Family sight-seeing in Seoul

City-hopping to Seoul!

I’m starting Tuesday off with a little review of just a few of the places we recently visited in the capital of South Korea, following an entire day of fun at their theme park, Lotte World!

Gyeongbokgung Palace was on the top of our list of places to visit. Not only is it a beautiful place set in magnificent gardens with a lake, but it’s also the perfect spot to people watch and see both locals and tourists rent stunning ‘Hanboks’ to walk around the historical sites in traditional dress.

If it hadn’t been a little on the cold side, I would have loved to have done this – the women, in particular, looked out of this world as they posed for photos in their costumes and it just gives a whole new level of authenticity to the palace.

Quite by chance, we were there to witness the changing of the guards (which takes place daily at 10am and 2pm daily) which was really interesting and especially enjoyed by the children.

The whole ceremony only lasts about 15 minutes but you hear the beating drum start and then the crowds start to appear around the main entrance gates so try to be there a few minutes ahead of time to be able to see the guards file around the courtyard before taking to their posts. Afterwards, you can then get up fairly close to them and they then seemed used to everyone taking photos of them looking very official (and serious!) in their uniforms.

Wander around the gardens and lakes and stumble across outbuildings and statues before making your way to The National Folk Museum of Korea to which you have free access with your palace ticket.

Travel through history and enjoy a look at the traditional way of life in Korea. There were lots of colourful showcases showing the traditional clothes, food, wedding ceremonies, and also a few places where you could try your hand at learning some Korean board games. There is also a dedicated Children’s museum which offers interactive play stations for the little ones. We didn’t go in, but judging by its popularity, it must be good, and offers hands-on activities for children.

We then went on to Bukchon Hanok Village a traditional cultural village which doesn’t cost anything and where you can wander the streets freely. All of these stops we did by taking the metro/underground system which was easy and reasonably priced, with machines in English to buy tickets.

With local arts n crafts, typical eateries, traditional architecture and quaint winding streets, it was a nice walk, albeit a bit hilly in places (if you’re with a stroller!). It was also another spot where people rent Hanboks and enjoy the area. There were street performers and little markets and some very cute little boutiques.

Children’s Grand Park is another great place to hang out and Korea in general is known for having so many ‘kids Cafes’ that if you need a little escape from tourism, you’ll find yourself spoilt for choice! Hello Kitty, Tayo the Bus, Pororo; they all have their themed set-ups with soft play areas and are very popular!

I have the feeling there’s a lot more yet to explore in Seoul, but as a first encounter, it was a lovely city just a 6-hour flight from KL! S x

A family day in Seoul – Fun at Lotte World Adventure!

No, not Berjaya Times Square.

Not a Disneyland either….

But we did get to check out this theme park in Seoul which is known for having the world’s largest indoor theme park, and so much more!

Lotte World Adventure sits in the heart of Seoul and is easily accessible by metro. Open 365 days of the year, you can go along any day to experience the different components that make up this major tourist attraction!

On first entering the main centre section, it almost looked a little empty; high domed ceilings made from glass made the place seem so large yet it was hard to identify the different attractions before us! It took us a little while to get orientated because, let’s be fair, it is the largest indoor theme park in the world, but they had a plan of the layout in English, and once we’d worked it out, we were good to get started!

Take it easy on the classic merry-go-round or a little tour on the monorail which was what we did to start as it gave us a great view down over the park, and from there, we all managed to pinpoint other rides we wanted to try!

The rides are generally very children-oriented (admittedly with height restrictions on certain attractions) and there were the good ole favourites such as bumper cars, a version of spinning teacups, raft rides and so much more.

The little ones (well they’re eight now but… you know!) had their first ever ride on a water log ‘Flume Ride’ which turned out to be very addictive (if not a little damp!) and as we had visited in the week (when Koreans were at school!) there were very few queues until late afternoon!!

For me, some of the best rides were their simulators. We’ve flown across open skies, been on a runaway boat ride, and bumped our way along on a safari Jeep, to name just a few. Really exceptional and very realistic. Flying through the air on their ‘Fly Venture’ is an absolute must. Never have I felt such breathtaking freedom soaring over different lands as they swept below me. Hats off to them on this ride – loved it!

As well as all the park attractions indoors there is an ice rink, a Folk Museum, and an outdoor island full of yet more impressive rides which is linked over from the main building by a bridge and a familiar-looking castle!

Outside there is a host of rather ‘big rides’ and some impressive attractions more suited to adults but we still did a boat ride, the swings and a 3D haunted house experience. Needless to say we were there in March when the weather wasn’t quite warm enough to spend a lot of time outside but I’m glad it was a dry day and we could at least take a peak at what was on offer.

