Daegu City

Introduction
Daegu, South Korea's third-largest city, is known for its textile manufacturing. With the spotlight shining its way, the city is also talking up its cultural assets, environmental achievements and reputation as a centre for the arts.
Don't go looking for rainbows though; good restaurants, sporting facilities and green spaces aside, gold-star scenic attractions are few and far between. The city is, however, a useful staging point for reaching Haeinsa, one of the country's most famous temple-monastery complexes (in Gayasan National Park), and Gyeongju, ancient capital of the Silla dynasty and home to some of the most fascinating reminders of South Korea's cultural, historical, scientific and religious heritage.

Daegu is a beautiful city situated in the center of the South Korean Peninsula. It is an ideal tourist destination. Visitors come to this city throughout the year. It is advisable to know certain facts about Daegu, before your Daegu travel. Daegu travel is hassle free as the system of transportation in this city is very convenient for tourists.

Facts about Daegu
Daegu is approximately 300 kilometers from Seoul and 120 kilometers from Busan. The hottest month in Daegu is August. Rainfall is adequate in this city. Approximately 2.5 million people stay in Daegu. The population is entirely homogeneous except for some 20,000 Chinese. Mainly six languages are spoken in Daegu. Christianity and Buddhism are the prevalent religions of this city. There are innumerable tourist attractions in Daegu for you to explore.

Getting to Daegu
Daegu travel is very convenient as there are various ways of getting to Daegu. The Incheon International Airport is the main airport of Korea and for coming to Daegu, you have to first come to the Gimpo Airport from the Incheon International Airport by means of an airport limousine bus. From here, you have to shift to the Daegu International Airport. The Daegu International Airport operates direct international flights to Qingdao, Yantai, Shanghai, Beijing and Shenyang in China. Daegu is also served by the Gimhae International Airport.

For getting to Daegu, you can also use the rail route. Dongdaegu Station is the main railway station in this city. Several trains leave this railway station for other destinations. If you wish to reach Daegu by road, you can either take a car or a bus. For traveling in Daegu, it is best to use the Gyeongbu Expressway and the Olympic Expressway.

Daegu is located at the heart of the South Korean Peninsula. It is an ideal tourist destination in South Korea. Many visitors come to this city throughout the year. There are many interesting facts about Daegu. If you know these facts about Daegu, you will surely have a problem free Daegu travel.

Facts about Daegu Location
Daegu is approximately 300 kilometers from Seoul and 120 kilometers from Busan. The Sincheon Stream in this city runs from its east to west. After that, this stream joins the Geumho-gang river and the Nakdong-gang river. The longitude of Daegu is 28?21'~ 128?46' east and the latitude is 5?37'~ 36?01' north. Daegu is 40.69 meters above the sea level.

Facts about Daegu Geography
The Daegu facts are very helpful for tourists planning a trip to this part of South Korea. The geographical facts related to Daegu are essential to get an idea of the best season for visiting this city. The annual average temperature in Daegu is 14.2 degrees Celsius. The hottest month in Daegu is August and the coldest month is January. The annual average rainfall in Daegu is 1,059.6mm.

Facts about Daegu Population, Language and Religion
You should know the facts about Daegu, South Korea to have a fruitful journey. The population of Daegu is approximately 2.5million. The only ethnic group in Daegu is Korean. The population is entirely homogeneous except for some 20,000 Chinese.

In Daegu, six dialects of the Korean language exist, namely central, northwest, northeast, southeast, southwest and Cheju. English is widely spoken in Daegu. The two religions that exist in this city are Christianity and Buddhism. Such facts about Daegu in South Korea give you a holistic view of the city.

Facts about Daegu Education
Daegu has been recognized as a high quality education city. Daegu produces certified human resources every year through 24 colleges and universities in and around the city. Daegu also facilitates partnership between education and industry. Public libraries are normally used for social education in regional communities. There are 13 universities and 14 junior colleges in Daegu.

Facts about Daegu Tourist Attractions
You can explore innumerable tourist attractions in Daegu. Some of the tourist spots that you should visit while you are in Daegu are:
- Bulguksa Temple and Seokguram Grotto
- Bomun Lake Resort
- Mt.Namsan
- Gyeongju City
- Tomb Park of Jisandon

Busan City

Introduction
Cosmopolitan port city with brash urban panache. It may not have the old temples and palaces of Seoul, but there's plenty to see and do in Busan - water sports, nightlife at the beach resorts, the hustle and bustle of the port, wooded hideaways in the mountains, and amazing hot springs right in the heart of the city.

Destination Facts
Time zone: GMT +9
Area: 761
Coordinates: 34.5250 latitude and 129.1813 longitude
Population: 3660000
Area codes: 051

Getting there and away
Busan is served by Gimhae International Airport (tel: 972 3010). International flights are mostly to Japan (Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka), with less frequent links to Beijing, Shanghai, Bangkok, Manila and Vladivostock. International airline offices in Busan include Asiana (tel: 972 4004), China Air (tel: 463 6888), China Eastern (tel: 973 8254), JAL (tel: 469 1215) and Korean Air (tel: 970 3238). On the domestic routes, there are regular flights to Seoul (1hr) and Jeju Island (1hr). A number of ferry lines link Japan with Busan's international ferry terminal near Jungang subway station. Combined rail-and-ferry tickets can be purchased for the Busan-Shimonoseki-Tokyo route - see www.korail.go.kr. On the Busan to Hakata (Fukuoka) route, the Beetle Jetfoil operates twice daily to Chuo Futoh Wharf in Hakata. It takes only three hours; the slow overnight ferry takes 14.5 hours. Other routes from Busan to Japan include Hiroshima (17hr), Hitakatsu (2.5hr) Izuhara (2.5hr), Kokura (4hr), Osaka (18hr) and Shimonoseki (14hr). Dongbu bus terminal is located at Nopodong station. Intercity buses travelling to Dongbu allow passengers to get off at Duhil station, a great time saver if you don't need to go to the terminal. Regular epartures from Dongbu include Daegu (2hr), Gwangju (4.5hr), Gyeongju (1.25hr), Seoul (5.25hr) and Ulsan (1hr). Seobu intercity bus terminal is just outside Sasang station. Regular departures Daewonsa (1.5hr), Hadong (2.5hr), Namhae (2.5hr) and Ssanggyaesa (3.5hr). There are two trains between Busan and Seoul: the saemaeul (4.5hr) and the mugunghwa (5.5hr). Visit the Korea Rail website (www.korail.go.kr) for detailed schedules.

