Embracing the Autumn Gust - Day Trip to Pocheon Art Valley and Herb Island 포천 아트밸리 허브 아일랜드 당일치기

September marked the starting of autumn seasons, the landscape silently explodes with vibrant colours of red, yellow, and orange. The leaves begin to drop off the trees, provides picturesque images, before the temperatures bein to drop, nights get longer and all the crittees storing up for the long winter, why not having an escapade? 

Few weeks ago we went to Pocheon, It’s located about an hour and a half from Seoul This little town had Pocheon Art Valley and Herb Island as their mostly visited place.  

Transportation :

From Uijeongbu Station at line 1 exit 6 take bus number 137, or 138 until Gichi-2ri Sinbokmyeon Samusu Station (기치2리 신복면 사무소)  from here you can choose either take bus number 87-1 or 87-2, walking arounds 20minutes or using taxi for around 5000 won.

From art valley to herb island, from Gichi-2ri Sinbokmyeon Samusu Station (기치2리 신복면 사무소)  take bus number 61 to Samjeong-2ri (삼정2리)and walk for 10 minutes to herb island.

Itinerary

Pocheon Art Valley포천아트밸리

Pocheon Art Valley was once an old stone quarry.  This quarry was abandoned back in the mid 1990’s until October 2009 when the Art Valley opened to the public transformed into a beautiful art park with various sculptures, a performance stage, lookouts, and of course the crystal clear lake in the center of the pit with enormous cliffs that drop off into the lake.

From the parking lot you have two options to get to the main park.  Using the monorail or just walk up the hill.  The hill is a little steep but it’s still good enough to hike it will takes about 15 - 10 minutes to the top.  Once at the top of the hill you choose either enter the space astronomical science museum which comprise the exhibition hall for space, cutting edge 4D video room, and astronomical observation room that offers constellation reading or  walk to the quarry pit which is filled with crystal clear water.

Stepping down and climb another hill to see the wishing papers and another panoramic view of the park. From the back side near the wishing garden to go down you must overcome the two spiral staircases it’s fun but it’s kind of terrible for the acrophobias

when you reach at the bottom theres cafe which serve milk, yogurt and cheese. we didnt try it at that time because it almost 1 o'clock and we want lunch rather than bingsu or milk >.<

Address: 234, Artvalley-ro, Sinbuk-myeon, Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do

   경기도 포천시 신북면 아트밸리로 234 (신북면)

Admission: adult 5000; childrens, seniors, disabled person 1500

Operational hours: weekdays :10.00am-18.00pm until 10.00pm in weekends                 

Reservation: http://www.artvalley.or.kr/art9/index.do

Ssambab Restaurant 내가 키운 쌈밥

From art valley we walked around 5 minutes to this restaurant, we actually realize about it when we were on our way to art valley. From the local's information this is the only the nearest resto other than the korean resto at the art valley. Ssam means wrap and bab means rice so it literally means wrapped rice. You can eat it with lettuce and another leafy things with meat and of course ssamjang or fermented soybean based paste. They only serve one ssambab here, its 10.000 for one person for unlimited sidedish and green leaf

Address: Artvalleyro-200, Sinbuk-myeon, Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea

              경기도 포천시 신북면 아트밸리로 200

Herb Island 허브아일랜드

The friendly worker will greeted as soon as you see the hill on the way to the herb island, here is where you need to pay the entrance ticket. Immediately when you reach at the venezian island various herb scents will welcomes you. This is a great place to take all sorts of pictures. There were a lot of shops here and most of the products are made using herbs from soap, candle, tea, lotion, parfume even bread and cookies too.

Herb island also has a library, aromatherapy room, the biggest herbal museum in korea with more than 340 kinds of herbs, and formal restaurant too. Make sure you have enough time to explore the whole site here.

You can also check their site for various activities like soap, cosmetics, making phone case,or  wine.

Address: 35, Cheongsin-ro 947beon-gil, Sinbuk-myeon, Pocheon-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea

                   경기도 포천시 신북면 청신로 947번길 35

Admission: adult 6000; childrens, seniors, disabled person 4000, click here for disc coupons until 2017

Operational hours: weekdays :10.00am-10.00pm until 11.00pm in weekends          

Reservation: http://herbisland.co.kr/herbisland/index_en.php

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