[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Taean World Tulip Flower Festival

The World Tulip Flower Festival is scheduled to run from April 12 to May 7 at Korea Flower Park in Taean, South Chungcheong Province.

Some 200 types of flowers, including flamingo, lambada, red proud tulips and more, will be on full display, offering excellent photo opportunities.

Recognized as one of the world’s top 5 tulip festivals worth travelling to by the World Tulip Society, the festival is set to allow visitors to enjoy the sight of colorful tulips among creative and entertaining backdrops.

The festival runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and tickets are 14,000 won for adults and 12,000 won for children.

Cheongnamdae Spring Flower Festival

The Cheongnamdae Spring Flower Festival, which is scheduled to start on April 16, will run through May 8 at Cheongnamdae in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province.

Once a private villa used by South Korea's presidents, Cheongnamdae opened to the public in 2003.

Surrounded by spring flowers, the festival welcomes visitors of all ages with various sculptures, art paintings and wild flowers.

Cheongnamdae is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and is closed every Monday.

Admission fees are 3,000 won, 4,000 won and 6,000 won for children, teenagers and adults, respectively.

Online reservation is required.

Jindo Miracle Sea Road Festival

The Jindo Miracle Sea Road Festival will be held in areas around the Jindo Ocean Ecology Building and Gagye Beach in Jindo, South Jeolla Province, from April 20 to 22.

Managed by the Jindo-gun Festival Committee, the three-day festival features a 2.8-kilometer-long path connecting two islands that only appears for approximately one hour at extreme low tide.

The festival offers Korean traditional games, music performances and more.

Admission costs 5,000 won.

Busan Lotus Lantern Festival

The Busan Lotus Lantern Festival will be held at Songsanghyeon Plaza and Busan Citizen’s Park in Busan from April 28 to May 14.

Sponsored by the Busan Buddhism Association, the annual festival offers visitors an opportunity to experience Buddhist culture through many activities and hands-on experiences, including a lotus lantern-making program, free temple food meals called "gongyang," and more.

In celebration of Buddha’s birthday, various types of lotus lanterns are on display.

The main highlights of the festival are the Grand Buddhist Ceremony and the Lotus Lantern Parade, which draw many spectators regardless of their religious beliefs.

Pinnacle Land Spring Flowers Festival

The Pinnacle Land Spring Flowers Festival is scheduled to take place at Pinnacle Land, a botanical garden in Asan, South Chungcheong Province, starting March 24.

The flower festival, which runs through May 30, presents some 50,000 tulips and narcissus plants, allowing visitors to enjoy a fragrant spring atmosphere.

The second edition of the Pinnacle Land Spring Flower Festival also puts on various shows, including fireworks, magic shows, a bubble show, a drawing contest and music performances for visitors’ entertainment.

The event is open to people of all ages.

Admission costs 12,000 won, 10,000 won and 9,000 won for adults, teenagers and children, respectively.

By Lee Si-jin(sj_lee@heraldcorp.com)