As a tourist in southern South Korea, you are a stranger in a strange land. This area does not receive many foreign visitors. You will make no end of faux pas. People may comment on the size of your nose, the redness of your sunburned skin. Children stare. When you go into a restaurant, you may have the distinct feeling the staff wish you would turn around and leave, because they know you won't be able to read the menu or eat the food correctly. But you will also enjoy that sense of adventure and accomplishment when you stumble on a busy restaurant, manage to order, and then eat one of the finest meals of your life. And if you like to drink late into the evening, you will inevitably encounter a drunk professor or engineer who speaks some English and has a daughter studying in Australia, who will buy you beers despite your protestations. You will feel privileged to hike lovely hills and take in seaside views that few other foreigners have seen. You will lament that your own country fails to organize a transportation system even half as inexpensive and efficient as that in South Korea. And you will fervently wish that every country had 35$ motel rooms replete with high-speed internet, plasma screen TV, minifridge, free drinks, and private bath.
Fukuoka to Busan - Fly to Fukuoka on Skymark, and jump on the subway (the airport is the metro line terminus) for the brief ride to Hakata Station. If you arrive in the evening, stay in one of the business hotels within 5 minutes walk of the station. We went to Toyoko Inn (8600Y a double) this time, which boasts a nicer colour scheme than most business hotels, and a tasty Japanese all-you-can-eat breakfast of onigiri, miso, and burdock salad. The Green Hotel is cheaper, but no breakfast. In the morning, take the bus from the bus stop right across the street from Hakata station to the International Ferry Terminal (correct line for the bus clearly signmarked in English). The bus stops right in front of the terminal. Carry small change for the bus.
The JR Beetle is a high-speed hydrofoil to Busan - a fantastic idea. http://www.jrbeetle.co.jp/english/ We made advance reservations online (you have to create a login and password to do this) but you can buy tickets at the counter too. The ticket is 130,000Y each way normal price, but if you go on weekdays less than 7 days apart it is 100,000Y each way. On a weekday, the ferry was half empty. You also have to buy a terminal useage ticket for 500Y. There is a bit of paperwork for the Japanese and Korean immigration/customs, and you definitely must have your leave paperwork and ID card. The ferry of course leaves on time, arrives on time, and is a beautifully smooth ride. You keep your luggage with you on a rack above your head. You cannot leave the cabin during the ride. You can buy beer, beverages, and snacks in the terminal and on board. Asahi Super Dry is just 150Y a can, so almost everyone had one.
On arrival in Korea, you clear immigration (where everyone gets their temperature checked) and customs, get some Won at the global ATM, and make your way our of the terminal compound onto the street. From there it is just two blocks west (ie away from the water) to Jung-angno street and the subway station. From there, you can get almost anywhere in Busan, but we were headed for the express bus terminal. The ATM gives you 10,000W notes (about 8$) but you need 1000W notes to buy a subway ticket. So, head to the center of the subway station to the change machine and get some small bills. The, right next to it is the ticket machine. You have to know your line number (Line 1 goes to the bus terminal) and then select your destination (for us, the North end of the line Nopodong). The fare was about 1500W. The train takes about 30min, and the subway station is contiguous with the bus terminal. There are various food shops, including international chains and family-owned Korean joints, in the station/terminal. The destinations are written in English over the appropriate ticket booth, and when the bus is about to leave a sales clerk appears at the window and the price appears. It was 4000W to Gyeong-ju, a 1 hour ride. The bus was tidy, left on time, and trundled along at a remarkable speed.
GYEONG-JU is a town that grows on you as you explore it. The ancient capital of the Shilla empire, it is billed as the museum without walls. The bus pulls in at the western end of downtown. There is a tourist info kiosk right there, with helpful ladies who speak English, provide a city map, and can write a note for you that says "May we stay another night?" and/or "May we see the room?" or some other useful phrase. Seriously, these are the most professional tourist desk ladies we have ever enc
ountered. While there, pick up the handy Yangdong Folk Village handbook.
