The World's Best Kept Secret?

It may have been only the second choice capital back in 1392, but Seoul's rise from the ashes of the Korean War has seen it claim it's place among the world's greatest cities. It may not be a multicultural melting pot but with sights like Namdaemun and Gyeongbeok Palace, museums like the War Memorial and some of the best public transportation on the globe, Seoul more than holds its own against more celebrated rivals.

Go shopping at Dongdaemun and Namdaemun. Visit all the palaces-don't forget the forlorn Gyeonghuigung, near Sodaemun Station. Wander the streets of Sinchon and Hongdae at night. The National Museum and the War Memorial rank as the two best museums in Seoul, though others like the National Folk Museum aren't too far behind.

Quick Tips:

The Jongno area is pretty compact and you can walk to most of the major sights. Check out Insadong and the area around Jogye Temple for the best souvenirs.

Clothes at Dongdaemun are cheaper than at Itaewon. The latter is best avoided at night. Myeong-dong is worth a stroll but the prices here are higher than the two big market areas of Dongdaemun and Namdaemun.

Take the Seoul City Bus tour to the top of Namsan and save yourself the cable car fare.

Best Way To Get Around:

The buses can be confusing if you don't know any Korean and the taxis often get held up in traffic. Stick to the subways, where stored value tickets provide the best value. Ask the station staff for a 'man won any card.' The Seoul City Bus provides another good option. You can hop on and off for a cost of 8000 won. Head for Gwanghwamun Station or ask for details at the KNTO (Jonggak Exit 5).

Sanchon is an amazing restaurant which justly deserves its great reputation. Owned by Mr Kim Yon-shik, who lived as a Buddhist monk for eighteen years, and famous for its vegetarian temple cuisine, Sanchon (which literally translates as "Mountain Village") should definitely be on any traveller's itinerary when visiting Korea.

The restaurant is located in an alley just off Insa-dong in central Seoul. Insa-dong itself is a lively street with an array of antique shops, art galleries and old-fashioned Korean tea houses, although the writing may well be on the wall for what has been, up until now, one of the best preserved cultural areas in Seoul as a branch of Starbucks has recently encroached into the southern end of the street. Come out of exit 6 of Anguk station, walk straight ahead and take your first left. Walk down Insa-dong until you see the Hakson Ceramics shop on your right. Directly opposite you'll notice the Atelier Gallery and a circular sign directing you to Sanchon. Follow the alley down and to the left, past Arirang-which is basically Sanchon for carnivores-and you'll see the ornate looking entrance with a copy of a New York Times review posted outside.

The interior of Sanchon is extremely impressive. You enter into a little courtyard (take off your shoes here) and are then taken into the main dining area which is decorated with carved wooden beams, paintings, calligraphy and traditional Korean musical instruments. There are approximately twenty-five low tables with cushions (Koreans traditionally sit on the floor to eat) surrounding a small central stage where performances take place between 8pm and 9pm. I arrived at 12pm for the lunch banquet (17000 Won or about nine pounds per person; dinner including the performance is around 30000 Won), which consists of close on thirty different courses (all served together at your table), including:

Potatoes glazed with soy sauce and taffy.

Seven wild vegetables, each with its own seasoning.

Deep-fried vegetable pancakes(similar to Japanese Tempura).

Rice and Kimchi(the Korean national dish).

Vegetables wrapped in vermicelli noodles.

Wild sesame and rice gruel.

Tofu.

Seasoned wild mountain roots.

If you've still got any appetite left after the main course (which I seriously doubt), you are also offered some Korean rice cake snacks and a cup of traditional temple tea made from five oriental herbs. Alcoholic drinks are also available with beer at just over two pounds and several types of home-brewed temple wine selling for around four pounds. All the food is naturally seasoned with no chemical additives, and with the obvious exception of the deep-fried pancakes, is extremely nutritious. The menu, which is subject to seasonal alterations, can be seen by checking out www.sanchon.com. The site is 80% in Korean, but if you click on the third and fourth options from the left of the screen you can read a history of the restaurant and see the current menu in English. If you want to see the performance-a hypnotic mixture of dance and music by all reports-I'd recommend you make a reservation by calling 02 735 0312.

