Travel Notes
Read this when you can't decide where to go this weekend. We've gathered seasonal destinations, this month's festivals, travel discounts, and the hidden stories of each city, verified together by data, travelers and our PDs.
Autumn trips in Korea: 6 small cities that are great right now (2026)
From autumn leaves, silver grass and pink muhly to fresh chestnuts, blue crabs and pine mushrooms. We picked small cities that are at their best this autumn.
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Donghae Travel: Places to Visit, 1-Night 2-Day Itinerary and City Stories
A city with stories that go beyond the sea. True to its name, it's the first to greet the red sunrise, and it holds the wide blue sea in its arms. But Donghae's real charm is that it doesn't stop at the sea.
Gongju Travel: Places to Visit, 1-Night 2-Day Itinerary and City Stories
A city whose very name is full of story. Gongju locals still call one spot on the banks of the Geumgang River Gomanaru. It's the name of an old river ferry crossing lined with a thick pine grove, and also this city's old name.
Yangyang Travel: Places to Visit, 1-Night 2-Day Itinerary and City Stories
Yangyang, the land where the sun rises. The name Yangyang was given in 1416. It was borrowed as-is from Yangyang (Xiangyang) on the banks of China's Hanshui River, because this area's terrain and natural beauty resembled it.
Seosan Travel: Places to Visit, 1-Night 2-Day Itinerary and City Stories
A city full of benevolence. The seo (瑞) in Seosan means auspicious, and san (山) means mountain. It's a land full of signs that good things are about to happen.
Places to visit in Andong, a 1-night 2-day itinerary and the city's story
Andong, a quiet and graceful city of the yangban nobility. In Andong, an (安) means peaceful and dong (東) means east. Together, they mean a town that brings harmony to the eastern region and governs it in peace.
Places to visit in Gunsan, a 1-night 2-day itinerary and the city's story
A painful memory, yet so charming. In Gunsan, gun (群) means group and san (山) means mountain. Together, they mean a place where mountains gather in a group. But here's the interesting part: those mountains aren't on land.
Andong salted mackerel: how did it become a specialty of a mountain town with no sea?
Andong is inland. The sea is more than a hundred li away. And yet this city's signature dish is mackerel. The reason is salt.
Mukho Nongoldam-gil: the story of a port village left in its steep alleys
When Mukho Port was booming, fishermen carried heavy fish crates up these steep slopes. Seawater dripping from the crates kept the dirt path as muddy as a rice paddy, so people called this place Nongol.
The origin of Gongju's Gukgogae: how a hill where soup was spilled became a neighborhood name
In the old town there's a slope called Gukgogae. During the Goryeo dynasty, a man named Yi Bok lived in this town. He lost his father early and lived alone with his blind mother.
Where Gunsan's name comes from: the mountains in its name float on the sea
In Gunsan, gun (群) means group and san (山) means mountain. Together, they mean a place where mountains gather in a group. But here's the interesting part: those mountains aren't on land.
Ganwolam on Ganwoldo, Seosan: an island where the sea opens a path twice a day
This is where the sun sets most beautifully in Seosan. Ganwolam is a small hermitage that becomes an island when the tide comes in and a path when the tide goes out. Legend has it that the monk Muhak Daesa practiced here in the early Joseon period, and because he reached enlightenment while gazing at the moon, it got the name Ganwol (看月, 'looking at the moon').
The story of Yangyang's Osaek Mineral Spring: the valley where fake coins were minted
Turn your back to the sea and head 20km west, and you're at the southern foothills of Seoraksan. Jujeongol has a story behind its name. In the Joseon era, thieves disguised as monks made counterfeit coins in this remote, deep valley, which is how it got the name Jujeongol.
October Festivals in Korea: The Complete Schedule (2026)
We checked official announcements and rounded up the dates, venues and highlights of 13 small-city festivals happening in October.
Half-Price Travel: How to Apply, Application Periods and Refund Conditions by Region (Fall 2026)
It's a program that gives you back half your travel costs in local currency vouchers. You must apply before you leave.
Fall Domestic Travel Discounts: Train, Attraction and Island Ferry Benefits (2026)
Korail Travel Month, the Digital Tourist Resident Card, and island ferry fare support. Here are 3 discounts you can use right away on small-city trips.