Itinerary for South Korea

June 13: Seoul

June 14: Donghae

June 15-30: Ulleung-do

June 30: Pohang

July 1-3: Juwangsan National Park

July 3: Mokpo

July 4-18: Jeju-do

July 18-29: Southern islands (Shinan, Gwanyang, Geoje, Namhae, Wando, Mokpo, Yeosu)

July 29-31: Wolchulsan National Park

July 31- August 4: Jirisan National Park

August 4-6: Naejangsan National Park

August 6: Buan

August 7-10: Byeonsanbando National Park

August 10: Daegu

August 11-12: Gayasan National Park

August 12: Geochang

August 13-15: Deogyusan National Park

August 15-20: Taeanhaean National Park

August 20: Daejeon

August 21-29: Woraksan, Sobaeksan and Chiaksan National Parks, Hambaek-san

August 29: Gangneung

August 30 – September 3: Odaesan National Park

September 3: Sokcho

September 4-9: Seoraksan National Park

September 10: Chuncheon

September 11-12: Myeongji-san

September 12-13: Cheonma-san

September 13-20: Seoul (and Bukhansan)

I will be doing two weeks on Ulleung-do focusing on surveying endangered/endemic plants and maybe coming up with my own research project (Rambo ecology!).

Then I will be shipping down to Jeju (the Hawaii of Korea) to look at all their endemic and exotic species for two weeks. My first day there (July 4) I will be booking it up to the peak of Halla-san so I can spend my first 4th of July away from the US on the top of the highest peak in Korea - talk about celebrating freedom!

After Jeju, I will be exploring the southern isles (notably Shinan is home to several endangered Korean species, and Gwanyang is the only place in the world one can find the enigmatic Kirengeshoma koreana). I'll be spending a few nights in Yeosu on the southern coast. I have to admit I've fallen completely in love with that little town (even though I've never been there!). From everything I've seen and studied about it, it just seems the perfect place to live.

I will continue touring South Korea by way of National Parks and small rural towns and eventually make my way to Taeanhaean National Park which has a world class arboretum with a few thousand species of plants. 

Then I shall enter into the world of the mountains, going to Chiaksan, Odaesan, and Seoraksan - famous mountains in NE South Korea.

From Seoraksan, I will make my way to Seoul (with a few pit stops in mountain parks) where I will stay for about a week and maybe for the first time do some slightly touristy activities.

Not bad, not bad at all.

The one and only Kirengeshoma koreana endemic to Baekun-san in Jeollanam