Camping in Seoul City (Experience Korean Camping Culture)

Camping in Seoul – What to expect

Our Camping in Seoul City experience is designed to give you an insight into the local camping culture in Korea and its current trends. We will take care of all the logistics to make it as friction-less as possible, while your tour guide will ensure your comfort and convenience.

You’re new local friend will pick you up from your hotel in Seoul, before introducing you to what Korean camping is all about!

Course overview

A big part of Korean camping, and Korean culture in general is all about… you guessed it, food! So we’ll first stop off at a local market to stock up on the essentials and then head over to the camping grounds.

Mangwon Market – a treat for your senses

First stop on this tour will be to the ideal spot to pickup all the ingredients and delicious food we’ll need to make this a truly Korean experience. Your guide will introduce you to the sights and smells and give you some free time to purchase all those bright coloured delicacies that’ll make your taste buds go wild.

Mangwon Market is an authentic and mouth-watering traditional market, popular and frequented by local and domestic visitors rather than international tourists. It’s been around for over 40 years, and is well-known for its own unique feel and specialty dishes.

This market is especially popular with 20-30 year olds who come ready to eat. It’s packed with fruits, vegetables, seafood, manufactured goods, snacks, street food, raw produce and ingredients so you’re bound to find something for everyone’s tastes in the group.

You can find many famous delicacies and unique treats in Mangwon Market including:

• Various kinds of Dakgangjeong – fried chicken covered in sauce and often eaten alongside beer
• Croquettes and donuts
• Tteokgalbi – grilled short rib patties made with minced beef (originally a royal dish)
• Traditional alcohols
• Various snacks
• Hand-made Donkatsu – a breaded and deep-fried pork cutlet
• Hotteok – a sweet filled Korean pancake popular in the winter and colder months

For more idea or if you are unsure about anything, make sure to ask your guide for any recommendations and tips. They will be glad to help give some suggestions for their favourite treats!

Nanji Campground – 1 day camping like a local

Camping in Korea has been a popular pastime hobby and has even become fashionable since the mid to late 2000s. The number of campers in Korea rose sharply from just 600,000 in 2011 to over 5 million in 2016 according to estimates by Statistics Korea.

You may have been surprised to find out that you don’t need to leave Seoul to experience Korea’s unique camping culture. While there are plenty of options to choose from, Nan ji Camping Ground is the most popular option, and perhaps therefore not surprisingly also the largest being able to accommodate up to 2000 people.

Due to this Nanji Campground has been made very comfortable with a large range of facilities available for use including cooking facilities, showers, sinks, restrooms, drinking fountains, grills, picnic benches and convenience shops in case you forgot or run out of any essentials you may need.

Located beside the Han River in West Seoul, it makes for an idyllic place for a camping ground and perfect for BBQs and picnics.

The two main zones include the BBQ zone for cooking and eating and the campfire zone, which is a nice place to warm up and chat with your friends and family.

Your local friend and VIP Travel guide will be able to show you around and introduce you to Korean camping etiquette, culture and how to cook and eat like the locals. Koreans usually eat and drink in rounds. A similar concept to perhaps courses (starters, main and desserts), except for Koreans this usually involves moving around, eating and drinking various and different items.

So are you ready to experience the Korean vibe, go camping in Seoul city and be introduced to the latest trends in camping culture? Then this is the tour for you.