Hello everyone!
A couple weeks ago, I was offered a free trip with K-Travel Bus. K-Travel bus is a travel bus run by the Visit Korea committee, encouraging foreigners to visit not only Seoul, but the more old-culture or rural parts of Korea as well. The bus currently goes to seven provinces - Daegu, Gangwon Province, South Gyeongsang Province, Jeolla Province, Tongyoung, Jecheon and Muju.
For about 170-180 USD per passenger, foreigners can experience all kinds of culture, entertainment, and nature in Korea for one night and two days. I went on a trip to Jeollanamdo, a beautiful ocean-side province docked with delicious food, beautiful sights, and tourist-accommodating sites.
I was a bit nervous, since I hadn't traveled without my family very much before, but I was surprised with some very friendly people and a well-organized bunch to herd us all.
On the first day, we visited a bamboo forest, the Metasequoia Road, rode a steam engine, and tasted some yummy traditional Korean food. On day two, we rode a cable car (!!!), walked through the luscious greens of Odongdo Island, and hiked in Suncheon Bay.
My favorite out of all of these locations had to be the Bamboo Forest, simply because being surrounded by all the tall bamboo plants was so relaxing and comforting. Apparently, there are "alpha waves" that naturally envelope the forest- an energy that monks meditate in for a calming effect. I can assure you, it feels amazing!
It was a very humbling to walk through these trails, amongst the tall, both young and old bamboos. I realized how small and young we all actually are- at least compared to some of these ancient bamboos!
I loved the atmosphere. It was so peaceful, and had a way of making you forget about everything outside the green world you had stepped into. There were cute resting spots here and there, such as gazebos and hanging chairs made of bamboo. There were people having little photo shoots near the resting areas, and names of couples etched into the bamboo stalks. The only sound was the quiet murmurs from the occasional throngs of other people, and the rustling of the bamboo leaves. It was truly a grand experience.
If I was given this opportunity again, I would take it in a heartbeat. No question. The entire trip was very well planned out to the second, and you were never given an opportunity to get bored. If you are ever in Korea, I 100% recommend taking a couple days to go on a trip with K-Travel Bus. It was one of the best travels I've ever had.
If you want to see each thing we did in detail, check out the Travel Diary YouTube video I made for the trip!
Click Here to watch in a new window, or scroll to the bottom of the page.
Below I included some photos of the best photos from the trip, and my YouTube video.