Getting around
Korean Air Lines (KAL) runs two airport-limousine services every 30min from Gimhae International Airport, one each to the major hotels in Haeundae and Nampodong (1hr). A taxi from the airport to Seomyeon in the city centre takes around 30 minutes. The most economical link between the airport and city is bus 307 to Deokcheon train station or bus 310 to Sasang station. There are also buses from the airport to cities in the area including Gyeongju, Changwon, Masan, Eonyang, Ulsan, Yangsan and Jinhae. Subway fares use a two-zone system with set fares. Consider buying a Hanaro card for buses and trains (available at ticket booths) if you're staying in the city for some time. It can also be used in taxis sporting a flash seagull on the roof. There are two subway lines, with a third planned for 2007.

Weather
Busan has four very distinct seasons, and temperature contrasts between midsummer and midwinter are fairly extreme. The best time of year to visit is probably autumn, from September to November, when the weather is usually sunny and warm and the mountainsides are ablaze with bright colours. Spring, from April to May, is another beautiful season, with mild temperatures and cherry blossoms spreading across the countryside. Winter, from December to March, is dry and can be very cold, but winters here are milder than in the north. The peak summer period - late June to late August - is the monsoon season, with unpleasantly hot and humid weather and heavy rainfall.

Seoul City

Introduction
From Hermit Kingdom to Tiger Economy - Seoul is a city reborn. Seoul is an intriguing city transforming itself from the Yi Dynasty capital of the Hermit Kingdom to a major mover and shaker on the international scene, especially in the field of commerce and sports.
Nowhere else is the Korean drive to come to terms with a turbulent and fractured past so evident.

Seoul was battered by Japanese and Manchu invasions in the 16th and 17th centuries and flattened by the Korean War; most of its cityscape is modern. Overshadowed by high-rises and 12-lane freeways, it yet retains a hidden history of centuries-old temples, palaces, pagodas and pleasure gardens.

Seoul is in the northwest corner of South Korea. The border with North Korea is only about 40km (25mi) from the city centre. The central area is the most important for both sightseeing and accommodation, with Mt Namsan forming the southern perimeter. Tourists and shoppers are well at home in Itaewon, south of Mt Namsan. The Han River winds through the city, splitting it in two. The Gangnam-gu area on the south bank is Seoul's most exclusive neighbourhood, but on the whole, the southern areas have less interest to the traveller than the historic northern neighbourhoods. The World Cup stadium is to the west of the city, in Mapo-gu. Easily the most maddening thing about Seoul is the system of street addresses: there aren't any. If you've spent time in Japan, you might have some luck understanding the system, but probably have no better chance of actually finding anywhere without a detailed map; even the locals are baffled by the system. Addresses are not given according to consecutive numbers along a road, but as random numbers within an arbitrary block of land. You will need to wander around looking for your destination, as there are virtually no street signs (let alone street names). Most business cards have maps printed on the back.

Seoul is an intriguing city transforming itself from the Yi Dynasty capital of the Hermit Kingdom to a major mover and shaker on the international scene, especially in the field of commerce and sports. Nowhere else is the Korean drive to come to terms with a turbulent and fractured past so evident.

Destination Facts
Time zone: GMT +9
Area: 605
Coordinates: 37.54235077 latitude and 126.9352493 longitude
Population: 10300000
Currency: Won (W)
Area codes: 02

Getting there and away
Most major international airlines fly into Incheon International Airport (60km/37mi from Seoul), and the two Korean airlines, Asiana Airlines and Korean Air (KAL), fly both domestic and international routes. There are no international buses leading to or from Seoul, but there's no shortage of long-distance buses to get you across the country. The main station is the express bus terminal, on the southern side of the Han River. There are no international trains to Seoul, but South Korea has an extensive rail network operated by Korea National Railroad (KNR). Long-distance share taxis also operate from the station, Incheon ferry terminal, and the express bus terminal.

Getting around
Seoul's subway system is modern, fast, frequent, clean, safe and cheap, but try to avoid rush hour. Seoul also has a comprehensive and cheap city bus system that operates from around 05:30 to 24:00. Driving a vehicle is something to avoid in Seoul because of the traffic jams, the lack of street names, directional signs and parking places, and the unpredictability of other road users. Regular taxis are a good deal and are cheaper than the bus or subway for three people who want to make a short trip.

Weather
Korea has four distinct seasons, with a wet monsoon/summer in the middle of the year, and a very cold winter from November to March. Seoul is beautiful at all times of the year. Autumn (September to November) is the most popular time, with fine weather and amazingly colourful forests. Winter - if you can stand the cold - is also magnificent. The ice and snow show off Seoul in a flattering way. During spring (March to May) Seoul has mild temperatures and flowers, including the magnificent cherry blossom, bloom everywhere. Summer is probably the least attractive time to visit - it's warm, humid and very wet.