Passeios por Suwon Hwaseong Fortress

Sean Kim was a great guide! He took us all over to some really beautiful sites in Korea. My personal favorite was the Suwon Fortress and the story he told behind it. Apparently Korean history can be much like their dramas! Loved the tour and would be happy to have Sean Kim as our guide again.

We participated as a group of three this time. The meeting point was Exit 10 of Myeongdong Station. As it was our first trip to Korea, I was a little anxious, wondering, "Is this really the right place?" However, our guide, Dragon, called out my name, and we were able to meet up immediately. Dragon was very pleasant and spoke Japanese exceptionally well, so we felt at ease joining the tour from the moment we met him. On the day of the tour, due to a demonstration, the surrounding roads were heavily congested, so we walked a short distance from the meeting point. There, a large black van was waiting for us. We were then informed, "Today will be a private tour just for you all," which made for an unexpectedly special start. During the journey, Dragon meticulously explained the history of Korea and Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, making the approximately one-hour travel time fly by. It was a very enjoyable and meaningful time. Upon arriving at Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, a classical concert was being held, and it was bustling with many people. He guided us through places where kings used to live, explaining everything so clearly that even I, who am not particularly fond of history, found it interesting, making the tour increasingly enjoyable. Furthermore, one of my companions had hurt their leg, and when we mentioned it, they made thoughtful arrangements, such as changing the original walking-only course to include car travel. They also took wonderful photos, capturing many shots at scenic spots, which created very fond memories. The driver also drove carefully and reassuringly, making our journey comfortable. Dragon and the driver, thank you very much for such an enjoyable time. This is my personal impression, but this tour was outstanding in every aspect: the guide, the content, the service, and the attentiveness. It was a particularly memorable experience during this trip to Korea. For anyone planning a trip to Korea, I highly recommend experiencing this tour at least once.

Hwadamsup 🌸 ve Çilek Toplama 🍓 ✨'da harika bir deneyim yaşadım. Hwadamsup'ta tepeye yürümek biraz yorucuydu ama güzel çiçekler ve huzurlu çevre her şeye değdi — gerçekten gezinin en güzel anıydı. Çarpıcı manzaraların tadını çıkarmak için yukarı yürüdük, sonra sadece deneyim için teleferikle geri indik 🚡 Oğlum da çilek toplarken çok mutluydu 🍓🥰 Tur rehberimiz Alvin'e çok teşekkürler — iki dilli ve Çince, İngilizce ve Korece'yi çok iyi konuşuyor! Çok bilgilendiriciydi ve tüm turu daha da keyifli hale getirdi. Ayrıca, güler yüzlü şoförümüze de teşekkürler, sıcaklığınız ve oğlumu tatlı küçük bir hediye ile gülümsettiğiniz için minnettarım 🫰 Seul'ü ziyaret etmeyi planlayan herkese bu geziyi şiddetle tavsiye ederim 🇰🇷💖

The car for this trip was very punctual. The driver, an older gentleman, messaged us via Kakao, sending a picture of the car and telling us where to meet and at what time. It was excellent! We woke up early, ready to go (it was very cold, rainy, and windy, but we went anyway). When the driver arrived, he invited us to sit and said, "Good morning! Where are you all from?" We replied, "Thailand," and he joked, "Thailand, and then Taipei. Today, I'll be picking up two more people from Taipei." After that, we departed from Hongdae to Myeongdong. Once everyone was picked up, we headed straight to Suwon as planned. Our first stop was the Starfield Library. I don't know how the driver managed, but I fell asleep as soon as the car started, which means he must have been driving well. We arrived before the mall opened. While waiting for it to open, the driver told us, "It's on the 4th floor, go right up." And the next stop was "Whole Chicken Street" (I was so confused, blaming the app for a bad translation). We went to eat fried chicken! We ordered two plates: one regular fried and one with Korean sauce. It was only then that I realized "whole chicken" literally meant a whole chicken! It was one chicken, but prepared in two styles. We ate, a bit confused, but there was so much that we had to take some home. The next place was a palace; I can't remember its name. The restrooms were amazing; they let us into the palace just to use the restroom. It was cold, but we went into the palace for a bit, paying an entrance fee (I don't remember how much). We ended the trip at Seonjae, which was easy to find as the driver gave us directions. The driver was excellent, acting as both driver and guide, making this trip truly impressive. And that's the end of it!

I think this is the best tour I have had so far in this trip. If you book, ask for Minnie. She’s really knowledgeable and informative; you’ll learn a lot about the history of Suwon and South Korea. I definitely recommend Minnie! :)

Acabamos de regresar a nuestro hotel de este increíble viaje. Disfrutamos mucho del viaje. Todo estuvo a tiempo y perfectamente organizado. Philip fue un gran guía turístico, compartió historias, experiencias y nos tomó algunas fotos geniales. Este fue un viaje en grupo pequeño, así que fue agradable conocer a otras personas de otros países. (A otros compañeros de viaje, por favor, respeten el tiempo que su guía les aconseja para que el viaje funcione lo mejor posible. Hoy pensamos que nuestro guía se estaba metiendo en problemas con la policía por esperar a nuestro grupo. ¡¡¡Gracias por todo, Philip!!!!

It is a great one-day itinerary if you are short on time and want to complete a lot of things in one day like myself. The tour guide shared in-depth knowledge about the past of South Korea, which contributed a lot to my understanding. It is always good to know about the history of a place to better understand its present and relate to it. Glad I made it on the tour. The ride was very comfortable. The martial arts and folk dance were amazing. I wish to go back and visit Suwon at my own pace someday in the future.

It was such a pleasant trip! Everything was on time and met the schedule well. Our guide June was not only directing us to the destinations but also delivering good storytelling about Korea's history. It really feels like an amazing experiential learning. She was also regularly checking the participants' condition since the weather was very hot. Overall the tour was satisfying and worth the price. Thank you!