Andong and Hahoe Village

by seoulfulfamily - March 18, 2017

Just around this time last year, we took a trip to Andong and stayed at a Hanok house and ate lots of traditional Korean food. I felt like I traveled back in time and didn't want to come back to the hustle and bustle of Seoul. Even though we were traveling with three other families with 9 kids under age 6, which could be a hectic experience in itself, I felt rested and refreshed by being immersed in the environment of this place, allowing my heart, mind, and body to slow down. Everything here was done the traditional way, prepared slowly but with quality and heart in mind. There are no exciting excursions or flashy signs, but only a peek into the way people here choose to live a life of quality and peace with delayed gratification. Strangely, I felt more happy and alive here in Andong where things were a lot more simple than any other resorts or excursions I've been on.

As the weather gets warmer, I highly recommend a visit to Andong and get some healing for your mind, body, and soul. It is located about 233km south of Seoul in North Gyeongsang Province and it takes about 3 hours to drive.

First, we stayed at Andong Hanok Resort Gurume: http://www.gurume-andong.com/

They renovated actual hanok homes into a resort with modern bathrooms, but you can still experience the fullness of hanok stay. We rented one of the whole houses with four rooms and bathrooms and patio/yard area. The house was big enough that it allowed us to have an Easter egg hunt for the kids, thanks to my teacher friend who prepared everything including the lesson on Easter! 😍

Interior

Easter Egg Hunt

We had dinner and breakfast here at the resort and the food tasted clean and not too overpowering, but delicious. There is also a cafe here that I recommend trying. The husbands let the wives enjoy some traditional tea time while they played with the kids after breakfast.

Breakfast

We took some pictures of the kids around the resort. It's amazing how much they grow just in one year! Where did our babies go???

After our stay at the resort, we went to see Hahoe Village. It is a quiet village surrounded by nature. It is one of the UNESCO world heritage sites where people are still living and maintaining it in the original state as much as possible. There is a cafe, a store, and even a church. They offer various classes and educational programs throughout the year. You can check out their website for more information: http://www.hahoe.or.kr/

You pay an entrance fee and ride the bus to get to the village.

Can you imagine what it would be like when it's filled with green leaves and flowers? Check out their website to see pictures from all four seasons.

We spent way too much time at this cafe! And we loved their fresh kiwi juice. 😘

At a store where they sell hand made wooden household goods.

We were able to ride an old style swing and seesaw too. Maybe adults had more fun than the kids. 😆

Hahoe Church

On our way to the bus stop.

I believe food is a big part of experiencing the fullness of culture, so I cannot end this post without some of the restaurant recommendations. Everyone loved the food here including myself. If you could control yourself not to over eat, almost everything was healthy and tasty, slowly cooked with natural ingredients.

Andong Jjimdak is originated from Andong. I know that sounds obvious, but many people don't know that or where Andong is located. Well, now you know. So, you must try Andong Jjimdak (chicken and vegetable steamed in soy sauce) when you are in Andong.