http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33603 When visiting, you can walk up Namsan Mountain, get a bus, or take a cable car. My recommendation is to get the cable car up and enjoy a leisurely stroll down the mountain on your return. A daytime trip will give you a better view of the surrounding mountains, but visit between 7pm and midnight to see the tower light up in glorious illumination. There are a handful of restaurants at the tower, including a burger bar and the expensive N Grill, which slowly revolves and offers romantic panoramic views of the city as you eat. Booking a table for the latter is a must.
Tickets for the tower itself range from 3,000 to 7000 won. The cable car itself costs 4,800 one-way or 6,000 for a return ticket.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33603 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33524 Located in Sindang-dong, Ddeokbokki Town is a long street with numerous restaurants dedicated to ddeokbokki. While most will provide you with a delicious meal, one restaurant is particularly worthy of a visit; the wonderfully named "I Love Sindang-dong." Dining at this restaurant is an easier affair than is typical for the foreigner in Korea, providing a full English language menu along with pictures of the individual dishes. You can choose from a variety of different options, including cheese-stuffed rice balls and the intimidatingly named "Tear Jerker." All the ingredients are brought out in a large pan to cook in front of you - each table having its own gas hob - so be ready to stir the mouth watering mix of rice cake, ramen, glass noodles, mushrooms, dumplings, 'odeng' (fish cake), egg, onions and more while it cooks. Then simply pick and choose which parts you like best, and tuck in!
A huge restaurant (the floor space was used by seven different restaurants up until 2002) "I Love Sindang-dong" gives you a fantastic chance to try some traditional Korean food well away from the more tourism-heavy areas of Seoul. There is often a wait for a table at weekends, though rarely longer than 5-10 minutes, and this really is a must-do for all visitors to the city.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33524 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33511 Be sure to pick up some kimbap (김밥 in Korean script) from one of the many small restaurants nearby to devour as a snack upon reaching the summit. Made of white rice and various other ingredients, wrapped together in dried laver seaweed, a kimbap is the perfect reward after a short and sharp climb.
Oh, and don't be surprised if you're offered a soju pick-me-up by one of Korea's numerous elderly hikers!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/33511 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32688 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32688 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/26989 Everyone in our families can join but only our siblings did. Our parents said they were too old for such craziness like playing in the mud so they let us go on our own instead.

Guess what just happened, we had twice as fun as the previous years because we came with our sibs to Korea. It actually became more of a family activity since my family and my best friend's family also know each other since we were kids so it's like we were one big family who came to enjoyed the mud at this Korea festival.

I took my younger sisters to the mud bath and the mud slide because for me the slide is one famous activity that every mud festival goer should not miss.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/26989 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/26224 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/26224 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/26195 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/26195 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23283 Best company found was RSJ International in UK. Everything delivered on time and same condition.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23283 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/22859
Boryeong Mud is actually very popular for high-quality skincare product, so it's great opportunity to try Boryeong mud as well.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/22859 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/22395
But the best dish is the wide, shallow, simmering pot filled with aged kimchi (pickled, spicy cabbage) with boiled bacon, mushrooms and tofu.

Mugunji-Sangyop-Jim is myy favourite Korean dish. (Won 18.000 for two). It's served with a huge array of side dishes for free. Rice (Bap) is Won 1000 extra.

Order a small bottle of Chang-Ha (a bit like Sake) only won 4000 perfect for washing the dish down.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/22395 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/22398
Vegans will have to make do on Bibimbap. It's steamed rice topped with boiled vegetables. Locals drench it in a thick, ketchup-like sweet, hot chili sauce. (Kochu-jang)

Fish eating vegetarians will have less problems. Plenty of Japanese Udon Noodles and California Rolls around for those on the budget. Plastic dishes are in the window.

But I'd recommend visiting a Raw Tuna House (Chamchi) for lunch and order a He-Dop-Bap which is a bowl of salad topped with a handful of raw tuna. You are supposed to add the small bowl of steamed rice and mix (and with the eternally present Kochu-jang as above) - I just put a bit of soy sauce and a few drops of sesame oil in the mix.

