Oct 2011 : Hwaseong Fortress

Title: Trip To South Korea

When: October 2011

About The Trip:

Purpose: Year-end trip to South Korea and to have a glimpse of North Korea at DMZ (Demilitarized Zone).

Days/Nights: 8 Days 7 Nights

Arrangements: Travel Agent / ~~Self-guided Tour~~

Route: Kuala Lumpur MALAYSIA – Incheon SOUTH KOREA – Nami Island SOUTH KOREA – Sokcho SOUTH KOREA – Soeraksan National Park SOUTH KOREA (1 night) – Yongin SOUTH KOREA – Suwon SOUTH KOREA – Seoul SOUTH KOREA (4 nights) – Northern Limit Line / DMZ SOUTH KOREA – Seoul SOUTH KOREA – Incheon SOUTH KOREA – Kuala Lumpur MALAYSIA

Traveling Method & Time

Kuala Lumpur – Incheon = aeroplane (≈ 8 hours reaching Incheon next day)

Incheon – Nami Island = in a hired car + driver (≈ 2 hours)

Nami Island – Sokcho = in a hired car + driver (≈ 2 hours)

Sokcho – Soeraksan National Park = in a hired car + driver (≈ 30 minutes)

Soeraksan National Park – Yongin = in a hired car + driver (≈ 3 hours)

Yongin – Suwon = in a hired car + driver (≈ 1 hour)

Suwon – Seoul = in a hired car + driver (≈ 1 hour)

Seoul – Dae Jang Geum Theme Park = in a hired car + driver (≈ 1 hour)

Dae Jang Geum Theme Park – Seoul = in a hired car + driver (≈ 1 hour)

Around Seoul = in a hired car + driver (whole day)

Seoul – Northern Limit Line / DMZ = in a hired car + driver (≈ 1 hour 30 minutes)

Northern Limit Line / DMZ – Seoul = in a hired car + driver (≈ 1 hour 30 minutes)

Seoul – Incheon = in a hired car + driver (≈ 1 hour)

Incheon – Kuala Lumpur = aeroplane (≈ 8 hours)

Details:

Suwon, traditionally known as “The City of Filial Piety”, is the provincial capital of Gyeonggi-do, South Korea.

Hwaseong Fortress a.k.a Brilliant Castle, is the wall surrounding the centre of Suwon. It was built in the late 18th century by King Jeongjo of the Joseon Dynasty to honour and house the remains of his erratic father Prince Sado, who had been murdered by being sealed alive inside a rice chest by his own father King Yeongjo for having failed to obey his command to commit suicide. The huge fortress has four gates: Janganmun (north gate), Hwaseomun (west), Paldalmun (south) and Changnyongmun (east). Among the structures featured in this fortress are a floodgate, two observation towers, two command posts, two archers’ platforms, four pavilions, a beacon tower and two watchtowers (originally there were three).

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