[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights across Korea

Light festival at Ansan Star Village

A light festival is running year-round in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province.

An 8,000 won entrance fee is all it takes to make a tranquil escape to Ansan Star Village, which includes a garden and animal installations.

The park, open from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., will light up at 5 p.m. Check out the latest at ansanstar.net.

Jeju Folk Village

Come and see what life looked like on Jeju Island in the 19th century at Jeju Folk Village.

Interactive programs like grinding grains with a millstone and playing traditional games such as the board game “yutnori” and “tuho,” or arrow tossing, are available.

Admission is 15,000 won for adults for the village, open from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For more information, visit jejufolk.com.

All-in-one park in Paju

First Garden Park in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, offers attractions and activities from riding a train across the park to fishing for smelt.

The park is open year-round from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and an adult day pass is 10,000 won or 12,000 won for weekdays and weekends, respectively.

Entry to attractions comes at an extra cost. Find out the latest at firstgarden.co.kr.

Gwanghwamun food festival

Through May 15, food trucks will line up to churn out some of the best Korean street foods at Sejong-ro Park near Gwanghwamun Square.

Between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Thursday-Sunday, this festival offers dishes like tteokbokki and dakgangjeong, crispy and crunchy Korean fried chicken.

Check knock-knock.kr for more information.

Herb Island in pink

At 5 p.m. every day except Wednesdays, Herb Island, a botanical garden in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province, is bathed in pink light through December.

A train ride across the infinite green-turned-pink park dotted with flowers is perfect for a nighttime escape.

The park is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., an hour longer for Saturday. Admission ranges from 10,000-12,000 won. Visit herbisland.co.kr.