(Copyright: The Pyeongchang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games)
Known as the “Alps of Asia”, the panoramic winter wonderland will be hosting the world’s greatest snow festival–the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics.
The PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics will be the first winter games in Korea held in Pyeongchang, Gangneung, and Jeongseon from February 9 to 25, 2018, while the Paralympic Games will be held from March 9 to 18.
The splendid sporting event located in the Gangwon-do Province also offers visitors many unique activities close to the venue. Adrenaline junkies can test their skills at the Alpensia Sports Park, while those seeking a more cultural experience can learn traditional Korean cooking classes at Jeong Gang Won. Guests can also find time to heal with a stay at Woljeongsa Temple located on Odaesan Mountain. And to end the day, enjoy a traditional Korean beef barbecue with a glass of soju.
Here’s a photo essay of my experience…
PYEONGCHANG 2018 WINTER OLYMPICS
Pyeongchang, Gangneung, and Jeongseon
Facebook: PyeongChang2018
E-mail: info@pyeongchang2018.com
Website: www.pyeongchang2018.com
How To Get There:
By Train
Express transit to be established from Seoul (the capital city) to PyeongChang
– Yeongdong Express Route I – Around 2 hours, 40 min from International Airport to Pyeongchang
– Yeongdong Expressway Route II – Around 2 hours, 40 min from International Airport to Gangneung
– KTX (High-Speed Train) Around 70 min from Seoul/Cheongryangri to Gangneung
– Railroads (Olympic Route)
Around 108 minutes from Incheon Airport to Gangneung
Around 93 minutes from Incheon Airport to Jinbu
Where To Go:
(Copyright: The Pyeongchang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games)
When winter comes and snow covers the slopes of Gangwon-do, it transforms into a beautiful winter wonderland where skiers, snow boarders, and other winter sports enthusiasts flock to enjoy the world-class facilities.
Alpensia Sports Park
(Copyright: The Pyeongchang Organizing Committee for the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games)
Located at the highest altitude in Korea, the mecca for winter sports remains snow-covered throughout the winter–a skier’s paradise!
It provides many activities you can enjoy throughout the season. They have the ski-jumping tower, a cross-country skiing platform, the main stadium, and an 18-hole public golf course.
Alpensia Sports Park also houses various hotels, a convention center, a ski resort, and more.
Ski History Museum
Get to know the cradle of skiing and where the history of winter sports began in Korea. At the museum, visitors can see how skiing has evolved as a winter sport in the country. You can also find items such as traditional Korean skiing equipment, gear used by Korean and International competitors, as well as awards and medals received.
Visitors can choose between general admission, which allows access to the observatory, or special admission, which allows them to enter the ski jumping hill.
Alpensia Resort
325 olbong-ro, Daengwallyeong-myeon, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do
Contact: 033-339-000
Webste: www.alpensiaresort.co.kr
Jeong Gang Won (Korea Traditional Food Culture Experience Center)
Jeong Gang Won is open to visitors who want to taste and get hands-on lessons in traditional Korean food! Find a wide array of delicious fare here, beginning with the popular kimchi, bibimbap, and bulgogi.
Jeong Gang Won is the first traditional food experience center in Korea, teaching guests a variety of programs such as pickling, traditional cooking, and even offering overnight stays complete with the traditional outfits.
The place was established to preserve the values of traditional Korean food, with various hands-on facilities for traditional food culture such as an exhibition hall, cooking room, and fermentation rooms spread throughout the area.
The team worked together in preparing our gungjung-topokki (royal style stir-fried rice cake) dish.
Korean meals can be largely divided into a staple, usually rice, and side dishes that are eaten with rice.
We worked even harder as we stirred this huge bowl of bibimbap for 200 people.
Bibimpab is a simple dish composed of steamed rice topped with stir-fried beef and a variety of vegetables mixed with gokchujang (Korean Chili Paste).
After all the cooking we were served with additional meals including the Memil-buchimgae or buckwheat pancake. It is a crepe-like dish made of thin buckwheat batter and napa cabbage.
