Korea, Sparkling: Chapter 1 - Jeju

The Reliance Travel's Korea tour package that we've signed up covers several major locations in South Korea such as Jeju, Chuncheon, Icheon, Yongin and Seoul. I google for information of these major attractions recently to learn more about them before the trip next month. Herein is my research results.

CHAPTER 1: JEJU has a mild oceanic climate throughout the year with the smallest annual temperature range in the country. The hottest summer months averages no more than 34.7℃and no less than -1.5℃ for winter. It is the largest island in South Korea, which came into existence approximately 700 to 1,200 thousand years ago from a sub-sea volcano surfaced above the waters. Another volcanic eruption approximately 100 to 300 thousand years ago formed the Mt. Halla and it rises in the center of Jeju to 1,950m above sea level. The final volcanic eruption that happened approximately 25 thousand years ago created the crater lake, namely Baekrok-dam, at the summit of the Mt. Halla.

The island's nature is well preserved in its prehistoric state and one must visit Jeju to fully appreciate its scenic beauty and mystical myths surrounding the island. It is believed that 3 demi-gods emerged from Samsung-hyeol that is said to have been on the Northen slopes of Mt. Halla and subsequently became the progenitors of the Jeju people who founded the Kingdom of Tamna.

Seongsan Ilchulbong (Up); Yongdu-am (Down)

This beautiful island is one of the most visited honeymoon destinations, not just among the Koreans but honeymooners around the world. There are much to see and to do at Jeju. The Seongsan Ilchulbong (Sunrise Peak) and Yongdu-am (Dragon Head Rock) are some of the hot spots with scenic panoramic view for one to appreciate the beauty of mother nature. One can also explore the Mysterious Road (Dokkaebi Road) where cars roll uphill with the engine turned off.

Teddy Bear Museum (Up); Chocolate Museum (Down)

Alternatively, there are interesting museums that are fun and educational to visit such as the world renowned Teddy Bear Museum, tea museum and even chocoloate museum. Also don't forget to visit the Korea's National Folk Asset #188 i.e. Seongeup Folk Village at Seongeup and theme park such as the Jeju Miniature theme park.

Seongeup Volk Village
Miniature Theme Park

0

In short, Jeju is definitely a "must-go" should you ever consider visiting South Korea one day. Well...at least I know I will o( ^ - ^ )o

Pandemic (H1N1) 2009

Is it safe to travel now? What are the precautionary actions should I take? I guess these are some of the frequently asked questions, especially with the outbreak of Influenza A virus (H1N1).

According to Wikipedia, this virus is a subtype of influenza virus A and the most common cause of flu in humans. Some strains of H1N1 are endemic in humans and cause a small fraction of all influenza-like illness and a large fraction of all seasonal influenza. So, is it safe to travel? Accordingly to WHO, YES! It is safe to travel as WHO is not recommending travel restrictions related to the outbreak of the Influenza A virus.

As of July 31th 2009, 168 countries and overseas territories/communities have reported at least one laboratory confirmed case of pandemic (H1N1) 2009. Of the total 162,380 confirmed cases, approximately 10,000 cases occurred in South-East Asia with a death rate of 5% (65 deaths of total 1,154) (Source: Extracted from WHO Update #60 on Pandemic (H1N1) 2009). In other words, all continents are basically affected by the pandemic.

WHO Update #60 also further indicated that the global response now focuses on minimizing the impact of the virus through the rapid identification of cases, and providing patients with appropriate medical care, rather than on stopping its spread internationally.

The basic rule of thumb:
1. Avoid travelling if you are ill.
2. Contact your health care provider immediately if you become ill upon return from travel.
3. Follow simple preventionary practices while travelling or in daily life such as personal hygiene.

For more information on the WHO travel guide, click here.

Tips on Choosing Honeymoon Destination

I was browsing through some of the forum topics in Malaysia Brides lately and observed that honeymoon destination is definitely one of the "hot" topics that most brides-to-be or newly weds are interested in.

Of course there are many sources of information e.g. top 10 asia honeymoon destinations or top 10 most beautiful islands for honeymooners, but I personally find that there are 3 questions that honeymooners should ask themselves before jumping into any conclusions.

