. The upcoming special ice festival will be held in Hwacheon from 6 to 28 January 2018.
Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival (얼음나라 화천산천어축제)
Address: Hwacheon riverside, Hwacheon-gun, Gangwon-do
Opening Hours: Please refer to official website.
Price: Please refer to official website.
Access: Please refer to official website.
Contact: +82-1688-3005
Website: Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival
6. Pyeongchang Trout Festival
Besides the Hwacheon Ice Festival, the Pyeongchang Trout Festival (평창송어축제) is also one of the best winter festivals in Korea. This festival has been enjoyed by over 4.8 million visitors since 2007. The 11th Pyeongchang Trout Festival will be held from 22 December 2017 to 25 February 2018. Pyeongchang is the official venue for the upcoming 2018 Winter Olympics from 9 to 25 February. If you have already made plans to spectate the games at Pyeongchang, this is one festival you should not miss.
Just like the Hwacheon Ice Festival, the main attraction featured at the Pyeongchang Trout Festival is ice fishing. This involves trying to catch fresh trout from a hole drilled into the ice. The best part of this is that you can feast on your catch! You can choose to eat it in the form of raw sashimi, or get chefs to grill your catch over firewood for you. Even if you do not manage to catch any fish, you can also enjoy having a meal at the festival grounds too. There is a plethora of leisurely winter activities you can participate in, like snow tubing, ice skating or riding on a four-wheel motorcycle (ATV).
Pyeongchang Trout Festival (평창송어축제)
Address: 3562, Gyeonggang-ro, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do
Opening Hours: 9 am - 5 pm.
Price: Ice fishing 13,000 KRW (11.95 USD), barehanded fishing 15,000 KRW (13.80 USD), amusement facility 6,000 KRW (5.50 USD).
Access: From Dong Seoul Bus Terminal or Nambu Bus Terminal in Seoul, take the intercity bus to Hoenggye Intercity Bus Terminal in Pyeongchang (2 hour 15 minutes ride).
Contact: +82-33-336-4000
Website: Pyeongchang Trout Festival
7. Boseong Green Tea Plantation
The Boseong Green Tea Plantation, also known as the Daehan Dawon Tourist Tea Plantation (보성녹차밭 대한다원), is an expansive green tea plantation spanning 5,000,000 square metres (1,235.5 acres) of land. Set in a gorgeous cedar forest in the southern part of the Jeollanam province, this tea plantation shot to fame after it was featured in the SK Telecom commercial. It gained fame once again when it was featured in the 2016 Korean hit drama “The Legend of the Blue Sea”.
Every year, the green tea fields at the Korea Tea Culture Park and Yulpo Beach (Solbat Beach) will light up to celebrate year-end festivals, Christmas and New Year. In the day, you can tour this tea plantation to sample some of Korea’s finest tea. After dark, see the plantation transform into an enchanting wonderland as you go for a stroll and admire lighting exhibits such as The Milky Way Tunnel and the Digital Tea Tree at the Boseong Tea Plantation Light Festival (보성차밭 빛축제).
Boseong Green Tea Plantation (보성녹차밭 대한다원)
Address: 763-67, Nokcha-ro Boseong-eup, Boseong-gun, Jeollanam-do
Opening Hours: Please refer to official website.
Price: Please refer to official website.
Access: Please refer to official website.
Contact: +82-61-852-4540
Website: Boseong Green Tea Plantation (보성녹차밭 대한다원)
Boseong Tea Plantation Light Festival (보성차밭 빛축제)
8. The Garden of Morning Calm
Founded by professor Sang-kyung Han in 1996, The Garden of Morning Calm (아침고요수목원) is the country’s oldest private garden. This attraction is located in Gyeonggi province. The 30,000-square-metre (7.4 acre) garden is divided into 20 different themed sections, each housing about 5,000 types of plants, of which 300 varieties are native to Korea. All year round, different festivals and exhibits are held at this beautifully-landscaped garden.
During winter, the Lighting Festival will turn The Garden of Morning Calm into an enchanting garden at night, with diverse themes featured into exhibits including love, animals and plants. Being the largest winter festival of lights in Korea, this is certainly a destination you must visit to truly embrace the holiday spirit when in Korea!
The Garden of Morning Calm (아침고요수목원)
Address: 432, Sumogwon-ro, Sang-myeon, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do
Opening Hours: Lighting Festival opens from sunset till 9 pm daily during winter (till 11 pm on Saturdays).
Price: Please refer to official website.
Access: Please refer to official website.
Contact: +82-1544-6703
Website: The Garden of Morning Calm (아침고요수목원)
9. Everland
If you are a fan of theme parks, you would probably have heard of Everland (에버랜드), the largest theme park in Korea situated in Yongin City, a convenient hour away from Seoul. Everland is home to a wide array of attractions that cater to the diverse needs of everyone in the family, from the young to the old. From November to March, this fun-filled theme park transforms into a Winter Wonderland decorated with magical fairy lights. In the day, you can have fun sledding down snow-covered hills with your family at Snow Buster. At night, you can enjoy the Moonlight Parade (featuring impressively decorated floats and colourful lights) and special performances involving lasers, searchlights and a snow machine. Expect a memorable and fascinating winter experience when you visit this part of South Korea.
Everland (에버랜드)
Address: 199, Everland-ro, Pogok-eup, Cheoin-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do
Opening Hours: Please refer to official website.
Price: Please refer to official website.
Access: Please refer to official website.
Contact: +82-31-320-5000
Website: Everland
10. Pocheon Herb Island
Established in 1998, Pocheon Herb Island (포천 허브아일랜드) is about two hours north of Seoul. This tourist attraction is home to multifarious Mediterranean herbs, that are grown here and used to provide relaxation of the body and mind to visitors. Here, you can join in on hands-on programs to make herbal candles, soaps and crafts and learn more about herbs by visiting the museum. You can even tuck into a wholesome meal at the herb-centric restaurant and sample some exotic cuisine. When the sun sets, the herb garden is romantically illuminated, with colourful light exhibitions inspired by fairy tale stories to commemorate year-end festivities. From here, you can find your favourite photo spot! Consider visiting the lovely pink wish tunnel or Santa’s Village when you roam about this fairy-tale themed locale.
Pocheon Herb Island (포천 허브아일랜드)
Address: 35, Cheongsin-ro 947beon-gil, Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do
Opening Hours: Please refer to official website.
Price: Please refer to official website.
Access: Please refer to official website.
Contact: +82-31-535-6494
Website: Pocheon Herb Island
Winter family fun awaits you in Korea
Brave the wintry chill in Korea and you and your family can explore these wonderful destinations that will make for a memorable winter holiday you will remember for a long time to come. Furthermore, with the 2018 Winter Olympics happening real soon in Pyeongchang, Korea, expect to see more exciting events lined up to usher in the games. Plan your Korea trip now to make this winter a special one for everyone in the family to enjoy!
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