The best He-Dop-Bap lunch set (including soup and side dishes for 6000 won is found at a restaurant chain called Dokdo Chamchi (all over Seoul.) Wash it down with a nice hot cup of sake for the full effect! (5000 won).

If you really love Sashimi. Order an "Eat All You Can" tuna meal for 19.000 Won - they'll keep it comin'...]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/22398 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/22396
It's an active Buddhist Temple and a home to the International Zen Centre, located at the base of Bukan mountain short 30 min. subway/bus trip from the heart of Seoul.

Go on Sunday and get a free vegan 'Monk Lunch' between 11.30-12.30 on the ground floor of the main building

After lunch there is an intro to beginners at 12.30 upstairs at the Zen Center. Worth the 30 minutes cross-legged sitting on a cushion :o)

Then to streach out a little, take an easy hike up to the mountain spring. Entrance just before the Temple's - follow the small path on the left, curving towards the right around the hill, (don't go straight on) It's a lovely walk.

I can't think of a more peaceful way to spend a Sunday in Seoul.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/22396 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/21970
Fresh stuff gets snapped up early (4am) in the morning by chefs, but whatever time you get there you can choose your catch and have restaurants in the same building cook it up for you.

Prices are marked so you won't get ripped off (although there's always a little room for haggling) and it's all very photogenic.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/21970 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/21661
I'm not too sure why they do this, may be some, thing ridiculous to do with spirits. You could probably Google it if you really want to know. I'm happier in ignorance.

It's worth seeing, young and old flock from south Korea to do so.

The surrounding town is about as interesting as a mute standup, but it has a wonderful BBQ restaurant at the bottom of the mountain, owned by a Korean gent who spent many years in Boston and will provide free alcohol at the chance to brush up on his English.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/21661 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18951 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18951 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17536
Near Gangchon, there is a pretty mountain. At the top, try the dakjjim (a spicy chicken dish). You might have to wait a few minutes whilst they catch, kill and prepare the chicken!

This region is famous for the wonderful Korean dish Dakkalbi (a spicy chicken stew with vegetables and rice cakes) if you haven't tried it anywhere else, give it a go here.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17536 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17452
I enjoyed a visit to the park near Soyang lake, which is an artificial lake created by a large dam. You can catch a boat (be sure to have your alien card/passport details) and then take a short hike up to a temple.

There is a slightly hidden trail past the temple where you can walk up the mountain and find secluded hermitages and a seven-story stone pagoda waiting to be discovered.

Before you take the boat back, try the deep fried fish in one of the many restaurants - but watch out because the last boat leaves at 6:30!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17452 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17451
The initial hour or two on most trails consists of tarmac/brick roads, but eventually you will come to steep paths and the inevitable steel staircase.

I have been in autumn and found it very pleasant with wonderful weather and beautiful scenery. But, as I mentioned, there are so many people you may have to find yourself queuing to reach the peak!

If you go to Seoraksan, stay in one of the many hotels/motels in nearby Sokcho. There is also a pretty good beach here as well as a street with many fish restaurants. Try the sushi!]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17451 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/12266 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/12266 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/10593
Tours are available with a number of travel companies, but I recommend arranging a trip with the US army travel corps at Yongsan. They run regular tours and their tours visit a number of sites not available to all operators. Prices include travel to and from the zone, lunch and all travel around the site, (which includes travel amongst an armed convoy at the DMZ).

The atmosphere at the DMZ is one of tension and palatable eeriness. Arriving as part of a convoy of buses, with armoured cars leading and tailing, you are taken to the central observation tower and to various sites of importance. A US Army spokesman explains their side of the story, which for me gave a personal insight into the propaganda of war, bearing in mind that the North will have its own version of events.

The highlight for me was the DMZ meeting hall, a UN-blue building which straddles the 49th parallel and has been the location for inter-Korean dialogue since the end of hostilities. North Korean guards, in tired looking uniforms, stare from their side of the line, with their South Korean counterparts assuming a more aggressive stance, (taken from the martial art of Tae Kwon Do), complete with US Army-issue Raybans.

A great full-day trip, and an essential one in my opinion. The reality of the situation, considering the two countries are technically still at war and the real and desperate poverty in the North, is worth reflecting on, as you arrive back in the modern metropolis of bustling Seoul.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/10593