After my first six months in Korea it would be fair to say I was desperate for a curry. As much as I love Korean food, nothing quite compares to a good "ruby" in my eyes. After trying the mediocre and overpriced Ashoka in the Hamilton Hotel, Itaewon, Seoul, I finally stumbled across the Taj Mahal a mere five minutes up the road.

Stepping into the Taj Mahal (www.tajmahal.co.kr, tel: 02 735 0312), with its garish wallpaper and English speaking waiters, is rather like stepping into your average British curry house. Located a short walk from Itaewon subway station on line 6 (to reach the restaurant come out of exit number 3, go across the zebra crossing in front of you and walk straight past Burger King. Take a right when you see a sign for the mosque and walk up the hill, the restaurant is directly opposite the King Club on the left side of the street), the food here is of a far higher quality than the more expensive, and extensively advertised, Ashoka. Open seven days a week from noon to 3.30pm (lunch) and 6pm to 10.30pm (dinner), a meal here will set you back somewhere in the region of ten pounds (just under nineteen thousand won). For those in search of a bargain, there are also buffet specials from Friday to Sunday (13000 Won for lunch and 16000 for dinner).

If the Taj Mahal is good then the nearby Chakraa is positively excellent. Small, with seating for twenty people inside and three tables on a small patio outside (from which you get a great view of the illuminated Seoul Tower at night), and decorated in a minimalist black and white theme, the food here is extremely cheap by Seoul Indian restaurant standards (the most expensive item on the menu is Chicken Biryani at 6500 Won (about three pounds fifty) and lunchtime specials cost a maximum of 8000 Won. Open from 11.30am to 2pm for lunch and 5.30pm-11pm for dinner, you can reach Chakraa by coming out of exit 2 of Noksapyeong station (one stop from Itaewon on line 6). Walk straight ahead until you come to a smaller road branching to the left (you'll see seven story block of flats with a big number one on the side and a zebra crossing). Go up this street until you see a large tree on the right. Chakraa is just behind this.

If you've ever wanted to truly eat like a king then Korea House may well be your ideal restaurant. Opened in 1957 to introduce aspects of Korean culture to foreigners, this combined dinner theatre, museum, wedding venue and cultural merchandise venue offers traditional Korean Royal banquets--called Han-jong-shik in Korean--buffets featuring 45 kinds of food and Korean music and dance performances.

Housed in four traditional-style buildings, based on ancient Korean Palace architecture, Korea House is located a short walk from Ch'ungmuro subway station on lines 3 and 4 (come out of exit 3 and walk straight ahead until you reach the petrol station, just to the right is a blue sign with an arrow pointing up a small bank to Korea House). It's certainly not cheap to eat here with the banquet (featuring Galbi which are barbecued beef ribs and Shinsollo, which is similar to Japanese Shabu Shabu) costing upwards of thirty-five pounds. However, if you want to experience authentic Korean culture and try some unique food then it is well worth the money. In addition, while you're here you can also see an exhibit of traditional Korean musical instruments and browse around a tasteful and well-stocked gift shop.

You can pay 29000 Won (about sixteen pounds) to see the performances, which are held from 7pm to 8pm and 8.50pm to 9.50pm from March to December (with an intermission performance) and 8.30pm to 9.30pm in January and February. A better option may be to pay extra for the combined performance and buffet (much cheaper than the banquet). The restaurant is open from 12pm until 2pm for lunch and from 5.30pm to 7pm and 7.20pm to 8.40pm for dinner. Reservations (advised if you want to see a dinner performance) can be made by calling 02 2266 9101 or via the internet by checking out the excellent www.koreahouse.or.kr.

