Taean Tulip Festival

Scenic ride on Mungyeong Rail Bike

One scenic activity tourists will want to enjoy in the upcoming season is a ride on the Mungyeong Rail Bike, which runs along tracks winding through the pastoral landscape of Jinnam Gyoban, North Gyeongsang Province. 

The area used to be home to the country’s second largest coal mines back in the days of the coal industry’s boom.

Now, though the trains have ceased to run, the tracks have been repurposed to carry rail bikes, which carry up to four persons, with two people pedaling on each side -- perfect for family excursions.

Five courses are available. Tickets can be purchased starting at 8:45 a.m. at Myungyeong Station, Gaeun Station and Gurarng-ri Station at 15,000 won per person.

The site’s address is Sinhyeon-ri, Maseong-myeon, Mungyeong-si, North Gyeongsang Province. For inquiries, call Korea’s Travel Hotline at (02) 1330. 

Danjong Cultural Festival

The 50th Danjong Cultural Festival will be held at the Jangneung Royal Tomb area at Yeongwol, Gangwon Province, from April 29 to May 1. The festival was established in 1967, in memory of King Danjong, the sixth monarch of the Joseon Dynasty who became a victim of his uncle’s ambition to take the throne. The festival will feature ritual services for Danjong and his loyal subjects, including the reproduction of a state funeral. It will also feature a number of art performances and folk games such as a traditional Korean tug-of-war contest. Exhibitions will also be held.

The address for the venue is 190, Danjong-ro, Yeongwol-gun, Gangwon-do.

For more information, call (033) 375-6353 or visit danjong.co.kr.

Asiana Airlines starts service to Sapporo

Starting July 1, Asiana Airlines will be operating daily flights to Sapporo, Japan, expanding its network across Japan.

Located in the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, Sapporo is renowned for its world-famous snow festival which attracts nearly 2 million tourists annually and its summertime Sapporo Beer Festival, set to take place in July and August this year. Sapporo is also a gateway to Furano, also located in Hokkaido, a popular summer holiday destination known for its vast lavender fields.

Planes will depart daily from Incheon International Airport at 2:20 p.m. and arrive at Sapporo New Chitose International Airport at 5 p.m. The returning flight leaves Sapporo at 6:10 p.m., arriving in Seoul at 9:10 p.m.

For reservations, visit kr.flyasiana.com.

British Airways reveals Korean travel habits survey

British Airways released the results of a first-ever “Travel Habits Survey” the airline conducted for travelers from Korea. The survey, conducted from February to March and involving some 1,000 participants, revealed that actress Emma Watson was Korean travelers’ top choice as their British traveling companion. Other top choices included football player David Beckham and actor Benedict Cumberbatch.

Korean travelers also replied that the fantasy story Harry Potter had been their biggest inspiration to travel to the U.K. They also proved to be food-focused, with a whopping 66 percent of the participants choosing the opportunity to try out new cuisine as the most important factor when traveling.

“The findings in this survey help us focus on the areas that are really important to Korean travelers,” said Manuel Alvarez, the airlines’ country manager for Korea.