[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Everland Rose Garden Festival

Amusement park Everland in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, opened up its 20,000-square-meter rose garden for the annual Everland Rose Garden Festival.

The rose festival, launched in 1985, opens every May featuring roses and other varieties of flowers. After enjoying the rides at the park, visitors can take a walk in the rose garden and take photographs. The festival continues until June 14.

For more information in Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese, visit www.everland.com.

Changdeokgung Palace Moonlight Tour

Changdeokgung in central Seoul will begin its popular tour program Changdeokgung Palace Moonlight Tour this month.

The night tour program offers a unique opportunity to witness and experience the beauty of a traditional Korean palace at night. A guide leads the tour with an extensive explanation on the palace’s history.

Admission is 30,000 won per person. Tours run from May 21 to June 14 and are open to visitors of elementary school age and above.

For more information in Korean or English, visit www.chf.or.kr. To make reservations, call (02) 1566-1369 or book tickets online at Auction Ticket. Up to two tickets can be booked at one time.

Chuncheon Mime Festival

The Chuncheon Mime Festival, one of the top three festivals of its kind in the world, will take place May 24-31 in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province.

Sharing its fame with the London Mime Festival and the Mimos Festival in France, the Chuncheon Mime Festival presents various genres of mime -- modern, clown, street and more -- under the theme “Body, Movement, Image” this year. Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the festival lineup will consist of domestic mime performance teams. Performances will be held at various cultural venues of Chuncheon.

For more information in Korean or English, visit www.mimefestival.com.

Ulsan Whale Festival

The Ulsan Whale Festival runs June 12-14 in the Jangsaengpo Whale Special Culture Zone in Ulsan.

The annual event, organized by the Whale Cultural Foundation, allows visitors to board on a whale-watching cruise ship, visit the Jangsaengpo Whale Life Experience Museum, or experience other whale-related activities.

For more information in Korean, visit www.ulsanwhale.com. Call the travel hotline at (02) 1330 for help in Korean, English, Japanese or Chinese.

“Welcome to Joseon” Variety Festival

The Korean Folk Village in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, hosts the “Welcome to Joseon” Variety Festival each spring. This year, the festival will be held until June 28.

Featuring parades, performances and hands-on activities, the cast members at the village wander freely throughout the park interacting with visitors.

Admission is 22,000 won for adults, 19,000 won for teenagers and 17,000 won for children. Passes providing access to additional attractions are 30,000 won for adults, 27,000 won for teenagers and 24,000 won for children.

For more information in Korean, English, Japanese or Chinese, check the website at www.koreanfolk.co.kr.