Korea Cherry Blossom

📅   Day 1   |   Arrival at Incheon/ Seoul and transfer to the hotel

• Arrival to Incheon Airport / Meet and greet by our representative & Transfer to Seoul by private coach & Check in hotel.

• Free Leisure Day

• Back to the hotel & Overnight stay in Seoul

📅   Day 2   |   Seoul City Tour in historical Center (B)

• After Breakfast, Gwanghwamun Square stretches out from Gwanghwamun Gate, once the main gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace, to Sejongno Sageori Intersection. Gwanghwamun Square is divided into six sections. At its center stands a statue of King Sejong the Great, the fourth and most respected king of the Joseon Dynasty and create or of Hangeul, Korea's alphabet, and a statue of Admiral Yi Sunshin, a naval commander noted for his victories against the Japanese navy during the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592-1598) and a hero among Koreans. Other attractions include the popular 12.2 3 Fountain, a sculpture of Haechi (the symbol of Seoul), a flower carpet, and Yeoksamulgil (or the "Waterway of History") on either side of the square.

• Gyeongbokgung Palace –built in 1395, Gyeongbokgung Palace is also commonly referred to as the Northern Palace because its location is furthest north when compared to the neighbouring palaces of Changdeokgung (Eastern Palace) and Gyeonghuigung (Western Palace) Palace. Gyeongbokgung Palace is arguably the most beautiful and remains the largest of all five palaces. The premises were once destroyed by fire during the Imjin War (Japanese Invasions, 1592 -1598). However, all the palace buildings were later restored under the leadership of Heungseondaewongun during the reign of King Gojong (1852 -1919).

• Optional: Traditional costume experience – wearing hanbok in the palace. From 15$/pax

• Bukchon Hanok Village –Surrounded by Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace and Jongmyo Shrine, it is home to hundreds of traditional houses, called hanok, that date back to the Joseon Dynasty. The name Bukchon, which literally translates to "northern village," came about as the neighbourhood lies north of two significant Seoul landmarks, Cheonggyecheon Stream and Jongno. Today, many of these hanoks operate as cultural centers, guesthouses, restaurants, and tea houses, providing visitors with an opportunity to experience, learn and immerse themselves in traditional Korean culture. As Bukchon Hanok Village is an actual neighbourhood with people's homes, visitors are advised to be always respectful while looking around.

• Jogyesa Temple is the center of Korean Buddhism. The temple was built in the late 14th century during the Goryeo period and was once turned into ashes due to fire and was rebuilt under the name of Gackhwangsa Temple in 1910 with the effort of many respectful monks, namely Han Yong-un and Lee Hee-gwang. The temple was given a role as the head temple of Korea’s Buddhism and renamed to Tegosa Temple in 1936. In 1954, a purification drive took place to eliminate Japanese influence and revive traditional Buddhism, which established the present day Jogyesa Temple as a result.

• Walk at Yeouido Hangang Park Situated in Yeouido, the heart of politics, media, banking and finance, Yeouido Hangang Park is easily accessible via public transportation. As one of the most popular parks along Hangang River, the park attracts many visitors, residents, and office workers. The park offers exciting events year-round: the Yeouido Cherry Blossom Festival in the spring, the World Fireworks Festival in the fall, as well as concerts, and marathons. Well-preserved natural areas such as Bamseom and Yeouido Saetgang Tributary provide visitors with an opportunity to learn about nature and ecology. In addition, thanks to the Hangang Renaissance Project, the park is full of new attractions: the Water Light Square, Waterside Fountains, the Waterside Stage, Festival Land, the Piano Waterway, Waterfalls of Light, the Yacht Marina, and more.

• Hangang River Cruise – is one of the best ways to enjoy the Hangang River. The cruises have different themes, including a pirate theme for children and a K-Culture cruise for Hallyu fans, allowing passengers to enjoy live performances and fine dining as they admire the scenery. The romance of the Hangang makes river cruises very popular with lovers all throughout the year.

• Free Leisure Time

• Back to the hotel & Overnight stay in Seoul

📅   Day 3   |   Check-out Seoul transfer to Busan Tour (B)

• After breakfast, Checkout & Transfer to Busan by express Train KTX

• Busan Tour- Jagalchi Market is Korea's largest seafood market, selling both live and dried fish. Most of the people who sell fish are women, so the vendors here are called Jagalchi Ajumma, "ajumma" meaning middle-aged or married woman in Korean. This market represents Busan and is famous throughout the country. Visitors can eat fresh raw fish right at the market. Even nowadays visitors can see women selling mackerel, sea squirts (ascidians) and whale meat on wooden boxes along the road outside of the market and along the shore.

