They say the third time’s a charm, and for South Korea that’s proven to be the case, at least in terms of the 2018 Olympic Games.
On July 6, 2011, the International Olympic Committee announced that Pyeongchang, South Korea finally won the bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics, after losing to Canada and Russia the previous two times in a row. (Click here to watch the video of the announcement)
The ROK proudly beat out other top contenders such as Annecy, France and Munich, Germany, and it will be the second time the Olympic Games have been held in Korea since hosting the Summer Olympics in Seoul in 1988.
Pyeongchang is a county located in Gangwon Province in the Northeast of the country about a two-hour car ride east of Seoul.
Though the area is most known for its winter activities such as skiing and snowboarding, it’s also a popular attraction for Koreans year round, particularly for hikers due to the Taebaek Mountain Range, which stretches across both North and South Korea, forming the main ridge of the Korean Peninsular.
It’s also home to cultural sites such as Buddhist temples, snow flower and trout festivals and pristine environmental conditions.
The area has an array of ski resorts, including but not limited to Alpensia, Yongpyongand Phoenix Park. All of which will serve as venues for the Winter Games’ events.
Over the weekend, some friends and I visited the Phoenix Park Ski Resort, where the freestyle skiing and snowboard events are scheduled to take place.
How to get there:
From Dong Seoul Bus Terminal (located across the street Gangbyeon Station, Seoul Subway Station Line 2, Exit #4) take an intercity bus to Jangpyeong (장평). Busses depart every 40 minutes and the total cost is about 11,000 won.
From Jangpyeong Bus Terminal, take the shuttle bus or a taxi to Phoenix Park (about 15 minutes).
*Warning – All photos are property of Tey-Marie Astudillo and may not be republished or copied without permission*
