South Korea is one of the nearest countries from the Philippines where you can see the aloof but captivating Cherry Blossoms. The natural beauty of the surrounding area also makes it a pleasant place to explore. Late February/Early March seems best, so if you’re a seafood fan, early spring is when to get them! But spring is a nice transition season because you can still eat all the delicious, warm stews from winter and all the summer dishes will start to spring up towards the end of the season. The Seoul Lotus Lantern Festival takes place in spring to coincide with Buddha’s birthday. Seoraksan National Park is my all time favorite place in Korea and while … Book a tour here. You can ride a bike, ride a boat, have a picnic, and take pictures of the spots where the popular Korean Drama, “Endless Love: Winter Sonata” was shot. This almost a hundred-hectare man-made lake park offers its visitors a place where their eyes and also their hearts are satisfied. It’s almost impossible to drive into Jinhae and find a parking space during cherry blossom season. The biggest festival in Korea today is Seollal, the first day of the traditional Korean New Year. The city is famous for its Dakgalbi, a stir-fried spicy chicken dish — if you’re a lover of interesting and spicy Korean dishes, make sure you add Dakgalbi to your must-try list. Here, visitors can not only enjoy the spring scenery, but also participate in a variety of activities such as picking maesil (plum) and making maesil gangjeong (sweet plum puffs). Seopjikoji, an area located on the eastern shore of Jeju, is perhaps one of the most popular parts of the island to enjoy the blossoming of its gorgeous canola flowers. Although the entirety of Jinhae is considered to be a top cherry blossom destination, the most popular viewing areas are Anmingogae Hill, Jehwangsan Park, and Yeojwacheon Stream, which, canopied in white petals, becomes a floral tunnel. I remember it was so cold at night on my Han River cruise, I couldn’t stand to be outside for more than 5 minutes. Renowned for its unspoiled natural beauty and slow pace of life, southern Cheongsando Island in Jeollanam Province is seemingly straight out of a storybook. I up my sheet mask use from sparingly to at least 1-2 times a week during the spring. There will be restrictions on talking and spitting. Colder than Seoul too since it’s about an hour outside of the city. The tulips here last quite while, so if you can, I’d wait til later in April when it warms up a bit! They only impress their spectators for a while, and they wither soon after. As the winter frost begins to melt and temperatures slowly start to rise, South Korea comes to life, its lands drenched in colorful blossoms and its air sweetened with the fragrance of spring. I’m not big on pickled things, so I’m a big fan of spring banchan. Korea is still pretty chilly, and you might get a random cold snap like I did on my last trip! Chunhyang is Korea’s version of Romeo + Juliet but happier. While most of the capital pretty much gets decked in pink, head to Yeouido Island in central Seoul to bask in the city’s most beautiful blooms. Your email address will not be published. Even when driving, the parking is kind of insane. This looks like such a cool festival! In mid-March, the most … During the festival period, it’s pretty crowded even in the middle of the week! Coming from a tropical country, experiencing snow is a ‘dream come true’. 10 Useful Phrases for Your South Korea Visit, 7 Things I Love About Living in South Korea. Your email address will not be published. Exit 2 or 10 will bring you to Seokchon Lake. This festival has a rich history — it celebrates an international herbal medicine market that has existed in some capacity in Korea for almost four centuries. While in Jeju, don’t miss a day trip to Udo Island! Trench Coat 2. So, once a year the sea seems to part from Jindo Island to a smaller island nearby, and you can walk across. This festival is a great introduction to relaxing and holistic herbal medicine practices to visitors that are unfamiliar with herbal medicine. This year’s festival runs from May 20 to May 27. Every April, the TAEAN Tulip festival attracts thousands of visitors. I will be going to Seoul in April 2013. My second favorite season (after autumn, of course) and my final installment in my seasonal guides: spring in Korea! While most of what we can visit today is from the Joseon Dynasty, Gyeongju goes back further to the Silla dynasty. This year’s festival runs from May 18 to May 22, so if you’re in the country in May you should definitely put it