Andong

Introduction

Andong is a city in South Korea and the capital of North Gyeongsang Province, the largest city in the northern part of the province. The Nakdong River flows through it, and the surrounding countryside is agricultural, with Andong serving as the market centre for those farming areas.

Before you go

Getting there

Getting around

Downtown Andong is small enough to cross on foot in under ten minutes, so walking works well for the city centre itself. For the outlying sights, buses are the main way around: plenty depart from the bus terminal right across from the train station and serve most of the tourist attractions, with local buses showing route numbers and destination boards and running from early morning to late evening. Bus stop information is written only in Korean, but the tourist information office at the train station provides an English bus schedule with departure times, destinations and fares. Fares are based on the length of the route rather than the distance travelled, and change is available in coins only, so avoid paying with a large note. Seoul T-money cards are accepted, and rechargeable cards such as T-money and Cashbee can be bought and topped up at convenience stores.

Taxis can be flagged off the street, but you may face a long wait, so the best place to pick one up in the city centre is outside the railway station; otherwise order one by phone and ask your hotel for the number of a reputable company. Standard taxis are metered and commonly orange or white, while black "Deluxe" taxis cost more for better comfort and drivers who can communicate well in English and Japanese. Kakao Taxi lets you hail and track a taxi. For Hahoe Folk Village and Dosan Seowon, public transport is infrequent and a rental car is strongly recommended; a shuttle bus to Hahoe departs from Andong Bus Terminal several times a day and takes about forty minutes. Within Hahoe Village you get around on foot, and the Buyongdae viewpoint is reached via a short fifteen-minute hike up the cliff, with a pedestrian ferry at the dock. Naver Map and Kakao Map cover bus routes, real-time arrivals and train schedules with English settings, and if you are leaving by bus, confirm departure times in advance, as the last buses leave in the evening and listed times can vary with traffic.

Where to stay

Andong has its fair share of cheap motels, and the area immediately in front of the train terminal is the place to look. If that's still too expensive, you can always pass out on the floor of a jimjillbang (public bathhouse). The most central is Oncheon, also known as Andong Spaland, about one block north of the train station; from the Intercity bus terminal, face outwards and turn right, and after about two blocks you'll reach the train station, then head down the road one or two blocks looking to the right. It's tucked down a backstreet, but the tall building with a large neon sign on top proclaiming jimjillbang and sauna is impossible to miss.

For something more comfortable, Andong has many traditional houses that offer a great experience to visitors. Chiam-gotaek is a Korean traditional noble house in the city, a cultural heritage built hundreds of years ago, with two small rooms suitable for backpackers or a couple; rooms are clean and cozy, breakfast is not provided, and reservation in advance by e-mail is required. The Jirye artist's colony is a really quiet and peaceful small village where you can experience the life of the old upper classes or working classes. You can also stay at Bongjeongsa Temple to experience traditional Buddhist life, though you must respect the temple's Buddhist rules. For camping, there's the Danho Sand Park Camping Site.

Food & drink

Andong has its own specialty dishes worth seeking out. Jjimdak, a local style of chicken with cellophane noodles, is the signature order, and the Jjimdak golmok (Chicken restaurant street) in the city centre is lined with small restaurants specialising in it — every one offers a similar taste, so you can pick any that appeals. Heotjesabap, or false funerary food, is a local variation of bibimbap flavoured with soy sauce rather than hot pepper sauce, served in heavy bronze tableware; some restaurants also offer a larger set meal that includes fish and shark meat. Grilled salted mackerel is found everywhere in Andong, roasted or in a mild soup, and one specialist restaurant also runs a mail-order service for sending Andong mackerel. For something European, a bakery near the bus terminal sells European-style bread and goods along with well-roasted espresso drinks, and a cafe a short walk from Andong station serves brunch menus and hand-dripped coffees from Kenya, Indonesia, Ethiopia, Colombia and Brazil.