• Gamcheon Culture Village is formed by houses built in staircase-fashion on the foothills of a coastal mountain, earning this village the nickname "Machu Picchu of Busan." Many alleys that cut through this community are vibrantly decorated with murals and sculptures created by the residents.

• Gwangan Bridge stretches over 7.4km from Namcheon-dong (Suyeong-gu, Busan) to Centum City (U-dong, Haeundae-gu). It is the longest bi-level bridge over the ocean in Korea. In addition to providing a quick way to get around, the bridge offers breathtaking views of nearby attractions, including the endlessly unfolding ocean, Oryukdo Island, Hwangnyeongsan Mountain, Gwangalli Beach, Dongbaekseom Island, and Dalmaji Hill. Equipped with thousands of LED lights, the bridge showcases a beautiful lighting exhibition at night that changes with the seasons.

• Haedong Yonggungsa Temple is situated on the coast of the north-eastern portion of Busan. This superb attraction offers visitors the rare find of a temple along the shoreline; most temples in Korea are located in the mountains. Haedong Yonggungsa Temple was first built in 1376 by the great Buddhist teacher known as Naong during the Goryeo Dynasty. One of the special sites at the temple are the 108 stairs and stone lanterns lining the rocky landscape. After going down the 108 steps, one will be delighted with the beauty of the temple. Midway down the 108 steps one cans stop and enjoy the calming sounds of the waves and view the majestic sunrise.

• Called Busan’s Montmartre, Dalmaji-gil Road at Haeundae is famous for its views of the blue ocean, white sandy beach, Camellia Forest, and pine tree forest, creating one of Busan’s eight scenic sites. Haeundae Dalmaji Hill and the m  oon seen from Cheongsapo are added to the eight scenic sites for their beautiful ambience.

• Check-in at the Hotel & Free Leisure Time

• Back to the hotel & Overnight stay in Busan

📅   Day 4   |   Free Leisure Day (B)

• After Breakfast, Free Leisure Time

• Back to the hotel & Overnight stay in Busan

📅   Day 5   |   Check-out Busan- Gyeongju- Seoul (B)

• After Breakfast, Check-out & Transfer to Gyeongju Tour

• Visit to Gyeongju Cherry Blossom Festival. Known as “the museum without walls”, Gyeongju, the capital of the ancient Silla Dynasty, is rich with its cultural heritage than any other cities in Korea. Spring in Gyeongju is an explosion of colors and festivities with the burst of cherry blossoms. The picture-perfect Bomun Lake in Gyeongju, a historic city in the southern part of Korea, shows off its best every April when 9,000 cherry trees around the lake burst into bloom. Bomun Lake is located at the center of Bomun Tourist Complex, a tourist district where you can find hotels, resorts, theme parks, an amusement park, and other various attractions. Within Daereungwon Tomb Complex is Cheonmachong Tomb (Ancient Tomb No. 155), which was excavated in 1973. Cheonmachong Tomb consists of a wooden coffin placed inside an underground chamber mounded with boulders and earth, characterized as a typical upper-class tomb of the Silla period. The mound has a height of 12.7 m with a diameter of 50 m and consists of a layer of rocks collected from streams. Below the rock layer is a wooden chamber that is 6.5 m long and 2.1 m wide, reaching 2.1 m in height, with the wooden coffin at its center. A total of 11,526 artifacts were discovered within the tomb, including Cheonmado, an artwork considered highly valuable as it is Korea's first artwork to be excavated from an ancient tomb.

• Cheomseongdae Observatory is the oldest existing astronomical observatory in Asia. Constructed during the reign of Queen Seon-deok (r. 632-647), it was used to observe stars in order to forecast the weather. This stone structure is a beautiful combination of straight lines and curves and was designated as National Treasure No.31 on December 20th, 1962. Cheomseongdae was built in a cylinder shape with stones 30cm in diameter. 362 stones were piled up to make 27 levels. Roughly 4.16m up from the bottom there is a 1m2 square entrance and a space to hang a ladder under it.The inside is filled with soil up to the 12th level, and the 19th, 20th, 25th, and 26th levels all have long rocks hanging on two areas, shaped as the Chinese letter '井' (jeong). The 362 stones used to build Cheomseongdae represented the 362 days in a lunar year.

