Foreign residents go domestic to satisfy summer travel needs

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

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Thu, September 28, 2023 | 17:20

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Foreign residents go domestic to satisfy summer travel needs

Posted : 2020-08-11 13:23

Updated : 2020-08-11 21:10

Foreign tourists visit Cafe Sann in Danyang on Oct. 7, 2018. / Korea Times photo by Emma Juno Sparkes

By Kyung Lee

Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan, Japan and the Philippines are just a few of the popular vacation destinations visited by Korea's foreign residents every year.

But with the pandemic and related travel restrictions having grounded summer plans abroad, some people have already embraced exploring Korea ― destinations both near and far from Seoul.

Amy Benham had planned this year to return to New Zealand, her home country, as well as travel to a couple of Southeast Asian spots for diving.

With both plans shelved until the end of global lockdown restrictions, Benham, a Seoul resident, said living the city life makes one appreciate what attractions the country's other regions offer, especially considering factors like food, outdoor activities and different regions.

"There are so many hidden gems in various parts of Korea outside of the cities, I really encourage people to go out [of Seoul] and travel," she said. "I feel like once you go out of Seoul to areas which are considered more rural, the vibe is generally a lot more relaxed and peaceful."

As a recourse to the overseas lockdowns, Benham added she went on an east coast road trip that included Uljin, Pohang and Yangyang, among other areas, for their beaches and seafood.

"I'm not even a huge fan of seafood but it was great," she said. "Very fresh."

Amy Benham visits Yangyang Surfyy Beach in Gangwon Province, July 18. / Courtesy of Amy Benham

According to another foreign resident interviewed by The Korea Times, traveling in the summer has become a fixed routine ― which cannot change in purpose and location.

But with annual plans to visit family and friends in either Oregon or Japan also scrapped in the meantime, Chris Hascall, who has lived in Korea for three years, said he opted for domestic destinations to fill his month-long break from work.

Jeju Island was the first destination that came to mind for Hascall and his girlfriend ― for scuba diving and sightseeing ― but because of unfavorable weather conditions, they reset the course for Jeonju, North Jeolla Province.

Like Benham, Hascall used food to influence his selection, as well as the city's beautiful sights and scenes.

"I enjoyed Jeonju for its variety of traditional and street foods, as well as makgeolli and craft beer from a brewery that I found online," he said, adding that Jeonju also has plenty of beautiful historical sites and parks worth visiting.

Chris Hascall visits Lotte World Tower's Sky Bridge on Feb. 14. / Courtesy of Jungha Kim

In addition to Korea's regional cuisines as significantly impacting their travel decisions, these provincial locations offer warm hospitality to guests and a slower way of life as reflected in the rural or natural landscape.

"If you go to the mountain areas, you can definitely feel a very unique culture," Benham said.

She recalled running into groups of elderly hikers, joining in their conversations and sharing food on the trail, experiences she cherishes because she can't see such practices back home.

Even Seoul, despite its urban bustle, beams a characteristic she can appreciate and incorporate into her daily commute.

"Maybe people are less welcoming because they're busy going about their lives, which is totally fine," she added. "I'm the same when I'm in Seoul."

And for those living outside of Seoul?

The capital city, as Benham puts it, offers "modern" attractions, with quality nightlife around the clock and foreigner-friendly destinations, according to Hascall.

But Seoul has been off-limits to some due to travel restrictions over COVID-19, most notably for U.S. military personnel.

A U.S. government employee surnamed Kim, based in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, used to have an active monthly travel itinerary of flying abroad for work to places like Taiwan, Thailand and Japan ― as well as visiting Busan and Seoul domestically for weekend getaways.

But following restrictions against non-essential travel to areas designated as hotspots since early March, he's been working from home, with travel outside Pyeongtaek severely restricted.

Now that U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) announced on Aug. 7 that it would relax restrictions against travel to the capital city ― but still prohibit entry to its bars and clubs ― Kim said in response: "Awesome. Henceforth, absolutely no worries about visiting Seoul due to the Korean government's effective handling of the coronavirus."

And on the previous lockdown of USAG Humphreys, he added, "Personally, there was much initial discomfort with these restrictions, but I adapted to this new normal, understanding that we're all in this whether we like it or not."

jdunbar@koreatimes.co.kr