Can an outdoors-ey person survive in Korea?

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Peterson and I are a bit “crunchy” (read: granola eating, nature lovers).  And in South Korea, we were in good company: hiking is practically a national sport. Even if you don’t like hiking, there are still plenty of pictaresque views to take in while living and teaching South Korea. Although we chose to live in Seoul, a concrete jungle in many respects, it certainly DID NOT limit our nature possibilities.  Here’s why:

Regardless of where you end up living in South Korea, there are oodles of nature spots to check out.  Here are some of our favorites:

Bukhansan National Park

Peter and I had our first hiking experience at Bukhansan National Park. In many ways, it was also an introduction to Korean culture/etiquette. (Korean ajummas are speedy hikers and will definitely push you out of the way if you don’t move!)

Bukhansan is ideal because it is centrally  located in southeastern Seoul. It’s also a convenient nature getaway when you only have an afternoon to spare. With around five million visitors each year, it’s tends to be one of the most visited. And for good reason! It may be one of the best views of this city.

This park also is  also home to Bukhan Mountain Fortress, which is where the royal capital was protected during the Goryeo and Joseon eras. Additionally, Bukhansan houses over 1,300 species of flora and fauna, and 100 Buddhist temples.

Achasan Mountain

Although Bukhansan was the closest National Park in our neck of the woods, we eventually wised up to Achasan Mountain, which was right in our background. This mountain was literally a five-minute cab ride/twenty-minute walk.  We made this trek a few times a month, especially on sunny weekends.

At 287 meters high, Mt. Achasan is a nice, easy hike with lots of fun scenery along the way, including bits and pieces of the Acha Mountain Fortress.  At the top of the mountain, you also have a great view of Hanggang River valley. There are also a ton of picnic places to nom nom along the way! I even had my Korean-hiking/picnic themed birthday party at this mountain. (It was a prerequisite to dress like a proper Korean climber).

Seoraksan National Park

In the fall, Peter and I traveled with a group of friends to Seoraksan National Park, which is located in the Gangwon Provence and about fifteen minutes from Sokcho city. Although this season is considerably packed with all kinds of hikers, we wouldn’t recommend any other time to go.  South Korea’s fall season, September and October, is the BEST time to check out the colorful fall foliage.

To see the best of what Seoraksan has to offer sans the crowds, we suggest visiting this park during Chuseok, or Korean Thanksgiving. Most Koreans will be visiting relatives during this three-day holiday, so it will be considerably less crowded. PLUS Chuseok takes place in September, so you should still be able to take in some of the beautiful color changes.

Seoul Forest/Olympic Park

Now I know I said 5 nature spots, but really both of these parks are tied between Peter and I, so it will have to count as one.

Seoul Forest (Lindsey’s favorite) Located on Ttukseom stop of the green line, was a bit closer to home.  Modern sculptures (including a hand you can climb through!) are scattered throughout the park. There’s also a farm within the park where you can feed deer and other wildlife. In the summer, the outdoor pavilion that has tons of outdoors concerts.

Olympic Park. (Peter’s favorite). Olympic Park was created for the 1988 summer Olympcs, and really commenced the economic growth of Seoul. This park is extremely large and hilly, and also houses an art museum. It’s a great place to bike (you can rent them there) and a nice place to lounge. In the winter, there’s even an ice rink (conveniently next to a Lotteria)

Haeundae Beach/Geumjeongsanseong Fortress

While traveling in Busan for a last-minute getaway, Peterson and I got to take advantage of the two most scenic parts of  Busan: Haeundae Beach and Geumjongsanseong Fortress. It was nice to experience a semi-tropical environment like Busan. Although it was September, it was plenty warm to swim in the Pacific Ocean.

Besides the beaches, Geumjeonsanseong Fortress, turned out to be an unexpected treat. Although this was a fairly easy hike, it was definitely an entire day of hiking. We started at Beomosa Temple and worked our way through a few of the gates along the way. This can definitely become an all-day affair, so I suggest eating a good breakfast and bringing lunch and tons of water (especially in the summer).

If any of these getaways are too much of  ”hike” from where you live,  remember to check out what the Korean public transit has to offer. Most of these places we listed have an easy route, either via bus, train or subway. Also, be sure to do a bit of exploring in your own Korean backyard. Either way, if you are a nature lover, you will have your pick of scenic places.