Paju
Paju [dead link] (ko: 파주시, Paju-Si) is a city in Gyeonggi-do Province in South Korea, northwest of the capital city, Seoul.
Understand
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Paju-Si is known as a historical city with a rich background of past events, even some dating back to the ancient era. Today, Paju-Si is a growing city with the population of almost 500,000 (2022). It is quite close to the DMZ, which is on the border with North Korea.
Get in
[edit]By car
[edit]Paju is a 90-minute drive from Seoul. There are car rentals available in Korea (for instance at the Incheon International Airport and Seoul), where cars can be rented for an unlimited time.
By bus
[edit]From the Hapjeong Station, take bus No. 2200. The bus should take passengers to Odusan Unification Observatory, where passengers should get off at the entry. The first bus leaves Seoul at 07:50, while the last bus leaves at 23:00 for Gyeonggi. This bus ride will take 45 minutes, and will bring passengers straight to Gyeonggi, where Paju city is.
By Taxi
[edit]- You can take a taxi at the taxi stand. The taxi stand is usually near the bus stop.
- As of July 2023, the basic fare for regular taxis is ₩4,800 (₩5,800 at night), with a surcharge of ₩100 applied according to time and distance. (The basic fare is up to 1.6 km (1 mi), plus ₩100 per 135 m.)
By train
[edit]From Seoul, take the Gyeongui line to Geuchom Station - the ride takes about one hour. From there, take a local bus, either number 2 or 3. The bus ride should only take 30 minutes. The trip altogether should take ninety minutes. The train and bus rides will take you straight to Gyeonggi, where Paju city is.
By plane
[edit]South Korea's main airport, Incheon International Airport, is close to Paju.
Get around
[edit]Although there are no restrictions on visits to the city of Paju, access to the areas to the north towards the DMZ may be restricted.
See
[edit]- 1 Mosan Farm (모산목장), 347 Chukhyeon2-ri, Tanhyeon-myeon, ☏ +82 31-942-6480. 10:30 - 16:00. A famous family attraction for children to learn more about cows. The tour package includes the chance to feed, milk and get a photo with a cow. The children will have the chance to ride a tractor around the farm that was once named Gyoya Farm.
- Woonong Ostrich Farm (우농 타조농장), Dongpae-ri, Gyoha-Eup 616-3, ☏ +82 31-948-5630. 10:00 - 21:00, the farm is also open on holidays. Another family friendly attraction in Paju-Si. The farm will educate children, students and even adults about birds, specifically ostriches. Visitors will have the chance to feed some ostriches, too! Reservations can be made online, with a bonus of a discount.
- 2 Heyri Art Valley (헤이리 예술 마을), 1652 Beopheung-Ri Tanhyeon-Myeon. The Heyri Art Valley is opened 24 hours, but generally the museums and exhibitions’ opening hours are from 10:00 to 19:00. Keep in mind though; the art valley is closed on Mondays.. Presents various national artists like writers, painters, architects and musicians. There are over 40 spaces such as museums, exhibitions, concert halls and etc, for tourists to visits the pieces of art. The valley is a part of the 2200 bus route so passengers can travel directly to the entrance gate from Seoul.
- 3 Odusan Unification Observatory, fax: +82 31-3172. The observatory is closed for the months of December and January but is opened the rest of the year. One of most popular attraction in Paju and the entire nation. The Odusan Unification Observatory gives visitors a clear of North Korea, as well. Products from North Korea are also sold here.
- 4 Camp Greaves Visitor Center (캠프 그리브스), Gunnae-myeon, Baegyeon-ri, 357 1, ☏ +82 31-953-6984. Former US army base near the DMZ, used since the armistice until 2007. It now functions as an art gallery and is interesting to explore the other abandoned facilities.
- 5 Dora Observatory, Jettanggul-ro 310, ☏ +82 31-940-8523. Tu-Su 09:00-17:00, closed M. Located at the top of mountain "Dora". Visitors can see the DMZ (demilitarized zone) and North Korea.
Do
[edit]- Pyeong Hwa Land. A children's theme park that is 100 meters from the DMZ. It boasts 18 rides and 2 million visitors a year who can have fun and learn about the Korean war, which is an unusual combination.
- 1 Paju Hwangpo Sailboat, Duji-ri, Jeokseong-Myeon, 216-5, ☏ +82 31-958-2557. Sailboats were the mode of transportation during the Chosun Dynasty. Today, tourists will have the opportunity to get on the Hwangpo sailboat to enjoy the scenery from the Imjin River Dojiri to Jajangri. The 40-minute boat ride costs ₩8,000.
- 2 Gamaksan Mountain, Paju 48, Gamgol-gi, Jeokseong-myeon, ☏ +82 31-940-4621. Famous mountain with various hiking opportunities. The suspension bridge "Chulleong" is also located there.
Buy
[edit]- [dead link] Paju Premium Outlets (파주 프리미엄 아울렛). The outlet is beautifully designed, with a European feel to it with the fountain and clock tower. It’s recommended to visit to enjoy the beautiful view, especially at night. The outlets is also a great place for shopping with a total of 165 stores. Some include International brands such as Jil Sanders, Tory Burch, Levi, Armani, Calvin Klein and local brands like Time, Mine and Buckaro. Since it’s an outlet, shoppers can easily find sales up to 80 percent off.
