Suwon, located in the southern part of Seoul, is a gateway to the capital city as well as a strategic location. In our history it has played an important role in a military
perspective. Due to this geographical issue our ancient dynasty built the fortress, called Hwaseong fortress, and it was also a symbol of filial piety of 22nd King Jeongjo.
At folk village, it is time to feel the lifestyle of Joseon dynasty under confucian society, and houses and culture like time machine travel.
At your hotel (Seoul)
Meet at the hotel and move to Suwon, the Hwaseong fortress.
Hwaseong Fortress, located in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, is a notable outcome of this long tradition of fortress construction. Being both beautiful and functional, Hwaseong has been praised as the quintessence of Korea’s fortress architecture. The defense stronghold is unrivaled by any other Korean fortresses, featuring an array of merits adopted from various fortresses of the then contemporary states of China and Europe. It is considered to be an outstanding work of military architecture making excellent use of military construction techniques from both the East and West.
Hwaseong Fortress was completed in two and a half years from 1794 to 1796 under King Jeongjo’s reign (1776-1800). Hwaseong generally refers to the rampart that runs for 5.7 kilometers and the attached facilities of various configurations and functions. However, it also refers to the entire city - Korea’s first planned city - that King Jeongjo constructed as part of his efforts to bring reform to his nation and open up a new era based on his political ideals.
If guests have a time and an interests visiting the Royal tomb of Joseon dynasty in Suwon area, which is Unesco World Heritage, we can allocate the time to do it upon discussion at site. In this case, the return time to hotel may be delayed than this schedule.
Lunch with local foods and window shopping at this traditional market.
Everything we see and find over there are based on the Joseon dynasty, from main entrance to the end. Small thatched roof houses
for ordinary people, large mansion for noblemen, government office, marketplace, museum, Confucian academy and so on. In addition we can enjoy some performance like a traditional wedding ceremony, acrobatic show etc. It is also popular for K-drama filming locations, so if you are a K-dram buff, you can easily find the places and also get some traditional foods. It is a place to worth a visit.
We will drive back to Seoul.
At your hotel (Seoul)
1. Guide fee
2. Free transportation (Hyundai Starex Van with 10 seaters)
3. Fuel, toll, parking
4. Free Photos by smartphone
1. Meals and drinks
2. All entrance fees
3. Travel insurance
4. Personal expense if required
5. Mandatory manner tips
The royal tomb of Joseon dynasty is closed on Monday in case of we visit there.
If it is rainy day, then we have other indoor activity like museum tour etc upon request by clients.
1. The tomb is closed on Monday, so it will visit the Yongjusa temple instead on that day.
2. Handicap, chronical desease person are not allowed for this tour, only adult and good fitness one.
3. I can cover 7 guests with my mini-Van
4. The itinerary is a standard one for everyone, so it can be customized for you upon request.
5. All schedule is subject to change without prior notices upon local situations.
6. Tickets for Folk village, Fortress & Tomb is 33$ a person.
7. I have a "MOUNT EXPERT INSTRUCTOR" certificate issued by KNPS(Korea National Park Service), Only few tour guide has it in Korea.
We booked a custom DMZ tour with Hans. I was very specific and detailed about the sites we wanted to see, which I recommend. Hans was incredibly kind and accommodating. He picked our group up at 2 different hotels and told us about the history of sites in Seoul as he drove through the city. His English is great, of course. He is very knowledgeable about the history of the city as well as the philosophy, which was wonderful to learn about. As we drove to Paju I was very pleased (and relieved after all of the taxi rides we'd had in Seoul) that he is a fantastic driver, we felt very safe and he drove very smoothly and not too fast or jerky. The van is large and can comfortably accommodate 9 passengers, I believe. Unfortunately one of the main tours we wanted to visit was not available which was very disappointing but he was very understanding about adjusting our tour which I appreciate very much. We continued on the tour and had a nice meal and visited several other sites. He was so kind to our children and very patient with the pace of the tour and stopping for bathroom and snack breaks. It was very hot!! Overall it was a lovely tour and I would definitely recommend Hans as a tour guide. He also does hiking and biking tours, which seems very unique, especially since Korea is quite different than the US when it comes to camping accommodations.
Thank you so much on your great review and I am happy to hear that you and your kids are enjoyed my tour, I just tried to do small things for your groups as I love all Koreans.. Thanks again.
At first we think 7 days might be a little bit long to stay in Seoul and the nearby areas, but Hans suggested an itinerary which turns out to be perfect. All my family members enjoyed the whole period of stay and the touring/hiking/activities. Hans is excellent in guiding us around, and he showed us both good places and good food. Have no reservation to recommend Hans to anyone who is looking for an experienced and attending guide.
Thank you vey much, it was my honor to guide so lovely family. Even I learned a lot from you and your family members.. hope we can see again in the future and god bless you.