• Gyeongju Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond was the secondary palace site which was used by the crown prince of the Silla Kingdom. It also served as a banquet site for important national events and important visitors. After the fall of Silla, the site was abandoned and forgotten. The pond was referred to as "Anapji" during the Goryeo and Joseon periods. In the 1980s, a pottery fragment with letters “Wolji” (a pond that reflects the moon) carved onto it was found, revealing the true name of the pond. After the discovery, the site was renamed to the current Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond.

• Transfer to Seoul by express train KTX

• Back to the hotel & Overnight stay in Seoul

📅   Day 6   |   Theme Amusement Park Lotte World or Observatory Seoul Sky(B)

• After breakfast, Lotte World is a theme park filled with thrilling rides, an ice rink and different kinds of parades, as well as a folk museum, a lake, accommodations, department stores and more. Lotte World is divided into Lotte World Adventure, a world themed indoor area, and Magic Island theme outdoors, next to Seokchonhosu Lake. Lotte World Adventure is the largest indoor amusement park in the world. The Folk Museum is also one of the most popular museums among international visitors. Also, Lotte World Star Avenue is the perfect place to experience Korean stars and the entertainment world.

• Lotte World Tower Seoul Sky is located on floors 117-123 of Lotte World Tower, the nation's tallest and the world's fifth tallest building (555 m). The observatory offers a panoramic view of the entire capital city, beautiful both day and night. In addition to the outstanding view, visitors can enjoy a small snack or coffee from the dessert cafe while sitting in the lounge or on the sky terrace. The observation deck has two story-high glass windows for an uninterrupted view. The Sky Deck, located at 478m, hold the Guinness World Record as the highest glass-floored observatory in the world. On days when visibility is limited, visitors can still enjoy a clear sky through the Sky Theatre.

• Walk at Seokchon Lake was originally part of the Han River, but following a land reclamation project in 1971, the lake formed. Within Seokchon Lake Park is the West Lake and Magic Island. Magic Island is a man-made island that is connected by monorail to Lotte Adventure. Another exciting attraction of the West Lake is Seoul Norimadang, an outdoor venue for traditional Korean performances, which stages various open-air performances and events at weekends. The East Lake, with picturesque scenery created by the combination of the beautiful lake and the lush park, is famous for its jogging circuits and footpaths. The lakeside area also has a number of amenities including small parks, restaurants and café. All year-round visitors come to appreciate the changing seasons by the lakeside. When the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, the lakeside is colored light pink. Without a doubt it is an unmissable spot while visiting Seoul.

• Transfer to Gangnam district. Many people tend to gather at Gangnam Subway Station, as the location is geographically and commercially suitable as a meeting point for social gatherings, events, or personal engagements. Hence, during the weekdays it is usually crowded in the evenings while on weekends, areas around Gangnam Subway Station exit number 10 and 11, as well as City Theatre, and Giordano are often bustling with people. Visitors travel to Gangnam to take advantage of its convenient transportation, fashion malls, movie theatres and bookstores.

• COEX Convention & Exhibition Center is the biggest convention center and exhibition space in Korea. Directly connected to the Samseong Station of subway line 2, it includes a shopping center, a movie theater, a musical concert hall, exhibition halls and famous restaurants. It is also close to a casino, hotels, department stores, and other various amenities. Trade Tower, ASEM Tower and COEX ARTIUM is housed nearby for visitors’ perfect shopping, dining and culture life. COEX MALL has been reopen in 2014. The mall includes Mega-Box theater, COEX Aquarium, Starfield Library, YP bookstore, Pierrot shopping and many other shops and restaurants.

• Transfer to shopping center Myeongdong. Myeongdong is Seoul’s shopping mecca and is a must-see for tourists, but it is not just a shopping destination; Myeongdong is also a hub of commerce, banking and culture with a daytime population of 1.5-2 million. For shoppers there is a mixture of street stalls and retail outlets selling everything from high fashion to casual attire, as well as many Korean cosmetics stores offering high-quality products at competitive prices.

• Optional: Enjoy non-verbal show NANTA «Nanta» - is one of Korea's top performances, a show about four chefs who must prepare a wedding banquet in just one hour. The plot is depicted through various genres of performances, including percussion that uses kitchen utensils to make beats based on traditional rhythms of samulnori (traditional Korean percussion quartet). The entire show has no spoken dialogue, yet plenty of comedy and romance, too. Since its debut in October 1997, NANTA (also known as Cookin') has earned international acclaim, having been performed on Broadway and at other famous venues worldwide.

• Back to the hotel & Overnight stay in Seoul.

📅   Day 7   |   Free Leisure Day until Departure Flight (B)

• After Breakfast, Free Leisure Day until Departure & Transfer to the Airport for Departure flight.