Cantonese gala dinner at Millennium Seoul Hilton　Millennium Seoul Hilton’s Chinese restaurant Taipan is hosting a “Gourmet Circle” gala dinner on April 22 to showcase the restaurant’s new, Cantonese cuisine-focused menu.　The dinner will commence at 7 p.m. with Chinese traditional tea and Tsingtao beer. Appetizers will include Peking duck and suckling pig stuffed with shrimp paste. The dinner proper will feature an array of delectable dishes such as a Chinese barbecue and cold dish combination, d

Taean Tulip Festival　Scenic ride on Mungyeong Rail Bike　One scenic activity tourists will want to enjoy in the upcoming season is a ride on the Mungyeong Rail Bike, which runs along tracks winding through the pastoral landscape of Jinnam Gyoban, North Gyeongsang Province.  　The area used to be home to the country’s second largest coal mines back in the days of the coal industry’s boom.　Now, though the trains have ceased to run, the tracks have been repurposed to carry rail bikes, which carry up

Imperial Palace Seoul presents ‘Ciné & Dine package’　Imperial Palace Seoul presents Ciné & Dine package for guests looking to experience hotel dining and movies at the same time until April 24.　The package features one night stay in Deluxe or Business Room, two movie tickets, restaurant voucher worth 50,000 won, and a 20 percent discount at restaurants. Complimentary access to fitness club and indoor swimming pool will be also included.　The restaurant voucher and 20 percent discount offer can be

Natural sites in Germany　The theme for this year’s tourism in Germany is “A Vacation in Nature,” according to the country’s tourism office. Germany boasts over 130 natural sites comprised of 16 national parks, 15 UNESCO biosphere reserves and over 100 natural parks.　The office has selected 16 scenic sites to recommend to visitors -– including the orchid-filled Bliesgau UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, the serene Elbe riverside, the wild and untamed Black Forest National Park, the Jasmund National Park

My hands gripped the steering wheel. My right foot rode the brake. I was easing a four-wheel-drive rental down a steep, narrow, curving dirt road in the Arizona wilderness, and I was beginning to wonder what I’d gotten myself into.　On the passenger side, a towering craggy stonewall threatened to dent the car and make me regret that I had declined the rental company’s insurance cover­age. Still, I stayed as close to that wall as I dared. On the driver’s side was a fate worse than a scrape: an abr

AUSTIN, Texas — These cyclists don’t choke down PowerBars or Gatorade. They’re not interested in going fast or finishing first. And Spandex shorts? Forget it.　Frankly, they prefer a slow-moving roll, fueled by bacon ravioli, glazed Brussels sprouts and trendy cocktails. As for appropriate gear, a dress and high-heeled boots will do just fine.　“I was a little bit scared, because I’m not the most coordinated person,” said Nicole Khalife of New York, who, along with her friend Mary Kenney of Chicag

 Spring hiking trips around the country　The Korea Tourism Organization has selected 10 hiking trails as “pleasant paths to stroll along” for the month of April.　Included in the list are the Ansan Jarak-gil on Seoul’s Mount Ansan, filled with cherry blossoms in the spring, the Namsan trail on Seoul’s Mount Namsan, the pathway next to Daecheongho Lake in Daejeon, South Chungcheong Province, and the Taehwagang River trail in Ulsan, South Gyeongsang Province.　Also included is the fossil trail in Hwa

‘Brunch at the Park’ at Park Hyatt　Park Hyatt Seoul is presenting the “Brunch at the Park” promotion at its Italian restaurant Cornerstone, Cucina Italiana from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends.　The brunch includes buffet-style appetizers and desserts; a main dish choice of fish of the day, steak, lobster, grilled lamb or beef burger; a glass of champagne, cocktail, or juice; and a cup of coffee or tea.　Buffet menus will change weekly. The brunch buffet is priced at 99,000 won for adults and 50,

With China’s continued crackdown on corruption, revenue is plummeting at Asia’s major casino and gambling hub Macau. 　Meanwhile, the lackluster performance of Macau’s casino tourism is lending credence to Korea. Many investors argue that Korea is an ideal alternative destination that can attract tourists who want to gamble at casinos. 　Korea is pushing to increase its number of integrated resorts, which refer to large-scale resort complexes that include a wide-range of entertainment and leisure

Sheraton Ladies Night Out Package　Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel presents “Ladies Night Out Package” through Dec. 31 for those planning the perfect girls’ night.　The package features a one-night stay at Executive Suite or Honeymoon Suite with one bottle of sparkling wine, finger foods and desserts. Guests will also be provided with complimentary aroma therapy bath amenity and access to Sheraton Fitness and swimming pool.　The package is priced at 345,000 won and 410,000 won, respectively, for t

Korail-KTX joint railway package to Pohang, Ulleungdo Island　Korail and KTX are launching a joint railway package on March 28 which will operate between Seoul, Pohang and Ulleungdo Island. A train will depart from Seoul Station at 6:50 a.m. daily and arrive at Pohang at 9:26 a.m. A clipper will depart from the Pohang harbor at 10:50 a.m., arriving on Ulleungdo Island at 2:10 p.m. A boat returning to Pohang leaves the island at 3:40 p.m. 　The package will be available at 171,800 won on weekdays a

The hike had been invigorating — invigorating, as in just this side of grueling. A 6-mile ascent into Mount Aspiring National Park had brought us to an overlook of Routeburn Falls, a thundering multilevel cascade of crystalline water (standard for New Zealand) jumping from the rock face above our heads and rushing into the deep valley below us. There we could see the Routeburn River winding through the high-shouldered Humboldt Mountains on its way to Lake Wakatipu.　　We were breathless not only b