on your calendar. Unlike many Korean festivals that happen in just one location, there are cherry blossom festivals all over the country. A popular place to visit throughout the year, Boseong also holds an annual tea festival in early May. A similar phenomenon occurs naturally on the island of Jindo in the south-west of Korea. Visual Associations to learn the Korean alphabet in record time! South Korea boasts of majestic mountains with changing beauty, depending on the season. One of the best times of the year to visit, springtime in South Korea occurs between April and June. The more popular style is the Yoshino, but the other style is the king cherry blossoms that originate on Jeju! Since veggies will be in season as the spring continues, banchan means fresher dishes instead of pickled. There is a whole street dedicated to the delicacy in Chuncheon’s city center, which is worth exploring if you’re hungry and in the mood for some delicious Korean street food. Thanks for reading! For more on these pretty pink blooms, check out my overall cherry blossom forecast and festival guide. I have lived in London, Singapore and am now in South Korea but looking forward to experience living in either Europe or Australia, or even South Africa. If you come to Korea, either come for fall or for the magic of its spring. But staying outside with temperature that drops to negative twenty or even lower, it can be very hard to endure. It is famous also for the battle of Myeongnyang among lovers of Korean history, where Admiral Yi Sun-Shin defeated the Japanese navy against the odds. People will travel the length of the country, and even from abroad, to take pictures in front of the most photogenic trees during the cherry blossom. I actually recommend just doing a tour because it’s such a pain to get there without your own car, and even then you’ll have problems parking. Book a tour here, Jecheon is one of those places I’ve really never heard of before! I'm Samantha; friends call me Sam. Just make sure you’re physically fit for it. Here’s what I’d pack: There are SO many places to visit around Korea in the spring. Book a tour here. South Korea's professional soccer league, K-League, will be the first major soccer league to resume play since the coronavirus pandemic started. I still remember spending on Saturday morning picking them at a friend of a friend’s farm because — why not? Plan your trip to Seokchon Lake – Ride the Seoul Subway Line 2 and 8 to Jamsil Station. Seoul Lotus Lantern Festival – 연등회 (yeondeunghoe). Seoraksan National Park. Here are some more guides to help you with your visit: Enjoy spring in South Korea! Learn how your comment data is processed. Mild spring and autumn are the best time to visit South Korea.As cherries, azaleas, and lotuses are in bloom, April through June is the period when the whole country is dressed up pink, and the national parks are at their finest. These wild trees, many over a century old, boast bright yellow blossoms and are abundant throughout the city, but especially so in the tranquil area of Baeksa-myeon, which is also known as Sansuyu Village. Basically, anywhere you turn, it’s like the land is waking up from the winter. Bukhansan, also called Samgaksan, is one of them. The beauty of spring in bloom. This is especially convenient because it means no matter where in Korea you choose to travel, you’re likely to be close enough to a Cherry Blossom festival to enjoy the beauty of the blossoms. I’m hoping to make it here this year. Required fields are marked *. Make your way to these prime spots for cherry blossom viewing: the entrance to Jeju National University, Gwaneumsa Temple, Seogwipo Downtown, and the cherry-lined Ilju Road near Wimi village. The most famous ones are in Jinhae (Jinhae Gunhangje Festival – 진해군항제 | jinhaegunhangje) and Gyeongju (Gyeongju Cherry Blossom Festival – 경주 벚꽃축제 | gyeongju beotkkotchukje) in the south of the country. By mid-April, the cherry blossoms unravel their beauty in Seoul. For more information on cherry blossoms in Korea, check out this article! There’s even a snow crab eating competition. While spring is definitely warmer than winter, it’s still fairly cool through mid-April. Seoul is a beautiful city. If you want to experience the cool breeze touching your face, try the wooden roller coaster ‘T-Express’ and you can scream at the top of your lungs to relieve your stress. Street performances, food vendors selling cherry blossom-themed snacks, and countless art exhibits make the festival a great place to enjoy the great outdoors and defrost after a long, cold winter.