To drink, Andong Soju is one of the city's specialties, made with fresh ingredients and preserving a traditional distillation method passed down through households. You can find varieties at different strengths, so it is easy to try a milder version while still tasting the traditional flavour. The Andong Soju and Traditional Food Museum covers the still, traditional table spreads and the history of the local master brewer, and its gift shop sells Andong Soju; note that the distillery itself is only open on weekdays.

What to see and do

Andong's signature sight is the Andong Hahoe Folk Village, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where national treasures and intangible cultural heritages are preserved and people still live in every house. Traditional Korean mask dance is performed there on weekends, with a fuller schedule from May to October. Within the village, walk around the tree inhabited by the Samshin-goddess three times and write your wish on a tag, or head to Byongdae cliff for a view over the whole village - reachable by a small wooden ferry from beside the pine forest, or on foot via the main trail near Okyeon Pavilion or a lesser-marked path past Gyeomam Pavilion that follows the cliff-face strata. Take bus #46 from across the road near the Intercity bus terminal to get there.

Beyond the village, Bongjeongsa Temple is the largest in Andong and holds Korea's oldest wooden building, Geuknakjeon, with a Temple Stay programme available. Other cultural sites include Yeumteo Village, Jirye Arts Village, Nongam Jongtaek, Seonseonghyun Cultural Heritage Complex, Andong Gunja Village and Andong Imcheonggak House, while the Gyeongsangbuk-do Independence Movement Memorial and Andong Hanji - which makes paper from Korean paper mulberry and clean water, with experience programs - round out the options. For nature, there is Cheondeungsan Mountain, Gallasan Mountain and Gyemyeongsan Recreation Forest. In October, the Andong International Mask Dance Festival brings Korean mask dance and traditional dances from around the world, split between the main event by the river in the city and a second half at Hahoe village, where the stage sits among the pine grove opposite Buyongdae cliff. Programs to learn folk dances and mask dance contests are also part of the festival.

When to go

Andong has a temperate continental climate, with wide swings in temperature and frequent fog throughout the year. The seasons here are shaped mainly by the winter and summer winds, so plan your layers around sharp contrasts rather than steady conditions.

• Winter: Northwest seasonal winds dominate, and temperatures swing widely, so days can feel sharply cold. Fog is common, and the area sees many foggy days across the year.
• Summer: The warm half of the year's wide temperature range, with the seasonal winds again northwesterly. Expect the humid, temperate summer conditions typical of central South Korea's mountains.

Three days in Andong

Day one: Arrive in Andong, the capital of North Gyeongsang Province, and settle into Downtown Andong. From Seoul, Busan, Daejeon, Daegu, Gwangju, Dong, Gumi, Jungang, Seosan, Yeongdeok, Kangbyeon, Cheongnyangni, or Express Bus Terminal, you can reach the city by KTX, Mugunghwa, or intercity bus; from East Seoul Terminal, Gangnam Express Terminal, or Daejeon, direct services run to Andong. Once you are in Downtown Andong, take a walk along the Nakdong River and get your bearings.

Day two: Spend the day in Downtown Andong, where you can find a Global ATM and English-language assistance. The Nakdong River runs through the area, and the downtown streets give you a sense of everyday Korean life in the city. If you need to travel onward, buses and trains connect Andong with Seoul, Busan, Daejeon, Daegu, Gwangju, Dong, Gumi, Jungang, Seosan, Yeongdeok, Kangbyeon, Cheongnyangni, and Express Bus Terminal.

Day three: Before you leave Andong, take a final walk along the Nakdong River. Queen Elizabeth II visited Andong, and the city's connection to England is remembered by locals. From Downtown Andong, you can depart for Seoul, Busan, Daejeon, Daegu, Gwangju, Dong, Gumi, Jungang, Seosan, Yeongdeok, Kangbyeon, Cheongnyangni, or Express Bus Terminal by KTX, Mugunghwa, or intercity bus. On Sunday, services may run less frequently, so plan your departure accordingly.