BORYEONG MUD FESTIVAL
Posing in the Mud
Already in its 13th annual run, the 2010 South Korea Boryeong Mud Festival continues to reel in huge crowds from all over the nation -- over two million since its inception in 1998. Yet, all mineral-rich theories aside, many would agree that the real draw sits just outside the mud tub. Blessed by a sprawling 3.5 kilometer stretch of white-sand beach, Boryeong remains a retreat for visitors to cool off from the stifling inner-city heat.
It didn’t take long for locals to latch on to the lucrative appeal of mud as a tourism magnet. Its “nutrient-rich” agricultural properties were soon swapped in favor of a far more profitable marketing tool. A wise move indeed. Years later, the festival continues to grow and grow, with money generated from the event being used to fuel profits for the surrounding hotels and long string of family-run restaurants that line the boardwalk along Daecheon Beach.
Even if you’ve just arrived to Korea, there’s a good chance you’ve heard about Korea’s Boryeong Mud Festival. One visitor from Texas who’s here on a modeling contract says, “I’m only here for two months, but this is one event I didn’t want to miss.”
With muggy temperatures climbing over 30 degrees, it’s no small wonder Boryeong has remained a huge hit with international visitors for well over a decade.
The 2010 South Korea Boryeong Mud Festival runs from July 17 to 25.
Getting there: Two options: bus or train from Seoul. If you want to grab the bus (roughly two hours), take subway Line 3 to Nambu Bus Terminal and get on the one bound for Daecheon Station. Once you get there, take the local bus (it’ll be marked with a bright orange Mud Festival sign). For the train, take subway Line 2 to Yeongdeng-po and get on the one headed for Daecheon Station.
Read more: Getting dirty at South Korea’s Boryeong Mud Festival | CNNGo.com http://www.cnngo.com/explorations/getting-dirty-south-koreas-boryeong-mud-festival-724062#ixzz1CtM9ApVx
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