ountered. While there, pick up the handy Yangdong Folk Village handbook. ACCOMMODATIONS Just north of the express bus station (on the way to the intercity bus terminal) there are a couple of newish-looking love motels, including one with the slogan "Love&Joy&Fun." We decided to go a bit further east, into town, and stumbled on the delightful NMotel(N for Noblesse), which sits on the upper-west corner of the Noseo-dong Tumuli Park area. For 40,000W weeknights/50,000W weekends, you get a large room, double bed, flat screen TV, computer with Internet access, air-con, water machine, minifridge, jacuzzi bath and shower, electric toilet, toiletries, and tea/coffee/drinks. Very comfortable, and very quiet, with a lovely view of the Tumuli. The Korean love motel has to be one of the best accommodation values ever. You pay 
in advance at the window - no names, no forms, no ID required at all. Each evening we showed our note paper (Can we stay another night?) and handed over the money. In the morning, we turned in our key so they would know we were out and clean the room. Otherwise, we kept the key with us. The man in the box downstairs is sometimes not there in the morning, so you can just leave your key in the basket out front if you are checking out. There is no laundry service in these hotels, and no laundromats in Korea, so we just did our dirty clothes each night in the tub/sink and hung them up on a line (which we brought with us) overnight. Between the aircon and the warm spring 
temperatures, they were dry by morning. There are hostels and tourist hotels in town as well, but why would you spend the same or more money for a room not nearly as nice?
in advance at the window - no names, no forms, no ID required at all. Each evening we showed our note paper (Can we stay another night?) and handed over the money. In the morning, we turned in our key so they would know we were out and clean the room. Otherwise, we kept the key with us. The man in the box downstairs is sometimes not there in the morning, so you can just leave your key in the basket out front if you are checking out. There is no laundry service in these hotels, and no laundromats in Korea, so we just did our dirty clothes each night in the tub/sink and hung them up on a line (which we brought with us) overnight. Between the aircon and the warm spring 
temperatures, they were dry by morning. There are hostels and tourist hotels in town as well, but why would you spend the same or more money for a room not nearly as nice? FOOD Many Korean restaurants specialize in one particular item, which is fantastic for the adventurous eater. We had duk (porridge) at a shop on the west side of Boseongno street, between Wonhyoro and Dongseongno streets. The beef and mushroom was quite tasty, similar to risotto, and came with three different side dishes (7000W). We recommend against 
the walnut duk unless you are looking for a gruel-like bland breakfast. We had a two delightful noodle dishes (4000Y each) at a place on an alleyway off of the main shopping drag that extends off of Gyerimno street as it travels north of Tumuli park. Turning left at the Benneton, you head down the alley and the shop is on the south side of the street. One was a chilled noodle with lots of veggies and spicy bean paste, which you mix all together and enjoy. The other was noodle soup with fish cakes, with a good-to-the-last-drop broth. The alleyway just south of there has a mandoo (dumpling) shop where you can 
get amazing steamed, fried, or watery dumplings for 3000-3500W a plate, and various mandoo and/or rice cake soups for 4000-5000W. We enjoyed Jjim duk at a little place on the south side of Wonhyoro street, just east of Noseodong park. For 15000W, you get a huge serving of Andong-style spicy soy-based stew filled with chicken bits (boned costs more, so
for 12000W you can get unboned chicken), glass noodles, and veggies. You can order rice to mop up the juices, but we didn't have any room left in our bellies. You get a small blue dish for the refuse ie bones and skin. We tried a bit of street food across the street from Gyeong-ju station, including yummy barley dumplings stuffed with bean paste (1000W for 3) from a lady on the north corner, and fishcake on a stick and mandoo (4000W total) from a lady on the south side. We cannot recommend the westernish cuisine at Cookand Bistro, which is on one of the alleyways in the downtown shopping district. We had two rather unfortunate oversweetened dishes (9000W each) and were a bit suprised at the popularity of the place. We also 
must advise against ssambap, or at least the ssambap place at the southwestern corner of Tumuli park with a picture of a friendly-looking older Korean couple on the sign. Ssambap is supposed to be numerous side dishes which can be wrapped in lettuce leaves. We eat almost anything, but there were multiple dishes we could not stomach, including raw fermented/pickled fish, rehydrated dried&salted fish, fermented fish and tofu soup, pickled eggs, jellied brown stuff, kimchi'd large leaves, and super-spicy chewy raw fish. We made a small meal out of the rest of it, but were sad to part with our 9000W and disappointed that the LP and Moon guides so highly recommended the experience. It should also be noted the marking on the LP and city maps of Ssambap restaurants does not seem to be in the right place.
