As the temperatures rise and the sun shines brightly, it’s time to dive into some summer adventures! During this season, escaping the heat and humidity is a priority, and luckily, Korea offers many great ways to get a refreshing break.

So, buckle up and get ready for four unforgettable activities to make your summer truly epic!

VISIT A WATER PARK

Enjoying thrilling water slides and entertaining pools at any of the many water parks is an easy way to cool down. Here are some of best water parks in Korea visit!

*Water parks usually have longer business hours from July to August, but can vary depending on the season.

Ocean World

Located in Vivaldi Park, a popular ski resort in Gangwon-do province, Ocean World allows visitors to enjoy leisure time at a resort amidst the area’s beautiful forests and mountains. This destination is a nice getaway with an excellent hotel. The water park boasts an enchanting Egyptian theme, including replica pyramids and sphinx.

Address: 262, Hanchigol-gil, Hongcheon-gun, Gangwon-do, Naver

Hours: 9 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Ticket: Naver or Trazy

Caribbean Bay

Grab your bathing suit and sunscreen and head to Caribbean Bay inside the Everland theme park complex, which is only a one-hour drive from Camp Humphreys. The incredible park is fantastic for young people and families to enjoy a day trip. It features numerous entertaining attractions and five distinct themed zones, including indoor and outdoor pools, spas, and water rides.

Address: 199 Everland-ro, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, Naver

Hours: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. (7 p.m. on weekends)

Ticket: Naver or Trazy

Spa Valley

Located just 14 minutes away from Camp Walker, this great water park provides a refreshing and fun getaway for those in Daegu during the hot summer. Spa Valley offers a diverse range of attractions along with hot springs and cool pools. Within the same site, visitors can also find Nature Park with a botanical garden and zoo throughout the year.

Address: 891, Gachang-ro, Daegu, Naver

Hours: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Ticket: Naver or on site

Lotte Water Park

Lotte Water Park in Gimhae is widely recognized as the largest water park in Korea. With its Polynesian theme, the park transports visitors to the stunning beaches of the South Pacific. While basking in the exotic atmosphere, visitors can enjoy a wide array of thrilling water attractions.

Address: 555 Jangyu-ro, Gimhae-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, Naver

Hours: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. (6 p.m. on weekends)

Ticket: Naver or on site

JOIN WATER GUN FESTIVALS

Don’t hesitate to embrace your playful side and grab a water gun to defeat the summer heat! Water gun festivals are becoming a trend in Korea, and you’ll see there are many of them scheduled around the country during the summer. Below are some fun water gun festivals you won’t want to miss. While they’re fun, you can get hurt, so make sure to prioritize safety and wear goggles when participating in water gun festivals.

Water Stellar

Everland features a fantastic festival where visitors can play with cool water and shoot water guns in the water wonderland while enjoying spectacular shows! There are also water playgrounds and photo zones, perfect for families with children to have fun and beat the summer heat.

Location: 199 Everland-ro, Pogok-eup, Cheoin-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, Naver

Dates: June 21 to Aug. 25

Ticket: Klook

Summer Water Wars

Seoul Land hosts an annual summer festival with musical shows and water gun fights for a fun time perfect for the whole family. After enjoying the Summer Water Wars to the fullest, it’s time to have the finale of the summer nights at Luna Park for glittering lights and fireworks.

Location: 181 Gwangmyeong-ro, Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Naver

Date:  Through Aug. 27

Ticket: Klook

Waterbomb 2024

Part-water fest, part-music fest, Waterbomb 2024 is a good one to check out this summer. Explore a diverse mix of music like K-pop, hip-hop, and EDM performances and enjoy a refreshing large-scale water bomb battle. Water bomb 2024 is held in nine cities, including Seoul, Jeju, and Daegu, so go to a fest near you!

Location: Seoul, Jeju, Daegu, Busan, Incheon, Daejeon, Sokcho, Suwon and Yeosu

Date: July 5 to Aug. 31

Ticket: Waterbomb

EXPLORE GREAT OUTDOORS

Since summers can be scorching, many flock to the great outdoors for memorable vacations. Whether you’re a beach or mountains person, Korea has many summer vacations spots you’ll love to explore.

Busan

Without a doubt, Busan is an ideal summer getaway with the perfect blend of beautiful beaches, exciting activities, and delicious cuisine. Haeundae and Gwangalli beaches offer visitors great swimming and thrilling water sports, or relaxation on soft sands and clear waters. After sunset, Busan’s nightlife comes to life with its trendy restaurants, bars, and clubs.

