I like to see beautiful Fall colors

Hello.

Where is the popular destination when people who live in Seoul like go to see for fall tree colors?

雪岳山--Sokurasan, Sokucho (I can%26#39;t spell it in ) is difficult to get there from Seoul?

I like to do hiking -- easy to moderate level.

I don%26#39;t know anything about Korean languages except greetings. Can I get any troubles to travel by individual? In Japan, there are always Korean language signs in tourist areas including all train/subway stations in Tokyo.

And another question:

Do you think Gimpo is much convenient to arrive than Incheon? I will travel from Tokyo.

Please advise. Thank you!

I like to see beautiful Fall colors

Seoraksan, Sokcho is probably most beautiful place to see autumn foliage in my opinion. I recommend that you stay there at least one night to fully appreciate the mountain. You can take express bus to Sokcho from Seoul(takes bout 3.5 to 4 hrs) then head to Seoraksan via local bus or taxi. Here is more info; …visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp… or this site has japanes version so you can search; japanese.visitkorea.or.kr/jpn/index.kto

Seoul is surrounded by mountains on three sides, so if you can not make trips to Seoraksan, then Namsan or Bukhansan maybe good alternatives for you. You can go there by subways.

When I visited Japan, I was quite surprised how some Japanese words are pronounced exactly same as Korean! So it wasn%26#39;t that hard for me to pick up few Japanese phrases so I think you shouldn%26#39;t have much problem picking up few Korean phrases. Many tourist area have English and Japanese signs such as Insa-dong, Myeong-dong and Namdaemoon markets.

I definitely go through Gimpo since it is closer to central Seoul and you can take subway to get there.

I like to see beautiful Fall colors

Hello.

Thank you for your information.

I was wondered how difficult to go to Sokucho from Seoul, but now it is more cleared.

Yes, I know Japanese and Korean languages are similar. Ancient Korean were immigrated to Japan. The language is the same roots/family; similar pronunciation and the same grammar -- SOV order. Chinese language are totally different from Japanese, Chinese grammar is the same as English. So, I will try to study Korean letters as much as I can before leave. From your information for tourist friendly-signs in Seoul, I guess I am lucky that I can understand both English and Japanese.

Hope you have good time. i would love to hear your trip report.

The most difficult part of the Korea travel for me was to order at restaurant. I am a Japanese native who has traveled many countries without any problems but Korea was a challenge. I know some Korean dishes but I can not read or write Korean. There are tourist hotels %26amp; restaurants with English menu but I go on my own anywhere %26amp; try what the local people eat. Also most don%26#39;t have the plastic dish displays like in Japanese restaurants so you can not point your selection. Anyway I had good food and enjoyed talking by hands with owners throughout Korea. I even met a 80+ old man who was a kimchi farmer and still spoke some Japanese as educated in Japan during the war. We traveled together for a while both going the same way.

If you had the time, go to Mt. Naejangsan National Park from Jeongeup train station. Beautiful mountain tops by rope way %26amp; old temples. The Sanchae Jeongsik(traditional mountain vegetable feast with many meat pots that cover an entire table for just US$12 was the most delicious food I ever had anywhere.

Hello. I just baked from my Korea trip yesterday.

Seorak Park was very nice to visit! I enjoyed hikings and seeing Buddha and temples.

To get to Sokcho/Seorak Park, it was easy than I think. I went there by bus for 4 hours from Seoul Express Bus Terminal, and then take a taxi to the hotel. My hotel was MAREMONS Hotel. It is nice hotel and has a package of breakfast and big spas. My room was Ocean View; I was impressed for sunrise in the morning. The price was 135,000 won a night for two beds. There are motels and I could perhaps save more money in Sokcho area, but I was really enjoyed staying this hotel and strongly recommend to others. This hotel reservation was found and made by a staff in an Incheon airport hotel where I stayed before going to Sokcho.

I met some Korean people can understand Japanese better than my simple English; always I talked to them with mixture of the two languages. For ordering food, I wanted to eat typical Korean food; so I pointed the pictures from my guidebook and phrase book. Most restaurants have English and Japanese menu. I ate Korean Sashimi in Sokcho; and Beef and Bibinbap (can%26#39;t spell) in Seoul.

We are two people. I felt taxi fares in Sokcho and Seoul are cheap (not in Tokyo and other big cities!), but many taxi drivers required me more money amounts than the meter price showing and they were hardly leave from me/us. So I was likely to ride on a local bus (Sokcho/Seorak) or subway in Seoul.

There was a bus stop in front of MAREMONS hotel and easy to get Seorak Park. I did hiking to falls, ride on a cable car and climb a canyon; also I saw a big Buddha and temples in the Seorak Park. It was on Saturday, and many people visited. I waited for 3 hours for riding the cable car. Fall color foliage is just started.

In Seoul, I touched a lot of Korean cultures and history. Now in Japan, Korean TV drams are very popular and big waves. I was happy to see the real ones, not on TV screens!

Thank you for everything that the people wrote me advices. I did a great trip without fears!

Junechan, arigato for your trip report. How I wish I could be in Korea at this time of the year to enjoy autumn foliage, (with strong dollar^^) Oh, well New England fall foliage isn%26#39;t too bad either...

Question for you? When you went Seoraksan, did you had sanchae bibimbop? a mixed rice with mountain vegetables. I heard it is really good there.