Buckwheat is a local specialty in Gangwon province, where the vegetable is greatly cultivated due to the perfect cool climate.
Try it with their sweet tangy soy dipping sauce.
Tip: Phone reservations are required for all experience programs (traditional cooking class for groups of 10 and above only)
Jeong Gang Won
2010-13, Geumdanggyeok-ro, Yongpyeog-myeon, Pyeongchang-gun
Contact: +82-33-333-1011~3, +8210-9968-7500
Website: www.ktfce.com
Woljeongsa Temple Stay
The best way to visit the temple is from the thousand-year-old scenic Seonjae Trail, a 9-kilometer trail connecting Woljeongsa Temple and Sangwonsa Temple.
The trail is filled with tall trees on both sides, offering trekkers a splendid view of nature.
Temple stay is a cultural program that gives you the chance to experience 1,700-year-old traditions of Korean Buddhism. It is believed that through the Woljeongsa Temple’s Temple Stay Program, visitors can spend time healing, finding themselves, and becoming one with nature.
Sangwonsa Temple is home to the Wooden Seated Child Manjusri (National Treasure No. 221) as well as the oldest bronze bell (National Treasure No. 36) in Korea.
During your stay, you will be immersed in activities such as a tour of the temple, Buddhist services, a tea ceremony, making lotus lanterns, making prayer beads, Zen meditation, and a formal monastic meal ritual.
Tip: You don’t need to be a Buddhist to join. The temples have an English program led by monks and staff that speak in English.
Woljeongsa Temple Stay
374-8 Odaesan-ro, Jinbu-myeon, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do
Entrance: 50,000 won
Contact: 033-339-606
Webiste: www.woljeongsa.org
Korean Beef Barbecue
Enjoy prime Korean Beef! The climate and the environment are said to be perfect for raising cattle. Where the cold weather helps increases the fat deposit in cows, making the beef of Heongsang Hanu more tender and flavorful.
The charcoal-broiled slices of hanu taste even more delicious with the variety of complimentary side dishes.
Enjoy your barbecue with a glass of rice wine or soju! Geon-bae!
Expect to pay between 20,000 won and 30,000 won per person.
Don’t miss this Korean BBQ place in the Daegwallyeong area.
Daegwallyeong Hanu Town
393, Taegi-ro, Bongpyeong-myeon, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do, Korea
Website: www.isj-hanwoo.com/
Where to Stay:
We stayed at the Intercontinental Alpensia PyeongChang Resort. The rooms were modern and luxurious, with comfortable beds and plenty of room and bathroom space. We also loved their huge international breakfast buffet spread.
The luxurious European-style alpine resort is conveniently located inside Alpensia Resort, with various leisure facilities such as Olympic Sky Park, Ocean 700 Water Park, a 27-hole golf course, and an 18-hole public golf course for guests to use.
Alpensia Pyeongchang Resort
325, Solbong-ro, Daegwannyeong-myeon, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do
Contact: +82-33-339-0000
Website: www.alpensiaresort.co.kr
Learning how to ski and enjoying the winter facilities is a must when visiting PyeongChang! Don’t forget to try their juicy Heongsang Hanu (Korean Beef)–it’s the best meal I had on this trip!
PYEONGCHANG 2018 WINTER OLYMPICS
Pyeongchang, Gangneung, and Jeongseon
Facebook: PyeongChang2018
E-mail: info@pyeongchang2018.com
Website: www.pyeongchang2018.com
Live an Awesome Life,
ABI of Team Our Awesome Planet
Disclosure: We were media guests of the Korea Tourism Organization. I wrote this article with my biases, opinions, and insights.
P.S. Are you excited for the Winter Olympics?
is the KTX from pyeongchang to incheon airport operational in otober 2017?
This KTX route will be operational starting December 2017. 🙂
Hi! Can you share your itinerary on this? How did you go from your hotel to Woljeongsa Temple? Is there public transportation? 🙂 Thank you!