South Korea Guide
Gyeonggi and Gangwon
Gyeonggi and Gangwon, South Korea's northernmost provinces, couldn't be much further apart in character, despite both being bounded to the north by the Demilitarized Zone, often described as one of the most dangerous places on Earth. In the small northwestern corner of the country, Gyeonggi (officially known as Gyeonggi-do) is a busy rabble of eleven million people much cut up by roads and buzzing with industry. It encircles the two cities of Seoul and Incheon; though these are administratively separate, the combined urban mass of 24 million people – around half of South Korea's population – makes little Gyeonggi one of the world's most densely populated areas.
Highlights
1 Suwon Scramble up a UNESCO-listed fortress wall, visit a nearby folk village, or join what may be the world's only toilet tour.
2 West Sea islands Clean air, homely villages and a thriving fishing industry are what make a visit to the islands worthwhile; all this and only a day-trip from Seoul.
3 The DMZ Walk through a tunnel under the world‘s most heavily fortified border, or take a couple of steps into official North Korean territory in the eerie Joint Security Area.
4 Cheorwon Just a few kilometres from the North Korean border, there's tension in the air and some interesting sights related to the neighbours across the way.
5 Seoraksan National Park With its tall pines and naked rock, Koreans are in near-unanimous agreement that this is the most beautiful national park in the country.
6 Jeongdongjin An American warship and a North Korean submarine lie side by side near this small village, just begging to be clambered around.
7 Rail-biking on the Jeongseon Route Speed 7km down the train tracks on a specially adapted rail-bike, north of Jeongseon.