Camp in glamour
A room at SangSang Glampers, a glamping site in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province
By Kwon Ji-youn
This fall, go camping in style. “Glamping” is a portmanteau of “glamour” and “camping” that entails a luxurious camping getaway featuring the best of both worlds. Here are some “glamping” sites W magazine visited for those seeking a truly inimitable camping experience.
A hammock sits outside the door of one of the rooms at SangSang Glampers
SANGSANG GLAMPERS
The rotund tents at SangSang Glampers in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province, are perfect for people hoping to spend a night in a tent without the associated hassles.
A 20-minute drive from the Namhan River, the glamping site boasts five roomy tents that feature air conditioners, sofas, bathrooms, stoves and televisions for a lavish camping experience. Outside each tent is a table-and-bench, hammock and barbecue grill, and next to the parking lot is a swimming pool.
A family of four owns the glamping site that opened in May, and all four pitch in to clean and ready the tents for incoming guests.
Living room inside the tent at SangSang Glampers
Because the tents are round, the rooms appear more spacious than most glamping tents.
“My father and I built the tents ourselves,” said SangSang Glampers manager Ko Jae-woong. “We bent over backward to request that our tent designs be different from the glamping tents that one usually comes across, and when the designs were in, we took over construction because we were working on a tight budget.”
The tents are staggered on a hillside, with panoramic views of a quaint village in the foothills over which a breeze dances in, keeping the site cool even during the summer.
Address : 155-19 Yongcheon-ri, Okcheon-myeon, Yangpyeong-gun, Gyeonggi Province
Phone number : 010-8484-8203 Website : https://www.iruma.co.kr/
The Neu raeng i gol glamping site
NEURANGIGOL
Nestled deep in a forest of fire trees is a glamping site where many seek refuge from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Neu raeng i gol, a “culture and art valley” located in Gwangyang, South Jeolla Province, brings together nature, peace, health, rest, art and culture at the feet of Mt. Baegun and Mt. Jiri.
The tents, each 35 square meters in area, provide a truly premium camping experience with air conditioning and heating available during the summer and winter, and on-site barbecue grills, latex mattresses and Hinoki cypress furniture. The tents are made of yacht fabric, which will keep rain and snow out, and a toast breakfast and barbecue are included in package rates.
A night view of Neu raeng i gol, a glamping site located in Gwangyang, South Jeolla Province
Neu raeng i gol is known to provide guests with a comprehensive holiday experience, and everything you will need is provided – all you need to pack are some clothes and a pair of walking shoes.
A walking trail leads past the pond, forest and park to a ridge from which a village down in the foothills can be seen. Neighboring attractions include the Korea Traditional Knife Museum, the Yi Sun-sin Bridge and the Suncheon Bay Cyber Ecological Park.
Address : San 125, Sinwon-ri, Daap-myeon, Gwangyang, South Cheolla Province
Phone number : 1588-2704 Website : https://www.neuraengigol.com
A view of the Cocoon Tree tent’s interior through a window
Cocoon Tree
A Cocoon Tree tent hangs among trees in a forest
The “Cocoon Tree” tent, usually poised 3 meters above ground with holes for windows, recalls every child’s dream of owning a tree house.
But it comes with an exorbitant price tag, so owning one may be throwing money around, but renting it for a night may actually be worth it.
A true “castle in the air,” the Cocoon Tree tent was created by architect Berni Du Payrat. It features a rounded mattress and duvet inside an aluminum frame covered with a resistant waterproof tarpaulin. While the tent doesn’t come with the comforts that most glamping tents provide, nesting with the birds as the tent swings gently does away with the need for an air conditioner, heater, stove and sofa.
“Glamping has become a fad over the past year or so, but I wanted to try something different,” said Gim Beom-seok, importer of Cocoon Tree tents.
A Cocoon Tree tent hangs between trees on a beach
But installing these tents to hang from trees will require the help of a “master,” a supervisor and a member of the arborist association, as the ropes and bindings can cause damage to trees. Had the tarp been transparent, one would truly become one with nature – the windows don’t do it justice.
Though Cocoon Tree tents are not yet available on glamping sites, those who wish to experience the tent are welcome to visit the model house.
Address : 37 Mabuk-dong, Giheung-gu, Yongin, Gyeonggi Province (model house)
Phone number : 1544-8061 Website : https://www.cocoontree.co.kr/