Just came back from exploring Gyeonggi-do, the province around Seoul! We went to Yeoju and Icheon (This is a different city from INcheon, so be careful not to mix them up) on the first day, around 1.5 hours from Seoul Express Bus Terminal.

These cities in Gyeonggi-do are perfect for a day trip although it may take some time to travel around between the cities by public transportation. The best option is to rent a car from Seoul and drive to these places.

King Sejong Royal Tomb (여주 영릉)

King Sejong is probably the most famous king in South Korea who ruled in the Joseon Dynasty. He is famous because he invented Hangeul, the Korean alphabets, which is the foundation of the Korean Language now. He did it because Chinese was too hard to teach and learn and only aristocrats and royalties can read and write at that time. Korea was in deep poverty and he strongly believed that education can help bring Korea out of poverty. As such he invented the Hangeul writing system that is easy to write and read for his poor citizens. Such an adorable and thoughtful King huh. He also invented many scientific devices like the sundial and the rain gauge.

Anyway, we had a chance to visit his tomb in Yeoju. This tomb was not originally located in Yeoju but it was relocated here in the 1460s by another king. It was then renovated and beautified in the 1970s to honor King Sejong’s achievements.

The place was quite big, it had a mini museum showing the history of King Sejong and near it, there were displays of the scientific devices he created.

To get here, take a bus to Yeoju from Seoul Express Bus Terminal, it should cost around 5900 KRW. The bus runs from 06:30-22:00 with a 30~40 mins interval and takes 1.5 hours. Upon arriving at Yeoju Bus Terminal, take bus 965-1 and get off at Hyoreung bus stop (효릉).

Tangerine Picking at  하늘 빛 농원

Our next stop was nearer to Icheon than in Yeoju – a tangerine farm! They have two kinds of tangerines, Hallabong 한라봉 and the smaller one Sanggogyul 상고귤. These two tangerines are only cultivated in Jeju and in Icheon. So this place can be a good alternative to get Jeju tangerines without having to fly.

For 10000 KRW, you get 40 minutes to pick 7 smaller tangerines in the huge farm. If you want to pick the Hallabong, it will cost 13000 KRW. They will also teach you how to choose a good tangerine, basically:

• It must not be too hard and not too soft
• The higher ones are sweeter

You can make a reservation by going to this website. This experience is only available from November to December yearly, so you have around one more month to go there. If not, you can go next season 🙂 Here’s a short clip I made after the session:

Icheon Cerapia World Ceramic Center (이천 세라피아)

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