Vietnamese tourists' experience of traveling to Korea in autumn

Although he has been to Korea several times, tourist Phan Thanh Buu Hoa almost could not enter the area with the famous pink grass hill because he did not buy tickets in advance.

Autumn in Korea usually lasts from September to November. The time of changing seasons and the changing colors of the leaves is also anticipated by many tourists. "Korea seems to put on a completely new look from the trees, climate to the people, creating a romantic picture in autumn", Phan Thanh Buu Hoa, a travel blogger living in Ho Chi Minh City, shared.

Hoa had an 8-day trip to Korea at the end of October, following the itinerary: Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, Jeonju, Gyeongju and Busan. The weather at this time is pleasant, not too cold, the temperature ranges from 9 degrees to 15 degrees. According to the male tourist, applying for a visa for Vietnamese tourists at this time is "quite easy", just need to follow the requirements and procedures. In addition to personal documents, proof of stable job, tourists need to prove financial resources of at least 120 million VND and deposited in the bank for at least one month.

Vietnamese tourists' experience of traveling to Korea in autumn — **Male tourist takes photo at Hwadam sub area, late October.**

From personal experience, Hoa thinks that autumn in Korea is most beautiful in the morning, from 8am to 10am. This is the right time for visitors to walk around, admire the surrounding landscape and take photos. After this time, the sun rises, the temperature changes and the photos may be overexposed. However, in the early morning and evening, the temperature will be lower so visitors need to prepare warm clothes. To have beautiful photos, in harmony with the background of yellow and red leaves, he suggests choosing clothes with neutral tones.

Parks and national parks are often the places chosen by many tourists to take pictures of yellow and red leaves. These are all places that require a lot of walking and climbing stairs, so a pair of comfortable sneakers is an "indispensable" item for a trip to Korea in the fall. In addition, the weather is cold but the UV index is very high, the low humidity can affect the skin. Tourists should bring sunscreen, lip balm and skin moisturizer.

Last year, Hoa also had the opportunity to visit Korea in the fall but did not explore many places. This time, he planned more carefully to capture the most beautiful moments of autumn in Korea.

According to him, although it is autumn, each time, each stage and each year the leaves will have different brilliance. During his recent trip, Hoa felt that Seoul is the place where autumn is at its most beautiful, the leaves are starting to change color, the weather is cold. However, compared to last year, this year's autumn came later and was not as brilliant as in 2019.

Around the beginning of October, Korea releases maps and expected times for leaves to change color in different provinces and cities, which tourists can refer to in order to plan their trip. In places with higher and colder terrain such as the Northern region, the leaves will change color and fall earlier. Once the time of the trip has been determined, tourists should book tickets to famous tourist attractions as soon as possible to avoid waiting in line or sold out tickets.

At Hwadam Sub, a famous autumn leaf viewing spot in Kyugido province, a male tourist almost couldn't get in because he didn't buy tickets in advance. During peak season, they only reserve 10% of the tickets for customers who buy directly, the rest will be for customers who buy online. The closer to the time when the leaves change color, the harder it is to buy tickets. If traveling from Seoul by public transport, it will take visitors about 2.5 hours to travel. Therefore, to buy tickets directly, Hoa's group had to wake up early and wait in line.

However, this is also the destination that impressed the male tourist the most during his recent trip. "Along the entrance to Hwadam sub garden are two rows of yellow ginkgo trees, going deeper inside are maple leaves turning red, embracing the traditional Korean hanok houses, creating an extremely romantic whole," he described.

In addition, the male tourist was also impressed with the scenery in Gyeongju city, about 3 hours by train from Seoul. In contrast to the bustling scenery of Seoul, Gyeongju is peaceful, with few vehicles and high-rise buildings, and along both sides of the road are green barley fields. Instead of the rows of yellow ginkgo trees like in Seoul, here, Hoa was most impressed with the pink grass hill blooming brilliantly under the blue sky near Cheomseongdae, a famous historical site of the Silla Dynasty, open for free admission.

Not only impressed by the gentle and charming autumn scenery, he was also impressed by Korean cuisine. At the places he visited, the male tourist commented that most of the dishes were "very easy to eat". Among them, Yukhoe, a raw beef dish, deodorized, thinly sliced, served with shredded pear and rich egg yolk, was the dish that impressed Hoa the most. In addition, street food stalls such as fish cake soup and spicy rice cakes were also a unique highlight that impressed the male tourist. To enjoy many dishes, Hoa suggested that tourists can go to food markets such as Kwang Jang market, Hongdae market or Myeongdong market.

Traveling in Seoul by public transport is quite simple and convenient, visitors can choose to go by train, bus or taxi. According to Hoa, the train is the most modern experience but sometimes the walk to the stations is quite far. Taxi is the fastest means of transport, the driver will charge based on time, visitors should avoid going during rush hour. The most economical option is the bus. Google map in Korea is not as popular and accurate as Naver map or Kakao map.

If staying in Seoul, visitors can refer to Myeongdong area, the busiest area in the capital, convenient for entertainment and shopping, and prioritize hotels near trains and bus stations. Traveling in large groups, you can find serviced apartments, which will save costs. In addition, visitors should bring spare batteries because the colder it is, the faster the phone runs out of battery. Passport is an "inseparable item" during the trip to ensure safety and support tax refund shopping.

According to vnexpress.net

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