If you're interested in experiencing Korean culture I'd also highly recommend you take in the traditional wedding ceremony held in the courtyard of Korea House at 1.30pm every Monday and Friday (May to November). This lasts about an hour and is one of the few opportunities foreigners or Koreans get to see this once popular, but now fast declining in favour of tacky faux-Western style ceremonies, aspect of the traditional Korean lifestyle.

Located a short walk from Seodamun Station's number 5 exit, the Seoul Agricultural Museum is a pleasant way to pass half an hour or so if you're in the vicinity. The three-story building contains more than 2400 items relating to Korea's fast disappearing agrarian culture.

A small garden stands outside the building, with an operational rice paddy and a small water mill serving as highlights. English language leaflets, dispensed at the reception desk, detail the main exhibits and contain a floor plan.

Highlights include a collection of large Baekje era jars, which were once used for storing grain, as well as a number of village flags, or Nong-gi, which were formerly flown during ceremonies and festivals. There are also several interesting displays of traditional farming implemements and household items. To the left of the Agricultural Life Hall on the second floor, a small room details the many different varieties of Gimchi, with models accompanied by good English text.

Admission to the museum, which opens from 9.30am-5pm every day except Monday, is free. I wouldn't recommend a special trip here, but if you're in the area and have some time to spare, it gives an interesting insight into an aspect of Korean life that still resonates with even the most urbanised of Seoulites.

Built in 1616 as a detached palace, Gyeonghuigung (The Palace of Shining Bliss)has had rather a traumatic history. Burnt down in 1829, the palace was restored a mere two years later only to suffer later humiliation at the hands of the Japanese, who tore down the buildings and built Gyeongseong Junior High School on the site. Now being slowly restored to its former glory, this almost unknown palace is seldom visited but is well worth a look.

GETTING THERE
Take line 5 to Seodaemun Station. The palace is a five minute walk from exit 4.

DETAILS
Free admission. A friendly volunteer at the gate speaks good English, though leaflets are only available in Korean and Japanese.

STRUCTURES
The main gate, Heunghwamun, is one of the few remaining original structures. Erected in 1616, it later served as the gate of a Japanese shrine and to the grounds of the Shilla Hotel before it was moved back here in 1994.

The main hall, Sungjeongjeon, is small but features a spectacular ceiling. The building you see today is a replica of one built in 1618, which was used as an audience hall for foreign diplomats. The original building was moved to Donggak University in 1926.

To the rear, Jajeongjeon is also a replica of the King's private living quarters. From here, kings once surveyed a compound made up of dozens of buildings.

Gyeonghuigung Palace may not be very authentic. It may not be as impressive as Gyeongbokgung or Changdeokgung. However, if you value a little quiet while you wander through an historic place that was in use for over 290 years, then I'd highly recommend a trip to one of Seoul's unknown gems.

The museum is located on the outskirts of Seoul's Olympic Park complex. Take underground line 8 to Mongchontoseong Station, take exit number one and continue straight ahead past the landmark Peace Gate. The museum is just to the left of the main plaza, at the end of the path running between the buildings marked Olympic Plaza A and B.

Dedicated to the Ancient Olympics, their decline and eventual restoration, the first hall, on the right of the entrance, has several interesting wall displays, interactive exhibits and other artifacts on subjects such as Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who revived the Olympics in an attempt to repair the shattered morale of French youth in the wake of their humiliating defeat at the hands of the Prussians.

Back into the entrance hall and up the staircase, the Place of Harmony is the first hall on the left. Taking its name from the motto of the Seoul Olympics, this room has exhibits detailing the journey of the Torch Relay, a cut-away model of the main stadium, video footage of the opening ceremony and individual displays of twenty-seven sports. The dominant feature in the room, though, is undoubtedly the modernistic, curving exhibit spelling out '1988 SEOUL OLYMPICS' in two-metre high blue neon lettering.

The least interesting of the halls, the Place of Prosperity, is in truth little more than an exercise in self-congratulation. There are a few interesting exhibits, namely the collection of pennants, coins and badges in the centre of the room, but they are overshadowed by giant slogans such as 'The Olympic Games of Advanced Technology', 'The Olympics of Safety', 'The Olympics of Culture' and the 'Olympics of Management'. You can safely skip all this without any sense of loss.

