The South Korean government announced that visitors to the country wouldn't be required to undergo PCR tests upon arrival. With this, South Korea will no longer have travel-related Covid-19 restrictions, as the authorities had earlier lifted pre-arrival PCR tests and mandatory quarantine for tourists. In light of this news, we have compiled this list of five places to inspire an eco-friendly sojourn in Seoul.
Seoul Forest
An artificial eco-friendly area, the Seoul Forest is one of the most beautiful spaces in Seoul, with over 400,000 trees and 100 different animals. Once a royal hunting forest, the area became Seoul's first water purification plant in 1908, later used for both racecourse and golf facilities. Comprising five parks, namely Culture and Arts Park, Eco Forest, Experiential Learning Park, Marsh Plants Garden and Hangang Riverside Park, the Seoul Forest serves as a nice break from all the hustle and bustle of the city centre.
Location 273, Ttukseom-ro, Seongdong-gu
Cheonggyecheon Stream
This enormous urban revival project is on the site of a creek in downtown Seoul that flowed before the rapid post-war economic growth, which forced it to be wrapped by transportation infrastructure. Opened to the public in September 2005, the stream was hailed as a significant success in urban renewal and beautification. Species of fish, birds, and insects have increased significantly as a result of the stream excavation. Most interestingly, the stream helps to cool down the temperature in the nearby areas by 3.6-degree celsius on average versus other parts of Seoul.
Location Changsin-dong, Jung-gu
City Hall Green Wall
This eco-friendly building gets its energy from solar, thermal, geothermal and photovoltaic sources. The most exciting part is that the City Hall Green Wall is a vertical garden that climbs from the first to the seventh floor. With that, it became the most extensive vertical garden in the world, according to the Guinness World Records. The park has over 70,000 plants of 14 different species.
Location 110 Sejong-daero, Jung-gu
Pureun Arboretum
Seoul's first Arboretum (a garden devoted to trees), the Pureun Arboretum has 25 different theme zones. The site guards and conserves the variety of plant species. It also hosts many educational and eco-friendly programs, such as gardening. For those who like peace and calm, the place also has a small book café.
Location 240 Yeondong-ro, Guro-gu
Jarak-gil Trail (Ansan Mountain)
Located at the foot of Ansan Mountain, this location features observatories and seasonal events. It has several access points along the way. That makes it more exciting for those desiring to trek. Tourists would have to spend around 150 minutes there to walk the entire trail. Also, they can go to many tourist attractions from there, depending on where they exit.
Location 75-66 Bongwonsa-gil, Bongwon-dong
