Day Trips from Seoul - Seoul - page 317

you'll realise why they issue hard hats to protect heads from knocking the low ceiling.
The guide will point out how the North Koreans painted the rocks black so they might
claim it was a coal mine!
EVERLAND RESORT
Set in lush hillsides 40km south of Seoul, the mammoth amusement park Everland Resort
( www.everland.com ) offers more than just thrill rides and fairy floss.
The main theme park Everland (adult/teenager/child ₩40,000/34,000/31,000; 9.30am-10pm Sep-Jun, to
11pm Jul & Aug) is filled with fantasy buildings, fairground attractions, impressive seasonal gardens and live
music and parades. Lit up at night, the park takes on a magical atmosphere and there are always fireworks.
Next door is Caribbean Bay (adult/child from ₩35,000/27,000; 10am-5pm Sep-Jun, 9.30am-11pm Jul
& Aug) , a superb indoor and outdoor water park. The outdoor section is usually open from June to September
(there's a higher entrance charge to the park in July and August) and features a huge wave pool that produces a
mini-tsunami every few minutes and water-based thrill rides.
A free shuttle bus runs from Everland's main entrance to the Hoam Art Museum ( ht-
tp://hoam.samsungfoundation.org ; adult/child ₩4000/3000, free with Everland ticket; 10am-6pm Tue-
Sun) and you are well advised to take it. The serenely beautiful Hee Won traditional Korean gardens induce a
calm frame of mind so that visitors can fully appreciate the gorgeous art treasures inside the museum, including
traditional paintings, screens and celadon pottery.
There's so much to see here that staying over is worth considering. There are two accommodation options:
Home Bridge Hillside Hostel ( 031 320 8849; r & ondol from ₩50,000; ) is the older but quite ac-
ceptable property, while Home Bridge Cabin Hostel ( 031 320 9740; r from ₩130,000; ) offers
Swiss-style log cabins and hotel rooms, the most expensive with balconies overlooking the park. Rates at both
places are higher on Saturday nights and during July and August. On Sundays, rates are slashed in half. Book-
ings can be made via the Everland website and guests can use their one-day park passes over two days.
To get here from Seoul take bus 5002 (₩2000, 50 minutes, every 15 minutes) from Gangnam. From outside
Suwon's train station, hop on bus 66 or 66-4 (₩1700, one hour, every 30 minutes).
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