Korea Rural Tourism: Eco-travel Spots 1 : Soomy Land & Sanmeoru Farm

 

Do you wondering how some food/plant is grown and how them being produced? We suggest a series of Eco/Farm village tours if you are bored about the regular tourist spots in South Korea. A farm village tour that explores how food is grown and how animals are raised is an ideal way for city children to understand and connect with where their food comes from. On top of that, you and your family could experiences the so-called natural views and eco-theme experiences in these Korean villages. Thanks for the Korea Rural Tourism Supporter program and
OK, now lets go thru to our first trip destination – Soomy Land (수미마을) #Soomymauel at Yeongpyeong, Gyeonggi-Do. Mmm…I guess everyone know where is Seoul located, right? But where is Yeongpyeong…please take a look on the map that I screenshot from Google Map. Yeongpyeong is only 1.5 hours away from Seoul Station via public transportations.

This is my first join eco-farm village experiences and look forward for it. Anyway, let make give you some brief experience program which you can find it out in Soomy Land. There are different program in each seasons, for instances, for spring season, you can experiences the strawberry festival (7 Feb-31 May), catfish festival on summer season, and so on. But this time, we were invited to join 3 major programs – Making red-bean steamed buns, harvest the sweet potatoes and 4 by 4 truck riding. Of course, you can try other programs based on the Soomy Land 1 day set packages, its cost start from 15000 won to 30000 won. By the way, please make your reservation in advance this following website, http://summerfestival.kr/reserve/sub01.php.

Okay, now let me show you how to get from Seoul Station to Soomy Land easily by public transport. To make it easier on yourself, and wish to save time in your trip, of course you can call a taxi, but it is too pricey and it costs you at least 60000 won. So, the taxi is not recommended. First, take line 4 to Dongdaemun History & Culture Park Station, and then transit to line 2 and continue your subway journey to Gangbyeon Station, get off to exit 3 and then go through to Dong-Seoul Bus Terminal, but your bus ticket to Gwangtan bus station, 광탄정류소, (7100 Won) and about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Get off from your bus, and then change to another bus, no.200 to Soomy bus station, 수미뜰. Finally walk about 162m then you will arrive to Soomy Land.

Now, we are at our first destination, the Soomy Land.
The first thing we have to do is making the red bean steam buns.

The ingredients all prepared by the host before we arrived, and we don’t need to knead the dough.

But, we have to put the red bean inside the buns, and put in the steamer. Last step, wait for 20 mins until the buns is cooked. I have to admit that the ugly buns was made by me, if you wanna laugh me, kindly please leave your comments.

The Soomy village’s river.

Everyone please choose your own sickle, and its time to harvest your sweet potatoes. Btw, you can take the sweet potatoes to your home, but don’t eat them yet after 1 week later as the Ajumma (Korean Aunty) said so. According what she told us, the sweet potatoes are tasteless right after you harvest it. So, wait ~ wait ~.

‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

After you experience some farm activities, you must be hungry and now you can enjoy your lunch meal at Soomy canteen. It is in all-you-can-eat buffet style, and please just don’t waste the food. Today main menu is Korean stir-fried pork, and the Banchan (side dishes) with spicy catfish soup. I like those food because it seems so organic and healthy, and it also helps on your diet program.

Okay, now let us move to another destinations – Sammeoru Farm, a wild grape farm and winery.
How to get there?

• Take Kyeongyi-Jungan Line from Seoul Station to Munsan Station, 1 hour and 12 mins – 2050 Won
• In order to save your travel time, I strongly recommend you to take taxi from Munsan Station and direct to Sammeory Farm.

For more transportation details and you know Korean, the map services by naver and daum are recommended.
Please download it at following links,
Daum Map
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.daum.android.map&hl=en (android)
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/da-eum-jido-gilchajgi-jihacheol/id304608425?mt=8 (ios)

Naver Map
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nhn.android.nmap&hl=en (android)
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/neibeo-jido-naver-map/id311867728?mt=8 (ios)
By the way, please make the reservation at their official website first, http://www.seowoosuk.com/
What kind of programs you can try at this Sanmeoru wild grape farm?

1. Winery Tour and making your own wild grape wine

• Grape-taste Soap making + Grape Chocolate making + Grape Jam making
  ** MENTION: Foreigner tourists are only able to join the grape jam making program.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Finally, we also have the chance to try their wine products, and be honestly I am not a drinker but their wine products are really tasty and quite sweet and sour. I guess the lady prefer this kind of wine taste.

Both farm tours which mentioned above are some sort of different culture tour if compared with the Korean tour that you travelled before. So, come and join these kinds of tours. Travel like as locals, and experience like as locals.

#경기도
#수미마을
#산머루농원

#KoreaRuralTourism     #Gyeonggi       #Farming       #Welchon       #Soomy     #Sanmeoru     #Paju      #Yangpyeong



Posted by Lee Yen Lih https://yioplip.wordpress.com/2015/09/22/eco-travel-spots-1-soomy-land-sanmeoru-farm/