With a 100-seat capacity, the motion simulator takes you on a 13-minute ride back through time to the Seoul Olympics at 25-minute intervals between 10am and 4.15pm. Following an initial rollercoaster ride, you enter the Opening Ceremony, enjoy a spoke-level view of a race at the nearby Cycling velodrome, bob along with the waves during a Yacht race and track the progress of the ball around a Hockey field. It's all very entertaining, with the combination of the motion and graphics succeeding in keeping a class of Korean schoolchildren spellbound for the entire duration of the ride. When it's all over, leave by the door on the right-hand side of the room and follow the stairs back down to the Gift shop.

Olympic Park, which extends behind and to the right of Peace Gate is well worth exploring while you're in the vicinity. Follow the road running between Olympic Plaza C and the competing nations' flags and you'll pass over 200 sculptures created by Korean and foreign artists in commemoration of the 1988 Games. Most have an accompanying text in English outlining the artist's interpretation of his/her work.

There are a variety of roads and trails criss-crossing the park, but probably the most interesting is the 'Monchontoseong Promenade', which follows an elevated route along an ancient earthen fortress built in the third-century. The trail starts next to the cycle velodrome and immediately affords a bird's eye view of the track before continuing on its winding, gentle route around the park. Along the 2.7km circular track, you'll pass the fencing, basketball, and gymnastic arenas from the 1988 Games, in addition to the main swimming pool, a wooden palisade and a moat unique to Korean fortress design, an artificial lake, and two small museums containing artifacts recovered during excavations of the fortress remains. Between the two gymnasiums, a giant sculpture by Italy's Staccioli Mauro dominates the esplanade leading to the old Olympic Village. Looking like the lower section of one of the Olympic rings, the red mass apparently symbolizes the outstretched arms of the victorious athletes on the podium.

If you don't want to walk around the park, you can rent bicycles or golf buggies from Olympic Plaza D next to the Peace Gate. The latter can be hired for an hour on production of a driving license, but you must stay within the white lines on the roads.

The centrepiece of a complex that also includes Seoul's main baseball arena, the Seoul Olympic Stadium is situated by the southern banks of the Han River in the suburb of Jamsil. Completed in 1984, the stadium holds over 100,000 spectators in its twin-tiered curving stands, and was the scene of the 1986 Asian Games, both the opening and closing ceremonies in the 1988 Summer Olympics, and, more memorably, Ben Johnson's drug assisted world record run in the 100 metre final.

A short walk from the Sports Complex subway station, the stadium looks huge and ugly across a vast concrete square that's usually deserted unless the LG Twins or Doosan Bears are in town. A sad collection of souvenirs are still on sale by the entrance, across from the ticket booth and a large 'Welcome To The Olympic Stadium' sign.

Inside the stadium, you're allowed to wander around the lower tier of the spectator seating and out on to the track itself. Unfortunately, there are no tours of the facilities or any displays relating to the stadium's history, so once you've taken a few photos and wandered around the track, there's not very much else to do. And while there are good views of the arena, Gangnam and Jamsil's concrete apartment blocks from the upper tier of the stadium, which you can get into through a staircase in Block 72, just to the left of the Press Box, and directly opposite the entrance, if you really want to see Seoul's Olympic legacy, you'd be far better off visiting Olympic Park than spending half an hour here.

Veering slightly right from the ticket booths at the entrance of the main zoo, the first animals you will see are the giraffes. The Australian Section is directly opposite, just across the stream on the right. However, while the path through the woods leading to the buildings is nice, the interior itself is profoundly depressing, as the animals are enclosed in small, entirely glassed-in areas with only a scattering of straw half-covering the concrete floors. About the only thing of real interest in this section is the Insectarium.

