[Travel Bits] Round up of travel news from around the world

‘Yeon Deung Hoe’ to celebrate Buddha’s birthday

Korea’s Important Intangible Cultural Property No.122 “Yeon Deung Hoe,” also known as the Lotus Lantern Festival, will take place at Jogyesa and Bongeunsa temples and on Jongno Street on May 6-8. The festival celebrating Buddha’s birthday which falls on May 14 this year, will offer glimmering night views with lotus lanterns and a vast array of traditional cultural experiences. The festival will feature traditional lantern exhibitions at three separate venues, a lotus lantern parade from the Dongdaemun Gate to Jogyesa Temple, as well as traditional performances. There will also be crafts booths where visitors can make their own lanterns.

The Bongeunsa Temple exhibition will be held from April 30 to May 16, at 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., the Jogyesa Temple exhibition on May 6-22, from 6 p.m. to midnight, and the Cheonggyecheon exhibition on May 3-15, from 7 p.m. to 4 a.m.

For more information, call (02) 2011-1744 or visit www.LLF.or.kr.

Two-plus-one promotion at Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Airlines is offering a two-plus-one ticket promotion, providing a complimentary ticket for one child traveling with parents to Hawaii.

The promotion is for family travelers who purchase weekday economy class round-trip tickets between Incheon and Honolulu International Airport through all travel agencies selling Hawaiian Airlines tickets in Korea. Until May 6, a complimentary ticket for one child (under 12 years of age) will be offered with the purchase of two economy class adult tickets. For families with children over 12, a complimentary ticket for one child is provided for three adult tickets.

The travel period is valid until Dec. 31 and family relation certificates must be submitted to travel agencies when making reservations. For more information, contact Hawaiian Airlines’ Korean sales office at (02) 755-5552 or travel agencies that sell Hawaiian Airlines tickets. 

Singapore Airlines offers discounted tickets

Singapore Airlines is offering a special promotion for business and economy class tickets bound for Southeast Asia, the U.S. and Australia for tickets reserved before April 27.

A total of nine cities, including Singapore, San Francisco, Bali, the Maldives and five cities in Australia -- Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Cairns are eligible for the promotion.

Tourists can tour their destinations until June 30 with the purchased tickets.

The economy class round-trip ticket prices start from: 458,700 won to Singapore, 741,400 won to San Francisco, 530,600 won to Bali, 837,000 won to the Maldives and 899,400 won to Australia.

The business class round-trip ticket prices start from: 2,003,700 won to Singapore, 3,791,400 won to San Francisco, 1,792,800 won to Bali and 2,107,000 won to the Maldives. For more information, visit www.singaporeair.com or call (02) 755-1226.

Taean Tulip Festival

Selected as one of the world’s top five tulip festivals, Taean Tulip Festival showcases about 1.2 million tulips of 300 different species this year. Visitors can see tulips in various stages of development growing under an advanced system introduced from the Netherlands. In addition to tulips, visitors can see lupine, foxglove, lilies and other breeds of lush spring flowers.

The festival runs until May 8. This year’s event is held under the theme “The Garden of Artists,” displaying an array of tulips shaped in the forms of well-known artistic subjects like the Mona Lisa and Marilyn Monroe. The venue, Nature World, is located at Sinon-ri, Nam-myeon, Taean-gun, North Chungcheong Province. Admission fees are 7,000 won-9,000 won. For more information, visit english.visitkorea.or.kr.

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 to four persons, with two people pedaling on each side -- perfect for family excursions.

Five courses are available. Tickets can be purchased starting at 8:45 a.m. at Myungyeong Station, Gaeun Station and Gurarng-ri Station at 15,000 won per person.

The site’s address is Sinhyeon-ri, Maseong-myeon, Mungyeong-si, North Gyeongsang Province. For inquiries, call Korea’s Travel Hotline at (02) 1330.