South Koreans embrace camping with perks
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E-mail CNTV, December 3, 2014
'Glamping,' or glamorous camping, is fast becoming popular across South Korea, with sites offering all the luxuries of a hotel with the outdoor vibe of a camping trip.
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'Glamping,' or glamorous camping, is fast becoming popular across South Korea, with sites offering all the luxuries of a hotel with the outdoor vibe of a camping trip. |
Glamping is not about packing heavy tents, sleeping bags, pegs and mallets. All of the essentials are provided and already set-up for campers. Shivering in the cold or sweltering in the summer are things of the past, with the latest glamping sites offering amenities like air-conditioning and king-size beds. The days of sharing dirty shower blocks are also consigned to history as ensuite bathrooms often come as standard. But South Korean glampers are not concerned by a lack of authenticity. They say it is the perfect balance between a hotel and a tent.
"Sometimes, I want to enjoy outdoor activities, but staying in a pension makes me feel too stuffy and staying in tents lacks amenities like bathroom. Then, I found out about Glamping which a mixture of the two," said Lee So-hee, an English instructor.
One night at the Sang Sang Glamping site costs US$240 two people during the non-holiday season. This costs three times more than renting a regular tent for six to seven people.
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'Glamping,' or glamorous camping, is fast becoming popular across South Korea, with sites offering all the luxuries of a hotel with the outdoor vibe of a camping trip. |
"When customers try to go on a camping trip, a lot of money is necessary as camping equipment is expensive. We have everything already set up, so when customers come, they just bring food. Since not many people are still aware of glamping, we have prepared this to offer our customers a luxurious camping experience," said Ko Duck-sung, director of Yangpyeong Glamping And Caravan.
Yangpyeong Glamping and Caravan offers a one-night glamping reservation for US$130 and a caravan for US$200 for two people.
"Rather than staying in a hotel room, like we used to, staying in a big tent and feeling the outdoor-vibe was amazing and, at the same time, unfamiliar," said a student named Eom Tae Ho.
Some Korean cities even have camping-style restaurants. Base Camp in Seoul lures busy people who cannot escape the city but still want to enjoy a moment of relaxation in a camping environment.
"Because it is not easy for normal customers to experience camping, I wondered how people can enjoy that vibe together, and I ended up opening this restaurant," said Park Kwang-hyun, owner of Base Camp.
Base Camp offers customers a full set of camping foods, which includes sausages, pork belly and drinks, for US$45 for two people.
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