Back to the main path you’ll pass buffaloes and the White Rhino on your right, as well as passing two hippo enclosures, some Barbary Sheep, and sitatunga on your left. Boards in front of each section detail dietary, habitat and life span information in both English and Korean, although the more detailed descriptions are given in Korean only.

Just past the sitatunga, the African and Asiatic elephants dominate the right hand side of the path. On the left, a number of camel graze lazily behind wooden fences. A giant net rises up behind the elephants, under which four species of cranes, pelicans, storks and geese move around a bird enclosure centred on a small pool.

Opposite,Dolphin shows take place three times a day at 11.30am, 1.30pm and 3pm (weekdays and Saturday). On Bank Holidays there is an extra show at 4.30pm, from December to February there is no morning show. The show itself lasts for twenty minutes but is only mildly interesting.

Beyond the building housing the dolphins the path continues past reindeer and elk. Viewing positions here are spoilt somewhat by the garish blue fences and the fact that the animals are located up a small hill. Turning to the left, the path bends sharply past Red Deer and the imposing American Bison. There are also a few bears here, the most interesting of which are the Moon Bears, who are seldom found in the wild anymore despite their revered status in Korea.

On the right,the leopards and jaguars are caged in, but the prize Siberian Tigers are allowed a section with some foliage and a few pools. One of the tigers was previously housed at Pyongyang Central Zoo.

The path continues past the Small Carnivora House to the upper Chair Lift terminus, where the path drops down to a lime green building housing monkeys in Spartan concrete cages with only a small piece of scaffolding, smaller than a child’s climbing frame, for company. The centre of this building is home to a couple of indolent crocodiles, while there is also a small section devoted to snakes. Exit, turn left, and continue past some more leopards to the Botanical Garden.

The second largest in Asia in terms of size, the gardens are free to enter and feature 46000 plants from 1300 species in four halls devoted to Tropical Plants, Subtropical Foliage, Cacti and Oriental Orchids. Very impressive.

GETTING THERE

Take subway line 4 to Grand Park station.

Sitting on a hill between the zoo and Seoul Land, the museum has seven galleries, an outdoor sculpture park and several corridor exhibits showcasing Korean and International Modern Art. Open from 9am until 6pm (7pm on weekends and Bank Holidays, 5pm in winter), admission is a very reasonable 700 Won for over 25s, 300 Won if you’re between 19 and 24 and free for under 18s and over 65s. Last ticket sales are one hour before closing, and the museum itself is closed on Mondays and January 1st. There are a number of special exhibitions, including New Acquisitions, Young Korean Artists Exhibition and Artist of the Year 2002 this year, which may require an extra admission fee.

There is an annex of the museum located at Deoksugung Palace in central Seoul. This largely features the museum’s collection of modern paintings.

Special events at the museum include the Summer Music Festival in July and the Month of Culture in October. The latter boasts a number of open-air concerts and modern dance performances.

GROUND FLOOR

After buying your tickets at the door you enter the main lobby. The museum library is on the left, the gift shop is to the right, and the cafeteria is straight ahead beyond the circular information booth dispensing floor plans in five languages. The circular gallery displays paintings, sculptures, installations and video works by acclaimed artists while galleries 1,2 and 7 house the special exhibitions.

FIRST FLOOR

Galleries 3 and 4 showcase the history of Korean Art since the 1950s. There are also individual spaces for renowned artists such as Kim Ki-chang and Yoo Young-guk. The Children’s Gallery is housed in a circular corridor, featuring the works of schoolchildren who have participated in the museum’s education programmes.

SECOND FLOOR

Gallery 5 contains contemporary ceramic, wood and metal craft works. Gallery 6 houses sketches, monochrome paintings and minimalist sculptures dating from 1970.

I spent an hour and a half in the museum and found it to be truly fascinating. Rushed a little by the impending closing time, I would have liked another hour or so to take everything in properly. If you’re at all interested in modern art then this is a must-see. More information is available on www.moca.go.kr.

