Today, Korea is known for its beautiful harmony between economic and historic value, as well as maintaining a rich culture among modern lifestyles. With its elaborate history and deep Western and Eastern influences throughout the years, Korea not only honors its traditions but also embraces other cultures. Did you know that there are plenty of such special infrastructures that look like other countries in Korea? Read on to find out the top 7 unique places to visit in Korea!
Our top 7 unique places to visit in Korea
1. Petite France (์๋ ํ๋์ค)
Located in Gapyeong, Petite France is home to unique gardens and villages and you can also find statues and murals of Little Prince! Most will find Petite France familiar as it has appeared in many popular K-Dramas such as Secret Garden and My Love from the Stars. The infamous Korean variety show, Running Man, also filmed one of its episodes there in 2014.
From Instagrammable spots to fun performances, the French-styled colorful architecture is one you cannot miss. If you wish to visit Petite France, we suggest you take the Gapyeong Circle Bus as it stops at various tourist attractions in Gapyeong where you can spend your entire day outside of Seoul.
2. Edelweiss Swiss Theme Park (์๋ธ๋ฐ์ด์ค ํ ๋งํํฌ)
The Gapyeong Circle Bus also stops at Edelweiss Swiss Theme Park, a fascinating Swiss-themed cultural village offering beautiful architecture surrounded by beautiful natural scenery. Besides the exhibition halls and museums available, you can take a further walk up the Hillside Road to see the sheep! You may also feed them by purchasing hay from the local shops.
The entrance fee comes with a free drink at the cafe! What’s more, the food and beverages sold are all Swiss dishes, so you get to enjoy some authentic Swiss delicacies. If you’re someone who loves nature and enjoys quiet scenery, Edelweiss Swiss Theme Park is certainly one of the unique places to visit in Korea!
3. Alpaca World (์ํ์นด์๋)
Situated near Petite France is the Alpaca World, the world’s first and only alpaca theme park covering a whopping 360,000 square metres! The area is so huge that they let the alpacas roam around freely, so you get to walk, interact, and take photos with them. It is a kids-friendly environment where you also can meet other kinds of animals like the fennec fox, deer, camel, owl, squirrel, and many more.
One of our top unique places to visit in Korea, we promise it will be a healing and fun day at Alpaca World! Find out how to get there and what activities they offer here.
4. Blue Crystal Village (์ง์คํด๋ง์)
Blue Crystal Village, also known as Jijunghae Maeul (์ง์คํด๋ง์) is located in Asan. Its picturesque alleyways and structures make you feel like you’ve stepped into a Mediterranean village. The place is full of cafes, ice cream shops, and vintage shops, where you can spend a laid-back afternoon for a coffee break or simply take a walk. Who knows, you might find some nice antique souvenirs to bring home!
5. Gamcheon Culture Village (๊ฐ์ฒ๋ฌธํ๋ง์)
On the list of our unique places to visit in Korea, the Gamcheon Culture Village is a must-visit tourist destination in Busan! Houses are built in a staircase fashion on a mountain, therefore this village earned its nickname as the “Machu Picchu of Busan”.
Behind this beautiful town lies the painful history of Busan. It is said that during the Korean War, refugees settled in this place to make a living. Over time, it is transformed into a cultural village with artworks and mural paintings decorated by students, artists, and residents.
There is a small museum located at the entrance where you can stop by to listen to its background story before you start touring. In Gamcheon Culture Village, there is no shortage of cafes and souvenir shops so be sure to drop by and immerse yourself in its history and scenery!
6. German Village (๋ ์ผ๋ง์)
At Namhae Island, the German Village is home to many Korean residents who returned from living in Germany. Due to the influences of the lifestyle in Germany, these Korean residents built German-style houses to live in and today, it has become a popular tourist attraction.
A recommended course is to visit the Padok Exhibition Hall to learn more about the history of the German Village. Additionally, the beer festival is held at the German Square in early October every year to commemorate the Oktober fest in Germany! Why not put this on your list of unique places to visit in Korea?
While you can plan a day trip to German Village, they have guesthouses where you can stay for one night and enjoy a short getaway from the bustling city lifestyle.
7. Incheon Chinatown (์ธ์ฒ์ฐจ์ด๋ํ์ด)
Formed in the late 1880s, Incheon Chinatown is the only official Chinatown in Korea and has all the authentic Chinese cuisines that will surely captivate your tastebuds. Let us tell you why Incheon Chinatown has to be on our list of unique places to visit in Korea!
The buildings and structures will remind you of the streets in China with red lanterns hanging down, and the ancient Chinese roofs, also you will find the only Chinese temple, Uiseondang (์์ ๋น), located in this place. The entrance to this temple is quite inconspicuous though, not obvious to most but it is still an attraction you should visit.
On the other hand, the Samgukji Mural Street (์ผ๊ตญ์ง ๋ฒฝํ๊ฑฐ๋ฆฌ) is a 150-meter-long street that features the rich history and cultural heritage of the Three Kingdoms period. With a huge perimeter, it is hard to miss indeed! On top of that, the Jjajangmyeon Museum (์ง์ฅ๋ฉด๋ฐ๋ฌผ๊ด) is another interesting course where you can get to know the origins of this dish and how it became a national dish in Korea!
As a representative of Chinese food, you will find Jjajangmyeon in most restaurants but not only are the restaurants there delicious, the street food lined up on both sides of the street is mouth-watering too. If you visit, try some delights like lamb skewers, sweet red bean buns, and pan-fried meat buns!
Here we conclude our top 7 unique places to visit in Korea! Come visit these places yourself and if you wish to find out more about living and studying in Korea, be sure to contact us or keep updated on our Go! Go! Hanguk blog for more content.