1. $$$: [Note: Well, if "Vitamin M" is never one of your concerns, you may just skip to the next consideration!] Based on the feedback thus far, most honeymooners are concerned about their budget. After the huge spending by throwing a grand wedding banquet, signing up expensive bridal studio photo sessions and so on, it's wise to step back and take out your calculator to perform a quick up-to-date budget. It doesn't take a genius to do the computation but simply summing up the total spending to-date (or a rough estimate) and comparing it against the initial budget. If you're running at negative balance and do not have extra allocation for a grand 13D10N Europe tour or 7D6N Korea autumn/winter tour, you may consider signing up for budgeted tour packages offer by some local travel agents or even airlines. Air Asia Go Holiday, for instances, offers good 3D2N packages to various hot spots for honeymooners such as Bali, Krabi, Phuket and even Taipei!
   
2. Timing: Once you have chosen your honeymoon destination based on the revised budget, the next question would probably be "when should we go" or "when's the best timing to go". Fear not! Most websites such as Tripadvisor or Government Tourism Official Websites provide various informative and accurate travel information or tips, including different events/activities at different time of the year. So, just simply google for those travel web links and you should be able to gather more information before making any decision.
   
3. F&E or Travel Agency: Once you have set your destination and timing, the next thing you may want to consider is the honeymoon arrangement i.e. "free and easy" or tour packages. Of course this usually involves personal preference as some honeymooners enjoy planning their own trips while others would have a concern over the language barriers, lodging, and so on. Click here for an example of planned honeymoon trip to South Korea via "Trip Planner by Yahoo! Travel". Well, you'll never know if you ended up planning your own special honeymoon for your loved one. The web links to some of the Malaysia tour agents are also available in my blog. Feel free to browse through them for further information.

Well, the above are just some general points for your consideration. No matter what decision you'll make or have already made, hope that you'll enjoy your honeymoon with your loved one and have an unforgettable time of your life!

Air Asia Go Holiday Package

Sie Wee was back from KL for the weekend and spotted a good promo on Air Asia. It's the 3D2N package inclusive of air ticket and accommodation (of our own choice) to a wide range of destinations. Of all the destinations, Chiang Mai crossed our mind and we tried searching for a good package.

Note: For more information regarding the "Air Asia Go Holiday" packages, click here.

To our great surprise, we managed to book a short trip to Chiang Mai with a 2-night stay at Holiday Inn Chiang Mai (previously as the Sheraton) for four people at a cost less than RM1, 500. Since Choo subsequently decided to join my family and me for this short retreat in the Rose of Northern Thailand, we had to book a single return ticket at RM195 plus extra bed at approximately RM90 per night (yet to include daily breakfast). Though it costs us more with this additional single booking, it's still a fairly reasonable package altogether.

We will be departing at the end of October. I read through a couple of web sites and apparently, October is still within the rainy season but yet one of the best timing to visit this mysterious place with ancient temples, interesting hill tribes, adventurous elephant rides, delicious Thai food and not forgetting the ultimate satisfaction that any shopper will get from bargaining for the things that they want at the local bazaar or market.

Though the trip is still 5 months away, I should probably start planning for the 3-day ground tour. As a non-professional backpacker (never fond of being one either), it's kind of stressful but Fun! I now officially carry a heavy responsibility in making sure everyone will have a good time there, especially my parents as this is an early birthday gift for both of them from us. Any way, I'm still contemplating between getting a local tour or be more adventurous to charter a van and plan our own itinerary for the 3-day trip.

Any good advice from experienced backpackers who had been in Chiang Mai is most welcome!

Korea Honeymoon

Unlike other newly weds, we did not go for our honeymoon immediately after our wedding ceremony since early February this year. I personally wouldn't prefer rushing into it as Choo is pretty busy with his business at the moment as well. Choo and I, however, had recently began considering many honeymoon destinations and finally decided to spend some memorable quality time in Korea.

As I'm not one of those enthusiastic backpackers, Choo is sweet enough to book our honeymoon package with one of the renowned local travel agencies - Reliance Travel. The date has been set and we'll be in Korea this coming September. With the current hectic workloads, I'm definitely looking forward to having a good time in Korea, specifically in Jeju Island.

I've always wanted to go to Jeju Island (or known as Cheju Island) ever since I watched the Korean drama series – Princess Hours Goong 宫. Any Korean drama series lovers would have probably guessed why by now. Yes! It's because of the Korea Teddy Bear Museum! This is the place where you'll simply be amazed with the different themes of assorted bears. Most importantly – I'm searching for the bears that featured in the drama series and hopefully bringing one (or two) back for my own collection as a birthday gift? That's my quest in Jeju Island. Keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that Choo is reading this. *LoL*

For those who are interested to find out more about the Korea tour packages, do check out the following local travel agencies for the latest promotions and offers -

1. Reliance Travel: Korea Tour Packages

2. Apple Holiday