[Travel bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Gangwon Romantic Night Train Stargaze

A summer stargazing tour to Gangwon Province package from Korail has kicked off, and promises a safe and convenient trip for passengers. The daily tour from KTX begins every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, with a minimum of eight people required to register for departure.

Prices vary from 66,000 won to 99,000 won per person until Aug. 31. Travel insurance, meals, and other personal allowances are not covered in the package. For information visit www.korailtravel.com.

Incheon Open Port Culture Night

The Incheon Open Port Culture Night is a four-day event that showcases the history and culture of Incheon, known as the first international city of Korea. Held from July 1 to 4 and managed by the Incheon Tourism Organization, the festival offers storytelling walking tours and performances starting every night at 5 p.m. The performances typically last for two hours and are open to visitors of all ages. More information can be found at www.culturenight.co.kr.

Tongyeong Hansan Battle Festival

Tongyeong Hansan Battle Festival commemorates the Great Battle of Hansan of 1592, one of the most intense naval battles in Korean history. Held from Aug. 12 to 21, the festival is sponsored by the city of Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, and managed by the Great Battle of Hansan Memorial Foundation.

Visitors will be able to see a reenactment of the battle followed by other performances. A variety of hands-on experience programs will be available for visitors at Yi Sun-sin Park. Performance schedules will be updated at www.hansanf.org. 

Yangyang Songi Festival

Yangyang Songi Festival is dedicated to one of Yangyang’s famous specialties, pine mushrooms.

Held from Sept. 1 through the end of October, Namdaecheon provides fresh and delectable mushrooms. Yangyang’s pine mushrooms are renowned for their exquisite texture and fragrance, as they grow on pine roots that are 20 to 60 years old.

The mushroom hunt, where participants go through the mountains and forests in search of pine mushrooms, is always a popular mainstay. Farmers markets offer quality products to visitors, while the food truck zone and restaurants offer fresh pine mushroom dishes. The schedules can be found in detail at tour.yangyang.go.kr, or by calling (033) 671-3803.

Goyang Autumn Flower Festival

Goyang Autumn Flower Festival is an annual festival held in the city of Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. With colorful fall flowers such as chrysanthemums, cosmos, sunflowers and zinnias at their peak in the garden and flower artwork in the indoor exhibition hall, visitors can enjoy autumn to the fullest. The festival also offers various performances, a flower market and traditional experiences.

This year‘s festival kicks off Sept. 18 and will continue until Oct. 3, and will be located at Ilsan Park’s Wondang Flower Village. For updates on the festival, visit www.flower.or.kr.

By Kim Hae-yeon (hykim@heraldcorp.com)