Eat
[edit]Paju-Si is full of restaurants for the residents, visitors and travelers. The restaurants vary from traditional Korean to Japanese, Chinese and even some famous Western food chains such as McDonalds.
- Hao Binh (호아빈). Vietnamese restaurant specializing in Pho noodle soup with beef, but offering other dishes such as fried rice and noodle soups as well. The restaurant also offers vegetarian options.
- Joy’s (조이스). It is recognized a national chain of family Korean restaurants whose specialties include meals with ribs, chicken and steaks.
Sleep
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Map of Paju
Paju-Si offers a large selection for their tourists to pick from in the city. There are hotels available for all kinds of tourists – tourists looking for the cheapest rooms (budget), a decent and comfortable hotel room (mid-range) or the most luxurious hotel (splurge).
Budget
[edit]- 1 Hotel Mirage (호텔포시즌), Yeaulgok-Ri, Papyeong-Myeon, 477-5. Recommended for anyone who is looking to rest and rejuvenate. The price of the hotel rooms are roughly ₩40,000, depending on the season. Off season are typically cheaper.
Mid-range
[edit]- 2 Hotel Siena (호텔 시에나), 31, Sorichon-ro, Yadang-dong, ☏ +82 031 943 7260. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 12:00. Located in Paju, the comfortable and cozy Hotel Siena features free internet access (Wi-Fi), 24-hour room service and valet parking. The hotel also offers a concierge service and a 24-hour reception.The hotel has 100 rooms, all of which are equipped with all the amenities for a convenient stay.There is a café on site for guests' convenience.It takes about 85 minutes by car to reach Incheon International Airport from this hotel. The price is around \65,000 - \80,000 per night.
- 3 Hotel Golden Hill (골든힐호텔), 36-30 Seongdong-ro, Tanhyeon-myeon, ☏ +82 031 942 0222. Check-in: 18:00, check-out: 12:00. Gimpo International Airport is a 30-minute drive away.Located in Paju, this hotel features free wireless internet access in public areas. It also has a 24-hour reception, a café and an elevator.All rooms are air conditioned and include a hairdryer, a flat-screen TV and a shower. A private bathroom, a desk and in-room wireless internet access are included in each room.Guests can grab a bite to eat at the in-house restaurant. The price is around \55,000 per night.
- 4 K-Hills Hotel & Resort (케이힐스 더테라스), 628 Simhaksan-ro, ☏ +82 031 945 1015. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 11:00. The property is about a 7-minute walk from Exit 2 of Yadang Station on Gyeongui-Jungang Line. Right in front is Unjeong Lake Park, which is great for a stroll. Nearby attractions Kintex and Ilsan Lake Park can be reached in about 20 minutes by car. All rooms come with a private terrace and self-catering facilities. Separately, the rooftop rooms feature open-air spa facilities. Price range from ₩57,000-65,000 per night.
- 5 Park View Terrace (파크뷰테라스), 1079-1 Yadang-dong, ☏ +82 031 947 7177. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 11:00. Located in Paju, this hotel features free wireless internet access in public areas. It also offers a 24-hour reception, on-site parking and express check-in/check-out. The hotel offers rooms with a relaxed atmosphere, each equipped with basic furnishings and facilities required by guests. Geumchon Unification Market can be reached in a 10-minute walk from the hotel. It takes about 45 minutes to drive to Gimpo International Airport. The price is around ₩65,000-70,000 per night.
Splurge
[edit]- Wiz Hotel, 679-4 Sungdong-ri Tanhyun-myun. The hotel is near numerous tourist attractions such as the Korea History Museum, Paju Unification Dongsan and Provence Village. The hotel also offers various types of rooms from Deluxe to Luxury Suite.
- The Plaza Hotel, 23 2-ka Taipyung-ro Chung-ku, 100-102, Myeong-dong. This hotel is only recommended if the traveler is planning to visit Paju-Si for a day trip from Seoul. The ride between the two cities is only about 90 minutes. Some of the hotel amenities includes the newspaper sent to your room every morning, satellite television to keep you entertained while you’re inside, a spa and massage to help make your stay a relaxing one and many more.
- 6 Mate Hotel Paju (파주메이트호텔), 11-6 Geumseung-ri, Tanhyeon-myeon, ☏ +82 031 945 1029. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 11:00. Paju Mate Hotel is a 10-minute drive from Exit 1 of Paju Station on Gyeongui-Jungang Line and is adjacent to the Paju LCD Industrial Complex. Nearby attractions include Heiri Art Village, the largest art village in Korea, a 20-minute drive away, and Wolchoji Cultural Arboretum, a 25-minute drive from the property. Paju Premium Outlets is also a 25-minute drive away.The hotel features free wireless Internet access in public areas, as well as a 24-hour reception, express check-in/check-out, and concierge services.In addition to ticket services and luggage storage, guests can also take advantage of a variety of other facilities and services, including a 24-hour business center and a tour desk.The hotel has 53 rooms, all of which are equipped with all the amenities needed for a comfortable stay. The price is around ₩100,000 per night.