It’s one of the most wonderful times of the year in South Korea. The destination now enjoys the cool breeze of winter, a blanket of crisp white snow, and a plethora of activities Aussies and Kiwis can enjoy escaping the summer heat!
We’ve put together some of the most popular ski resorts and festivals to visit in South Korea this season.
Ski Resorts
Gangwon-do, located in the eastern part of Korea, is the most popular destination for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter activities. This region has successfully hosted the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.
Korean ski resorts are known for their high-quality snow, variety of slopes, and ski patrol ensuring the safety of all visitors. Moreover, these resorts are not only equipped with the latest facilities, but they also offer superb accommodation, sauna, entertainment complexes, and even water parks. Check out which of the following resorts best matches your preference:
Alpensia Ski Resort
Alpensia Ski Resort, the main venue of the 2018 Olympics, is a large resort officially recognised by the International Ski Federation(FIS). It offers seven slopes of varying difficulty and can serve up to 3,000 people at once. If you are not a big fan of sports, you can still enjoy tons of fun with snow by sledging, stretching 100 meters from a height of 60 meters. You can also relax in warmth at Ocean 700, a water park, or enjoy all the other entertainment facilities available at the resort.
- Ski season: Dec 2019 – Early March 2020 (Subject to change depending on weather conditions)
- Website: alpensia.com/ski/main.do (English, Japanese, Chinese)
Yongpyeong Ski Resort
Yongpyeong Ski Resort has outstanding views from the summit and offers over 20 different slopes. The slopes are grouped into Red Zone, Silver Zone, Gold Zone, and Rainbow Zone. The Red Zone is recommended for first-timers and inexperienced skiers, while the Rainbow Zone is for skilled athletes. While skiing is the main focus of any trip to a ski resort, you should also take time to enjoy the scenery from the summit where visitors can reach by taking the gondola.
- Ski season: Nov 2019 – Early March 2020 (Subject to change depending on weather conditions)
- Website: www.yongpyong.co.kr (English, Chinese)
High 1 Ski Resort
High1 Ski resort is known for being the practice and training location for national athletes. It has a total of 18 slopes covering a combined distance of 21 km, allowing even absolute beginners to enjoy a long run. The main slope, Zeus, in particular, stretches out 4 km from the summit, making it one of the longest courses available for beginners.
- Ski season: Nov, 2019 – Early March 2020 (Subject to change depending on weather conditions)
- Website: www.high1.com/ski (English, Japanese, Chinese)
Phoenix Snow Park
The entire resort is located at 700 meters above sea level and includes a variety of leisure amenities, including hotels & condos, golf club, and Phoenix Blue Canyon. Each of 21 courses uses the natural curves and formations of Taegi Mountain. It is popular among snowboarders and hosted nine snowboard competitions in PyeongChang Winter Olympic Game. If you’re looking to try out some new tricks, visit the Extreme Park, complete with a halfpipe, tabletop, round quarter, rails, and more. Phoenix Snow Park also offers an international ski school teaching ski skills taught by native speakers.
- Ski season: Nov, 2019 – Early March 2020 (Subject to change depending on weather conditions)
- Website: phoenixhnr.co.kr (English, Japanese, Chinese)
Festivals
There are several of festivals happening in Gangwon-do during the winter season, starting on early January until late March. Among the most popular festivals are the Daegwallyeong Snow Festival, Hongcheon Winter Festival, Pyeongchang Trout Festival, and Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival.
Although it is easy for travellers to visit Gangwon-do using the public transport; Korea made it even more convenient by operating a special transport to bring visitors to some of the most famous winter festivals and ski resorts. Currently, there are two buses available for tourists. These are ‘Snow G-shuttle bus’ which operates from Seoul to the festival venues, and ‘Snow Festa shuttle bus’ which operates from the festival venues to ski resorts in Gangwon-do.
