To encourage families to travel around the country, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism is holding various promotion events through January.Korea Tourism Organization website (www.visitkorea.co.kr) has suggestions on the best places to visit during the cold season, such as hot springs, winter sports destinations and traditional Korean houses with flat stone floor heating systems. Also introduced on the website are reasonably priced travel programs, which include two-day trips to Korean tradition

Dec. 23, 2011

Sales of KR-PASS, a railway pass exclusively for foreigners, increased by 158 percent this year, according to Korail. The KR-PASS service grants overseas tourists unlimited access to all of its trains ― including the KTX ― for one to 10 days based on the service users’ choice. Up to 12,617 purchased the pass from January through November.Korail believes the number of service users has been surging as more budget tourists opt to take their journey via rail. The state-run railway corporation also

Dec. 23, 2011

Grand Hyatt Seoul is preparing New Year’s Eve fireworks for lovers and families who want to count down the final moments of 2011 and welcome 2012 in a special way. The event will start off at 6 p.m. on Dec. 13 at the hotel’s famous ice rink, with guests enjoying free outdoor skating. With a snack buffet, skating demonstrations by the Junior Korean National Skating team, dance performances, a variety of games and lucky draw events, the event will continue through 1 a.m., with the final moments of

Dec. 23, 2011

The buffet restaurant The Square at Novotel Ambassador Gangnam presents a special promotion for guests born in the Year of Dragon. From Jan. 1 through the end of the month, the restaurant will offer a complimentary buffet for guests born in 1952, while a 50 percent discount will be offered to all guests born in the Year of Dragon ― limited to one guest per table with four or more guests.The Square brings the finest collection of cuisines from around the world with high quality ingredients. Its o

Dec. 23, 2011

Renaissance Seoul Hotel’s Korean Restaurant Sabiru is offering an exclusive Korean dinner course starting Dec. 1. Developed by chef Lee Sang-hoon, the grand prize winner in World Korean Food Competition and Festival 2009, the course showcases a selection of creative Korean dishes that foreign diners can enjoy while also keeping the taste that makes Korean cuisine so special. Using fresh ingredients from Gangwon Province and Ulleungdo, unique items such as poached murex and ginseng paired with yu

Dec. 16, 2011

Unlimited aromatic teas and delicious desserts will be served at the Afternoon Tea Buffet of the Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas, during weekends with Christmas cakes from different countries available from Dec. 23-25. The Afternoon Tea Buffet offers mini sandwiches, scones with jam and whipping cream, almond cake and cherry pie as well as Korean traditional sweets such as tteok and sujeonggwa. Customers can choose from 10 different premium teas and enjoy a relaxing tea time. In addition to

Dec. 16, 2011

Hawaiian Airlines will change its nonstop Incheon-Honolulu flight schedule starting Jan. 5 to accommodate the growing demand for travel to Hawaii from Korean honeymooners. Under the new schedule, Hawaiian Airlines’ HA460 will depart Incheon every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 10:15 p.m. and will arrive at Honolulu International Airport at 11 a.m. on the same day. The return flight bound for Incheon will depart Honolulu every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 1:15 p.m. and wil

Dec. 16, 2011

Korea Grand Sale, a shopping event for overseas visitors, is set to take place from Jan. 9 through Feb. 29. During the sale period, visitors will be able to enjoy up to 50 percent discount on shopping, dining, accommodation and entertainment in Seoul, Busan, Jeju and other major cities across the country. Approximately 21,800 shops representing 72 different firms on food, accommodation, shopping and events are taking part in the event organized by the Visit Korea Committee. Seoul City also plans

Dec. 16, 2011

ABU DHABI (AFP) ― A British explorer and two Emiratis on Tuesday completed a 44-day trek across one of the world’s largest deserts, the Empty Quarter, in the footsteps of the late traveller Sir Wilfred Thesiger.The three men riding two camels were welcomed with a large round of applause from crowds who were waiting for them at Abu Dhabi’s corniche, marking the conclusion of their 1,600-kilometer trip.Following closely the route taken by the British explorer in the 1940s, the team began the trip

Dec. 16, 2011

Starting from Dec. 16, the Korea Rail Corporation, or Korail, will offer a chance to spend an evening on a train, enjoying live shows, events and wine with those you love. The “Tongtongtong Starlight Express” leaves Seoul Station at 7 p.m., traveling to Gudun Station in Yangpyeong and returning to Seoul around 10:50 p.m. During the train service, passengers will be offered sweet wine, cheese and hot noodles as they enjoy live music shows and a belly dance performance.Stopping at Gudun Station, p

Dec. 9, 2011

Sheraton Grande Walkerhill presents the “Barbie Suite for Ladies” package available through Nov. 18, 2013. Following the success of its “Barbie Room for Girls,” the hotel opened a new concept room which is decorated with black, silver and hot pink accents. A spacious living room with Barbie couch, coffee tables and mini chairs invite ladies to gather for a chat or order in room service for a cozy evening. A plush Barbie guest bed and pink-themed bathroom will also delight lady guests. A beautifu

Dec. 9, 2011

Yeoju County, located in the central part of the country, is hosting the third Sweet Potato Festival from Dec. 31 through Jan. 3 near Silleuk Temple, vowing to attract visitors by combining its regional product with its famous tourist attraction. The festival, first held in January 2009, has been drawing more attention as sweet potatoes are being regarded as a healthy product for weight loss. Those taking part in the festival will be given the chance to taste Yeoju’s famous sweet potatoes baked

Dec. 9, 2011

NEW YORK (AFP) ― The world of pizza in New York is in meltdown over who will be the big cheese on one of the Big Apple’s hottest slices of pizza real estate.At stake is a corner of Brooklyn under the end of the Brooklyn Bridge that has been ruled for more than a decade by Grimaldi’s, an old-world pizzeria with crusts as thin as the line of tourists is long, an almost unique oven, and now a feud that could bring it down.On Wednesday, newly delivered flour sacks were shot down a sidewalk slide int

Dec. 9, 2011