Sokcho

Sokcho is one of the best east coast vacation spots, especially for lovers of the great outdoors. The blue East Sea and Seoraksan Mountain are what draw visitors, but the area’s resorts, beaches and delicious seafood will make you a repeat visitor. If you like surfing, Yangyang Surfyy Beach nearby is a popular spot to catch a wave.

Gapyeong

Gapyeong is famous for its abundant natural beauty, offering clear waters flowing from mountain streams. It’s an absolute beloved destination among young people to enjoy water activities and waterfall diving. Also, the various facilities nearby make Gapyeong as a great spot for camping and glamping.

Boryeong

Boryeong is a well-known destination on the west coast and is particularly famous for the annual Mud Festival held at Daecheon Beach. As one of Korea’s leading festivals, the Mud Festival is not only popular among Koreans but also attracts foreigners to enjoy various mud activities, rides, and performances. Moreover, the beach offers various amenities, leisure facilities, cafes, and restaurants, perfect for quality time with friends and family.

Boryeong Mud Festival: July 19 – Aug. 4

ENJOY SPOOKY HAUNTED HOUSES

In Korea, summer is spooky season. Horror-themed events are meant to provide chills and scare away the summer heat.

Lumina Horror Night

Gyeongju Expo Grand Park hosts the longest outdoor horror experience program in Korea, lasting over 40 minutes. This program is famous for its thrilling experience. Participants must pass through 14 points while navigating the lair of evil spirits in the mountain at night. The dark and spooky forest makes it unpredictable when ghosts might pop out, and participants are allowed to scream as much as they want since it’s an outdoor program. At the entrance, there’s a horror photo zone, horror blood drinks, face painting, and tarot reading. Ticket is available on site at Gyeongju Expo Park.

Address: 130 Cheongun-dong Gyeongju-si Gyeongsangbuk-do (Gyeongju Expo Grand Park)

Date: Aug. 1 – 31

Hours: 8 p.m. - 11 p.m.

Ticket: 10,000 won (50% discount for Gyeongju Expo Park visitors)

Website

Haunted Prison in Joseon Dynasty

If you want to see Korean-style ghosts, then you should visit the Korean Folk Village this season! The Folk Village runs two traditional haunted houses where visitors can experience true Korean-style horror and the atmosphere from “Kingdom,” a famous Netflix show. You can encounter various Korean-style ghosts and enjoy spooky ambiance, especially during the outdoor experience held in the dark of night. You can make reservations on Naver or purchase tickets on-site. It is recommended to book in advance as on-site ticket availability may be limited.

Address: 90 Folkchon-ro, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, Naver

Date: Through Nov. 10

Hours: 1:30 – 9:30 (Fri. to Sun.)

Ticket: 13,000 won (Naver or advance booking on site)

Ghost Park Awake

The Ghost Park is held at the Hapcheon Film Theme Park, where various movies and dramas are filmed. This spooky ghost park offers various horror attractions where visitors can encounter scary zombies while completing missions. Visitors can also enjoy horror events, performances, booths and flea markets.

Address: 256-5 Gaho-ri Yongju-myeon Gyeongsangnam-do (Hapcheon Film Theme Park)

Date: July 29 to Aug. 18

Hours: 6 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.

Ticket: 21,000 won (online) / 30,000 won (on-site)

Website (Only Korean)

SPEAKIN’ KOREAN

-Summer: Yeoreum (여름)

-Vacation: Hyuga (휴가) / Banghak(방학)

-Sea/Ocean/Beach: Bada (바다)

-Beach: Haebyeon (해변)

-Mountain stream: Gyegok (계곡)

-Swimming: Suyeong (수영)

-Watermelon: Subak (수박)

-Hot (temperature): Ddeugeowo-yo (뜨거워요)

-Hot (weather): Deowo-yo (더워요)

-Cool: Siwon-haeyo (시원해요)

-When are you going on summer vacation?:

Eonje yeoreum hyuga-gayo? (언제 여름 휴가 가요?)

-I like summer:

Jeoneun yeoreum-ee joa-yo (저는 여름이 좋아요)

-It’s very hot today:

Oneul neomu deowo-yo (오늘 너무 더워요)

-I don’t like hot weather!:

Jeoneun deoun-ge sireo-yo! (저는 더운게 싫어요!)

-I need something cool:

Siwonhan-ge pilyo-haeyo (시원한게 필요해요)

Fleet Chinhae

USAG Daegu

Camp Casey

USAG Yongsan

Camp Humphreys

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