The Korea Herald

In Australia’s Byron Bay, beach meets boho

Jun 7, 2013

BYRON BAY, Australia ― My face flushed cherry red and my sweat-soaked sundress clung to my body. I stood, elated, on a wooden platform at the summit of Mt. Warning, a jagged peak in the Gondwana rain forest. The mountain, in the far northeastern corner of New South Wales, Australia, bears witness to the first flicker of sunlight on the continent.By the time I reached it, however, the sun was setting and fog had crept in. Dappled twilight pierced the mist, affording glimpses of the vast subtropic
A trip to the heart of the DMZ

May 31, 2013

Located within the Demilitarized Zone, the Joint Security Area is the most forward location that can be visited by people in South Korea. It sits in the western portion of the DMZ on the Military Demarcation Line that divides the two Koreas according to the Korean Armistice Agreement of 1953. Also often referred to as a “Truce Village,” Panmunjeom, or the JSA as it is formally called, is where South and North Korean troops stand on guard, staring at one another from a distance. Although this yea
France to sell part of stake in Paris airports

May 31, 2013

PARIS (AP) ― France is preparing to sell part of its stake in the company that runs the Paris airports and use the proceeds to help boost the ailing French economy.In a statement Thursday, the government said it was looking to sell up to 10 million shares ― which would reduce the total state investment to about 50 percent from around 60 percent. No further financial details were offered but the sale could raise up to 700 million euros ($906 million) based on Wednesday’s closing share price.Finan
Garak noodles return to Daejeon Station

May 31, 2013

Once a famous snack for train passengers, garak noodles have disappeared from stations in Korea. Now they are back at Daejeon Station. The Korea Railroad Corporation is offering the thin noodle-in-broth dish to train passengers from May 30, in partnership with Woosong University in Daejeon. The menu includes the traditional thin noodles and some new items that have been modernized to meet the palates of the younger generation. They include chicken garak noodles, based in chicken soup mixed with
Korea World Travel Fair shows latest travel trends

May 31, 2013

The Korea World Travel Fair, Korea’s leading travel show, kicked off Thursday at COEX in southern Seoul, introducing the latest travel trends and travel products. Fifty-two countries present their products and services in a vast hall of the convention center. The participating countries include countries with popular travel destinations such as the Maldives, the Seychelles, Guam and the Philippines to Zimbabwe, Gabon and Rwanda. Korean travel agencies also offer domestic travel information, as w
Dogs in U.S. airports seek out hugs, not drugs

May 31, 2013

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― There’s a new breed of dog in U.S. airports. They aren’t sniffing for drugs or bombs ― they’re looking for people who need a friend, a belly to rub or a paw to shake.The dogs are intended to take the stress out of travel ― the crowds, long lines and terrorism concerns.“His job is to be touched,” volunteer Kyra Hubis said of Henry James, her 5-year-old golden retriever that works a few hours a week at one California airport. “I am just standing there with him. They are talking
From ship to prison: Unique hostels in Sweden

May 31, 2013

In Sweden, unique hostels spring from old quarters.My wife and I booked a two-bed cabin on the Gustav Af Klint, a beat-up, decommissioned steamship-turned-hostel, because it was a bargain at around $60 a night and in a great location, near Stockholm’s Old Town and the metro. Turns out, it was a memorable, pleasant base for our time in Stockholm, too.Our room was spartan at best, with a porthole for a window and two bunks, but what the lodging lacked in amenities, it more than made up for in loca
Top of Aspen Mountain to reopen for holiday skiing

May 24, 2013

ASPEN, Colorado (AP) ― Aspen Skiing Co. is reopening the top of Aspen Mountain for skiing and snowboarding this Memorial Day weekend, after getting some late spring snow.Sixteen runs on almost 90 acres will be open at the top of the mountain Saturday, Sunday and Monday.Aspen Skiing Co.’s vice president of mountain operations, Rich Burkley, says the resort has had nearly four feet of snow since Aspen Mountain closed for the season. The company said Monday that the snow base is 33 inches deep at t
American will favor passengers without roller bags

May 24, 2013

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) ― In a quest to speed up the boarding process, American Airlines is letting passengers board sooner if they travel light. The airline said that people carrying just a personal item that fits under the seat ― no rolling suitcases ― will be allowed to board before most other passengers. American said that the change will allow flights to take off sooner, helping the airline improve its on-time performance. Airline officials say boarding times have increased in the last few y
Escape the city noise without ever leaving

May 24, 2013

Bukhansan Dullegil offers urban adventurers a blend of culture, natural beauty
[Photo News] Tourism expo

May 24, 2013
N.K. allows foreigners’ travel outside Pyongyang: tour agency

May 20, 2013

Last year roughly 25,000 tourists traveled to one of the world’s most notoriously isolated countries, North Korea. Traveling to the nation is no easy task and tends to be expensive, but contrary to popular belief, travel there is not impossible. At a press conference held at the President Hotel in Seoul on Monday, representatives of the Panmunjom Travel Center, which offers daily tours to the Demilitarized Zone in Panmunjom, announced that they were hoping to one day establish an agency facilita
Colors of Malaysia to celebrate country’s cultural diversity

May 16, 2013

Malaysia holds an annual cultural festival Colors of Malaysia during May that represent the ethnic diversity of the country. The Colors of Malaysia parade, the highlight of the festival, will be held at Merdeka Square on May 25, featuring choreographed traditional dance performances by more than 2,000 dancers and marching band performances before more than 60,000 spectators, including the Malaysian king and queen and other government high officials. The festival will be followed by a culinary fe
The Philippines celebrates old warrior culture at Pindatos Festival

May 16, 2013

The Philippines celebrates the body painting tradition of the ancient tattooed pintados warriors in June. Tattoos symbolized brave warriors among the natives of Tacloban during the pre-Hispanic years of the Philippines. Held in Tacloban on June 29, the Pintados Festival holds a parade of participants mimicking the old warriors and wearing traditional costumes, a traditional music contest, and a hip hop dance competition. “Visitors will have a chance to experience a unique culture of the Philippi
KORAIL’s mountain trains depart from Suwon, Cheonan and Osong

May 16, 2013

The new mountain trains, that loop around attractions of mountainous regions of inland Korea, now also depart from Suwon, Cheonan and Osong, offering better access to people in Gyeonggi Province. The “O-train,” which stops at local attractions in Jaecheon, Taebaek and Yeoungju, will depart from Suwon at 7:40 a.m. and make stops at Cheonan at 8:15 a.m. and Osong at 8:40 a.m. before arriving at the final destinations. Meanwhile, the KORAIL extends the operation hours of the “V-train,” which climbs