the walnut duk unless you are looking for a gruel-like bland breakfast. We had a two delightful noodle dishes (4000Y each) at a place on an alleyway off of the main shopping drag that extends off of Gyerimno street as it travels north of Tumuli park. Turning left at the Benneton, you head down the alley and the shop is on the south side of the street. One was a chilled noodle with lots of veggies and spicy bean paste, which you mix all together and enjoy. The other was noodle soup with fish cakes, with a good-to-the-last-drop broth. The alleyway just south of there has a mandoo (dumpling) shop where you can 
get amazing steamed, fried, or watery dumplings for 3000-3500W a plate, and various mandoo and/or rice cake soups for 4000-5000W. We enjoyed Jjim duk at a little place on the south side of Wonhyoro street, just east of Noseodong park. For 15000W, you get a huge serving of Andong-style spicy soy-based stew filled with chicken bits (boned costs more, so
for 12000W you can get unboned chicken), glass noodles, and veggies. You can order rice to mop up the juices, but we didn't have any room left in our bellies. You get a small blue dish for the refuse ie bones and skin. We tried a bit of street food across the street from Gyeong-ju station, including yummy barley dumplings stuffed with bean paste (1000W for 3) from a lady on the north corner, and fishcake on a stick and mandoo (4000W total) from a lady on the south side. We cannot recommend the westernish cuisine at Cookand Bistro, which is on one of the alleyways in the downtown shopping district. We had two rather unfortunate oversweetened dishes (9000W each) and were a bit suprised at the popularity of the place. We also 
must advise against ssambap, or at least the ssambap place at the southwestern corner of Tumuli park with a picture of a friendly-looking older Korean couple on the sign. Ssambap is supposed to be numerous side dishes which can be wrapped in lettuce leaves. We eat almost anything, but there were multiple dishes we could not stomach, including raw fermented/pickled fish, rehydrated dried&salted fish, fermented fish and tofu soup, pickled eggs, jellied brown stuff, kimchi'd large leaves, and super-spicy chewy raw fish. We made a small meal out of the rest of it, but were sad to part with our 9000W and disappointed that the LP and Moon guides so highly recommended the experience. It should also be noted the marking on the LP and city maps of Ssambap restaurants does not seem to be in the right place. 
WHAT TO DO Walking around town is quite rewarding - Noseodong's Tumuli park (free) and the larger walled Tumuli park compound (1000W) are both lovely. The Jungang market is alive, interesting, and has a plethora of inexpensive food options. One morning, we took the 10 bus for 1000W (caught on Seoseongno street heading south) to Bunhwangsa temple (boasting a pagoda from the 600s AD), and visited there, Hwangyongsa (foundation of a Silla palace), Anapji pond (Silla pleasure lake area), Wolsung forest, Gyerim forest, and the Cheomseongdae observatory in succession. Admissions
are either free, 500W, or 1000W. Another morning we took the 11 bus for 1500W to the museum (admission 1000W), which holds all the Silla artifacts excavated from temples, palaces, and tombs locally. We took the 11 bus down to Bulguksa Temple (4000W), which was ridiculously crowded with middle school children on school trips, but still worthwhile. At 20 past the hour, a bus leaves across the street from the temple parking lot and heads to the Seokguram grotto, 20 minutes up the hill. There is a 20min walk from the parking lot to the grotto (admission 4000W), which houses a beautiful stone Buddha sculpture and is considered a high 
point in Sill artistry. The bus returns down the hill on the hour (ie, about an hour after you arrive at the grotto.) A 2.2km wooded trail connects the two sites as well. Koreans seem to enjoy the steep uphill hike, but we did it downhill and were plenty tired as a result. We spent another rewarding day exploring Yangdong village. You take a 200 series bus (200-208, 212, 217) from across the street from the bus station or from Seoseongno street about 40min north and get off at the sign for the village turnoff - remember to 
mention to the bus driver where you are headed so he will stop appropriately. Then walk about 2km by the railroad tracks (there is a track beside and below them), go under the bridge, then veer left heading towards the elementary school. Walk a bit further and you have arrived. Use the handbook to guide your walk around the village - it is large and hilly, and there is a lot to see. We are usually suspicious of "folk villages" but this is an extraordinary place. Regular Korean people live here as they would in any other farming village, except that they live in beautiful traditional homes. There are trappings of modern life like air condi
tioners, satellite TV dishes, and mechanized farming equipment, which is exactly as it should be for a functional community. There are two spots in town for refreshment, as far as we could tell - both visible from the main road. We had a persimmon-cinnamon-ginger tea at the place with two outside umbrella tables (2000W each). There was also a ssambap-type restaurant which was crowded with the camera crew that had been on site filming a bunch of singing and dancing children.