WORLD PLAZA

Immediately after you enter the park you’re faced with Amsterdam-style gabled houses on your left and pastel coloured Mediterranean villas on your right. Pick up a map of the Theme Park from the Information Centre and continue straight ahead to the giant golf ball, better known as the Fountain Stage.

SAMCHULLI LAND

The area to the left of the Fountain Stage features a Korean-style Haunted House, complete with a heart attack inducing active element, a Lotus Fountain, a large picnic area, an amphitheatre with 3000 seats, and the Top Spin ride, which has nine different rotation patterns, most of which involve you hanging out of your seat as gravity battles your safety harness. This ride is not for the fainthearted.

TOMORROW LAND

At the end of Samchulli Land the rides are even more stomach churning. The Flying Carpet ride thankfully keeps you upright as it rotates 360 degrees to a height that had my friend punching me for persuading him to accompany me. Straight ahead, the two roller coasters tower over the park. The first, the blue Double Loop, reaches speeds of 85 km/h as it goes through two long tunnels and the two loops from which the ride takes its name. The Black Hole 2000 and situated to the right en route to Fantasy Land, is the longest in Korea and reaches speeds of 100 km/h. To be honest, neither is anything special and both gave me terrible back and shoulder pains for days afterwards due to my height.

Far better, but alas far shorter in duration, is the X-Drop, which bounces its seated passengers up and down to a height of 52 metres. Nearby, the Sky-X is touted as the best ride in the entire park, although you have to pay another 15000 Won to experience bungee jumping and simulated sky diving. I particularly liked the Sky Flyer ride in front of the second roller coaster, although my friend wasn’t too enamoured with the slower 360 degree loops that had his fingers clutched tightly around the overhead cage. The World Cup ride located a little to the right spins its passengers in varying directions while simultaneously tilting to 90 degrees from the ground.

FANTASY LAND

Child-oriented rides with a large playground keeping the kids happy while adults seek out, or desperately avoid, the spinning Rock & Roll cars, which spin you and a partner remorselessly back and forth in a motion similar to being strapped onto a turning hamster’s wheel. You’ll also find the dodgems here as well as the Para Tower, which replicates a falling parachute after meandering up to a height of thirty metres or so.

ADVENTURE LAND

Located to the right of World Plaza and the Fountain Stage, this small area features Korea’s biggest Pirate Ship and a decent Log Flume ride.

EATING AND DRINKING

There are several Korean and Western restaurants as well as a Lotteria fast food franchise and two branches of Dunkin Donuts.

Wongduan exemplifies all that is best about Seoul. Hidden away below gleaming high rise buildings, this marvel of late Joseon architecture stands unheralded in perfect contrast to it's modern neighbors, including the Japanese built Westin Chosun in the grounds of which it stands.

Built in 1897, Wongduan was the venue for King Gojong's proclamation of the short lived Great Han Empire, and the Emperor subsequently made annual sacrifices to Heaven until the Japanese formally annexed Korea in 1910. Of similar function and shape to it's more famous counterpart at Tiantan, Beijing, Korea's Altar of Heaven is a three tier octagonal structure based on granite foundation stones. The Chinese influence is evident in the cylindrical curves of the roof, though the stone carvings and beautifully decorated wood are most definitely of Korean origin. Surrounded by a trimmed lawn and pine trees, a path leads to the pavilion, enabling visitors to get a closer look at the intricate decoration.

Adjacent to the pavilion, three stone drums stand in splendid isolation. Dating from 1902, when they were built to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Gojong's ascension to the throne, the ornate dragon patterns carved on the bodies are some of the finest examples of late-Joseon sculpture you'll find anywhere in Seoul. One can only lament that the Japanese demolished the rest of the structures in 1913 in order to build the adjoining hotel.

To get to Wongduan, take the subway to City Hall station on line two. Walk towards exit six, but continue straight ahead through the shopping arcade under the Plaza Hotel instead of exiting here. At the end of the arcade, turn left and follow the stairs up to street level. Wongduan is up a further set of stairs behind the artificial waterfall.