Monday, December 14, 2009

Winter destination ideas from Osan Parents

Question: What is there to do around here when the Winter comes?

Answer:
  • In the shopping mall where Lotte World is in Seoul, there's also a large indoor ice skating rink. Just DON'T GO THERE on weekends or Korean holidays. Weekdays / US holidays are best.
  • There's a modest aquarium at COEX Mall.
  • In late Dec / early January, there will be some artificial snow sliding areas in Seoul.
  • There are indoor water parks such as Ocean World - Vivaldi Park (ski resort and indoor water park) in Hongcheon. The trick is to find a Korean friend who can get a discount rate at the hotel. They can be very pricey, even for modest accommodations.
  • One of the best known ski resorts - now indoor water park too - is Phoenix Park. Korean winters tend to be rather drab and dry. Much of the snow falls in Gangwon-Do Province - to the east / northeast of Seoul. That's where most of the ski resorts are.
Answer: You could start with Lotte World (indoor/outdoor amusement park) and Tiger World (indoor waterpark/spa and snow hill).

Answer: E-Mart and Lotte Mart both have indoor play areas for the kids while you shop. The supervisor at E-Mart usually speaks enough English to understand what you need.

Answer: Everland has seasonally appropriate activities. The CoEx Aquarium is a decent place to spend the morning. Just get there early or there will be lots of people. It reminds me a little bit of a Korean Manalay Bay (Las Vegas) aquarium. It is definitely an interesting cultural experience. Not just fish!

No comments: