Annyeong Gyeonggi-do! Korean tourism spotlights the “Best in the Far East”

By Nickky Faustine P. de Guzman

For the Filipino travelers who want to cross out Korea, particularly the capital city Seoul in their must-visit bucket list, the New Year signals a new perspective in their itinerary options.

The Korea Travel Organization (KTO) formally introduces the Gyeonggi-do province as its newest offering in the recently concluded awarding ceremony, which recognized the airlines and travel agents who have supported the growing enthusiasm of Filipino travelers in going to Korea.

Gyeonggi-do, dubbed as the “Best in the Far East”, sits right in the middle of the Korean peninsula. It surrounds the capital city Seoul hence visiting it would not be a hassle. But what makes the province a destination itself is its vast and diverse attractions for travelers with different agenda.

According to Gyeonggi Tourism Organization (GTO) Assistant Manager Oh, Jung Chul, the province may not have the sophisticated subway system yet like in Seoul but this should not hinder travelers in exploring the province that means “the outer land of kingdom’s capital”.

So what are the major tourist attractions in Gyeonggi?

For the kids and young at heart:

The theme park Everland is perhaps the best bet for family vacationers. It is one of the four major theme parks in the world known for its complex attractions including the Magic Land where Aesop’s fable is and the Carribbean Bay, which is an indoor water park with artificial wave, indoor spa and sauna among others.  It is also the longest pool in the world with flowing water.

For the culture and history enthusiasts:

The UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Suwon Hwaseong Fortress is one of Korea’s best known cultural assets of the 18^th century. The majestic bastion with its four gates and 50 annexes lets tourists experience the Asian and Western military fortifications. The fortress is majestic that at least three hours is needed to complete the tour. 

The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) is a must-visit for tourists who want to get a glimpse of the isolated North Korea. There is the Dora Observatory where you can get the closest peep at NoKor and the Imjingak park, where you can watch a video of the current status, household items, and pictures of North Korea. Approximately 2.5 million tourists visit the place annually.

For the shopping slaves and beauty buffs:

The Simon Premium Outlets in Paju has an armada of 220 designer labels like Michael Kors, Hugo Boss, Escada, and Tory Burch among others. The Outlet offers up to 60% sale all year round. Fifteen minutes away from the shopping outlet is the Skin Anniversary Beauty Town. Know and experience the secrets of Korean’s flawless skin and enjoy face skin care tips, free makeup sessions, 3D trick art, and beauty tours. The immense aesthetic zone can accommodate 300 customers simultaneously.

For K-drama lovers:

Take your picture at the set of your favorite Korean telenovelas like the Moon That Embraces the Sun, Queen Seondeok, Dongyi, and Dae Jang Geum. The Yongin MBC Dramia is a total studio set build based on historical truths that is often used for movie and other media productions.

Aside from these, the Gyeonggi-do province also offers other new attractions like the DIY wild grape farm, Korea Comic Museum, Korean Folk Village, and Lotte Premium Outlet, and Garden of Morning Calm among others.

Couples who Travel: AirAsia Zest celebrates Valentine’s Day with free seats

Text By Nickky Faustine P. de Guzman

Photography by Jacqueline Hernandez

Love is in the air for couples Carmen and Roman del Rosario. It’s in the hush of the trees, in the rumbling of the sea… and literally, in free airplane seats.  The lovebirds are flying to Davao, their domestic destination of choice, to spend their post Valentine date and 44^th wedding anniversary after winning free seats and exclusive treats in AirAsia Zest’s #LoveisintheAir promo.

They may be well-travelled here and abroad yet their domestic destination to Davao will perhaps be their most unforgettable adventure yet.  After all, it is a gift from their daughter Christine, who decided to submit their photo in the social media contest.

The winning photograph courtesy of Christine del Rosario

 “I decided to make them their own Twitter account and post their lovely pictures together so that they can join the contest. I want them to celebrate Valentine’s and their wedding anniversary in a tourist destination, where they will surely get to rest and enjoy each other’s company,” Christine said.

Their winning photo is one of their recent trips in Hong Kong where they enjoyed their visit in Disneyland and posted with Mickey and Minnie Mouse. The #LoveisintheAir promo was launched last January 27 to February 7 as a hashtag contest where couples, pairs, partners, or duos may win free trips by sharing and posting their best photo together through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

“Mr. Carmen and Roman del Rosario are our top couple winners because they prove that you can still discover new adventures and places even if you are already in the prime of your age,” AirAsia Philippines CEO Maan Hontiveros said.

Carmen, 62, and Roman, 69, are one of the 90 lucky pairs who won two free seats to any domestic destination. It is a Valentine’s treat from AirAsia Zest, the low cost carrier that flies hand in hand with AirAsia, which is voted as the World’s Best Low Cost Carrier for five consecutive years.

“We’ve selected winners from over 2,000 entries, whose love story touched our hearts. We got kids who wanted us to fly their parents and grandparents who’ve never travelled by air, a son wanted to travel with his foster mom and couples excited to fly to their romantic getaways. Their stories represent AirAsia’s dream of making everyone fly through our affordable fares and extensive network,” Hontiveros said.

Meanwhile, in aid of boosting tourism and igniting one’s passion for travelling, AirAsia Zest is currently offering 20% discounted promo seats to all domestic and international flights with travel period from February 17 to May 18, 2014.

AirAsia Zest serves domestic destinations to Boracay, Puerto Princesa, Cebu, Davao, Tacloban, Tagbilaran, and Cagayan de Oro. Its international points meanwhile include China and South Korea.

For more exciting destinations, bookings, and promos, you may visit www.airasia.com, facebook.com/airasiaphilippines and twitter.com/airasiaph.

On prito, palate, and palace: Solaire's Red Lantern bid versatile Cantonese cuisines

What makes a restaurant friendly its ability to adapt with the penchants of its patrons. In this case, Solaire’s Red Lantern is trying to achieve a fusion perfect for the Filipino and Chinese taste buds.

Chinese Executive Chef Chan Yiu So’s culinary philosophy banks on “focus, great love for food, innovativeness, and listening to and learning from guests.” Justly, he pays attention to his Filipino customers who crave for anything deep fried, “Filipinos in general, like fried food, which is the opposite of Cantonese food that focuses on dim sum and steamed dishes. Cantonese foods are sauted, boiled, or mixed with milk, which is very healthy,” he says.

And so what he served were myriad of fried, golden brown food fares: Deep Fried Black Cod in ‘Bei Fung Tong Style’, Deep Fried Shrimp Balls with Cheese and Diced Bread, Deep Fried Shrimp in Bean Curd Rolls with Jackfruit, Deep Fried Prawn and Cuttlefish with Almond Flakes and Thyme along with some dim sum buffet.

Each fried dish is nestled on deep fried noodles that serve as a drainer for the excess oil drippings. The plating is matched with greeneries on the side, which add color to the otherwise monochromatic gastronomy. Every cuisine is served in customized plates with intricate designs of red lanterns and what seem to be black laced vines and trees.

The pan-fried seafood fares exhibit the right amount of crunch, salt, and sweet flavors however, despite the deep fried noodle-drainers, most of them tend to be oily, which is the common downside of deep frying. The Deep Fried Prawn and Cuttlefish with Almond Flakes and Thyme, thanks to the almond bits that absorbs extra grease, has a surprising texture owing to the fried prawns and cuttlefishes.

The dishes exude aromatic scents that seemingly go well with the smell of elegance and luxury of Solaire Resort and Casino, where the Red Lantern is located. The 240-seater Chinese restaurant boasts authentic and opulent marbles, paintings, and furniture. Its edifice smells of style, extravagance, and a seamless time travel to a palace in Guangzhou, China.

And to China our taste buds went upon devouring on the succulent and fresh dim sum plates of Barbecue Pork Rice Roll, Braised “Pi Pa” Tofu and Shimeji Mushroom Caserole, Oven Baked Egg Tartlets, Cabbage Roll with Seasonal Vegetables, Squid ink Dumplings with Scallops, and Steamed Custard Buns. The dim sum buffet bids refreshing options; a far cry from the greasiness of the deep fried seafood fares served earlier.

The wide array of dim sums—tofu, mushroom, baked egg, squid and scallop dumplings—are steamed to perfection and flawlessly go well with a hot cup of tea or coffee, which wraps up our Cantonese gastronomic adventure.

Chef Chan’s shares that half of the ingredients used in most of the menus including special sauces, abalones, and fishes come from Hong Kong and Singapore while the remaining add-ons are from the local markets.

Red Lantern’s unlimited dim sum buffet is open on weekdays (11:30- 2:00 p.m.) and weekends (10:30- 4:00 p.m.).

Photos by: Noel Pabalate