Domestic attractions with exotic ambiance lure tourists

Gimpo Laveniche March Avenue in Gyeonggi Province / Courtesy of HotelsCombined

By Jun Ji-hye

More international flight operations are set to resume in line with the government's shift of its COVID-19 management policy to a gradual return to normalcy. But difficulties traveling abroad will still exist until the pandemic subsides in most countries and overseas travel is fully resumed.

For those who are eagerly awaiting when it might be possible to travel to other countries freely again, HotelsCombined, a global hotel search platform, introduced domestic travel destinations offering an international atmosphere.

'Little Italy' in Gimpo

Gimpo Laveniche March Avenue is a place where visitors can feel an Italian atmosphere not too far from Seoul.

The neighborhood consists of commercial streets built around a canal, called the Golden Waterway. It is characterized by a curved waterway and a line of bridges based on impressions of Venice, the city of water.

The streets running alongside the waterway are good for taking a walk. Cafes and restaurants are lined up, so visitors can relax and enjoy the moment as if they were at an outdoor terrace somewhere in Europe.

The most renowned attraction in the waterway is the Moon Boat ride. Just like riding a gondola in Venice, visitors can hop in a crescent-shaped moon boat to get views of Laveniche March Avenue from the water.

Visitors can enjoy the best views of the Laveniche at night, as the romantic atmosphere doubles when the colorful lights of the waterway and nearby shops turn on after sunset.

'Sahara Desert' in Incheon

Daecheong Island in Incheon is designated as a National Geopark, where tourists can see a variety of spectacular views, as if they were in the middle of the Sahara Desert in Africa.

On Nongyeo Beach, there is “Naite Rock,” where tourists can feel the power of geological transformation.

“Naite” is a Korean word meaning a tree's growth rings. This rock, estimated to have a history of approximately 1 billion years, was named because several vertical lines on the rock resemble a tree's growth rings.

Okjukdong dune on Daecheong Island in Incheon / HotelsCombined

The island also has a sandy desert, a sight rarely seen in Korea. The Okjukdong dune has been created by the wind. Camel sculptures are found all over the hill, offering good spots for photographs.

Visitors can also follow a trekking course along the wonderful landscape created by the blue sky, the vast sea and seashore cliffs. This trekking course is one of the 10 DMZ views selected by the Korea Tourism Organization.

Mediterranean mood at Oedo Botania

Oedo Botania / Courtesy of HotelsCombined

Oedo Botania is an exotic marine botanical park accessible by cruise from Geoje Island. Botania is a compound word of “botanic” and “utopia.”

Oedo Botania, called a paradise of plants on the sea, is decorated with European-style gardens and architecture with the blue sea in the background.

The Venus Garden is the signature place of Botania. A garden full of plants not commonly found in Korea, such as palm trees, cactus and agave, stretches out, and a white Venus statue is erected against the blue sea, allowing tourists to feel as if they were in the Mediterranean.

In addition, there are various attractions, including the Cactus Garden and the Stairway to Heaven.

Nordic forest on Jeju

The “Secret Forest” of the Andol Oreum on Jeju Island / Courtesy of HotelsCombined

The “Secret Forest” of the Andol Oreum, located on Jeju Island, gives tourists the feeling of being in a forest in Northern Europe.

An oreum is a word in the Jeju dialect referring to a small, extinct volcanic crater.

In the forest, tourists can feel a mystical mood as dense cypress trees stretch high into the sky, and the deeper they go into the forest, the more they can see the trees.

There are some benches and camping chairs for visitors to relax in while enjoying the forest.

As the sun goes down, lights surrounding the trees are turned on, creating a more romantic mood.