In true theme park style, they also have parades several times a day (including their closing ceremony at 8pm with a night-glow theme!) that sees dancers and acrobats doing the circuit of the indoor section of the park.

To top it off they have performances on their central stage by artists from around the world who sing, dance and show off their colourful costumes every single day. While 95% is in Korean, it really didn’t effect mine or the children’s ability to fully enjoy the shows and get completely drawn in by the characters and mascots. After each show there was time to take photos with the cast and several other chances to meet n greet the crew throughout the day.

Heading to South Korea? This made for an amazing day trip (yes we were there for 10 hours!!) and didn’t break the bank! You can get discounted tickets online, and of course if you are resident in South Korea, you receive a reasonable discount on your entrance fees! Thank you Lotte World Adventure for a Friday very well spent! S x

A family stay at The Conrad Seoul

When my husband needed to attend meetings in Seoul, and we realized we had some days off school, we decided to make it a little family break and discover a city that none of us had ever been to!

A getaway to the capital of South Korea saw us booking a room at the stylish Conrad Seoul, and requesting an extra bed as usual….. but we weren’t quite expecting everything else that we got as a family travelling to Seoul!!

The teepee tent set-up was an absolute winner (with Conrad teddy bears already camping out on the cushions!) but add to that the colouring books with crayons, and a selection of children’s toiletries, and our two children had it made!!

While it may have been cooler in Seoul than in KL, their indoor pool was great for families and with heated tiled flooring, it meant we were always comfortably warm!

A great hotel option for families so if you’re booking, ask about a little treat to surprise the little ones with as, needless to say, they don’t have an endless supply of tents… so don’t miss out! S x

From Malaysia to South Korea: A family summer in Busan.

South Korea… Ever been? Ever wondered? 

 Allow me to side track from my usual posts about Malaysia and let me take you on a little photographic journey of our exploration of the seaside town of Busan (the second largest city in South Korea, with direct flights from KL) where we relished in playing the tourist this summer!

I don’t know what I was expecting but the beauty of the region, and the diversity of the city completely surprised me.

From the infamous Haeundae Beach and Gwangali bridge, to temples and forts hidden in the mountains, to coastal walks, cable car rides and amazing food and markets…. there really is so much to see and do.

The infamous Haeundae beach (world record holder for the most number of parasols on a beach!!) draws the crowds like nowhere else! This photo was taken early morning…. It’s a whole different scene later on in the day in the height of summer! Rubber rings line the shore, beach sellers pound the sand selling you snacks and meals form local restaurants, and thousands upon thousands of people form all walks of life, make Haeundae their summer play place .

Beomeosa Temple on Mount Geumjeongsan offers some amazing views, great hiking trails but the temple itself is easily accessible. With ample parking and a bus/metro route, it’s about a 20-30 minute journey from Haeundae.

Haedong Yonggungsa Temple is a Buddhist temple in the Gijang area of the city and is perched on the coast with lovely views.

The Gamcheon Culture Village is one of our absolute favourite places and we went twice! A little hillside village transformed by it’s residents and local artists who have painted the houses and streets with murals, added quirky art around the winding walkways, and brightened the place up to make it a fabulous attraction.

Like i said, we made two trips here, simply because there is so much to see. Each time we stumbled across something new, a little hidden treasure, a painted wall, a different view point or a new piece of art…..I;ll admit I think we’d need a third visit to complete the place completely!

Geumgang Park is home to a temple, botanic gardens, fairground rides and the Busan Marine Natural History Museum (the latter of which is completely free of charge and great for families) but also offers cable cars that take you up to the mountains giving great views over the city.

Geumgang Park is home to a temple, botanic gardens, fairground rides and the Busan Marine Natural History Museum (the latter of which is completely free of charge and great for families) but also offers cable cars that take you up to the mountains giving great views over the city.

Coastal walks are in abundance in South Korea and give some stunning views while walking around and enjoying the outdoors. This is Oryukdo Island which also offers a skywalk out over the water.

 Starting out on the coastal walk at Oryukdo Island and heading up to the Skywalk!

 A half day at the Busan Sea Life Aquarium is great for families and an escape from the extreme heat in summer (or perfect on a rainy day!) Located right on Haeundae beach it’s easy to find!

The world famous Jagalchi Market is a fascinating place to wander around, or to eat dinner in one of the many little cafes and restaurants.

 You will be spoilt for choice when it comes to trying some local food. Korean Barbecue restaurants are very popular and a great way to try a few different things while cooking your own meat in the middle of your table! Fun experience and extremely tasty!

I’ll eventually write a couple of detailed blogs on things to do when travelling in South Korea with children as there’s not much online that’s detailed in English, but until then, enjoy a glimpse of our adventure and then put it on your ‘to-do-list…. It’s a truly fascinating place! S x