mention to the bus driver where you are headed so he will stop appropriately. Then walk about 2km by the railroad tracks (there is a track beside and below them), go under the bridge, then veer left heading towards the elementary school. Walk a bit further and you have arrived. Use the handbook to guide your walk around the village - it is large and hilly, and there is a lot to see. We are usually suspicious of "folk villages" but this is an extraordinary place. Regular Korean people live here as they would in any other farming village, except that they live in beautiful traditional homes. There are trappings of modern life like air condi
tioners, satellite TV dishes, and mechanized farming equipment, which is exactly as it should be for a functional community. There are two spots in town for refreshment, as far as we could tell - both visible from the main road. We had a persimmon-cinnamon-ginger tea at the place with two outside umbrella tables (2000W each). There was also a ssambap-type restaurant which was crowded with the camera crew that had been on site filming a bunch of singing and dancing children. JINJU - We hopped on a bus to 1.5 
hr bus ride to Jinju, with a plan to stay overnight there and then take the bus to Tongyeong. Jinju is a pleasant work-a-day city that straddles a river. Unfortunately the bus station is distant from the downtown centre - best to hop a cab, but one can walk along the river (keep heading west on the south bank of the river until the main bridge, approx 1.5km, then cross the river and the love hotels will be immediately on the right). The LP suggests the Versace, but we ended up at You motel, which was totally acceptable. No computer, but a balcony and view over the river, and a la
rge tub (4000W). The love hotel zone is just west of the bus station, and just east of the main drag shopping area. It is a pleasant walk past the riverside eel restaurants to the Jinju fortress, a worthwhile attraction (1000W). We spent hours checking out the fortress wall, temples, and views. But the cafe in the park is a rip off. One of out best meals of the trip was dinner in Jinju - we wandered the streets heading north from the hotel until we were at the foot of a huge Lotte residential tower complex (within stone's throw of a large church) and stumbled on a small restaurant with a picture of rice in a dolshot (stone bowl). Turned out, this was ssambap, but a delightful version. For 700W, we got a ridiculous amount of food that included 3 different kinds of fish, a crab t
ofu stew, and countless 
veggie dishes.
hr bus ride to Jinju, with a plan to stay overnight there and then take the bus to Tongyeong. Jinju is a pleasant work-a-day city that straddles a river. Unfortunately the bus station is distant from the downtown centre - best to hop a cab, but one can walk along the river (keep heading west on the south bank of the river until the main bridge, approx 1.5km, then cross the river and the love hotels will be immediately on the right). The LP suggests the Versace, but we ended up at You motel, which was totally acceptable. No computer, but a balcony and view over the river, and a la
rge tub (4000W). The love hotel zone is just west of the bus station, and just east of the main drag shopping area. It is a pleasant walk past the riverside eel restaurants to the Jinju fortress, a worthwhile attraction (1000W). We spent hours checking out the fortress wall, temples, and views. But the cafe in the park is a rip off. One of out best meals of the trip was dinner in Jinju - we wandered the streets heading north from the hotel until we were at the foot of a huge Lotte residential tower complex (within stone's throw of a large church) and stumbled on a small restaurant with a picture of rice in a dolshot (stone bowl). Turned out, this was ssambap, but a delightful version. For 700W, we got a ridiculous amount of food that included 3 different kinds of fish, a crab t
ofu stew, and countless 
veggie dishes.
