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Matthew C. Crawford
Matthew C. Crawford
Matthew C. Crawford is a Canadian writer with a mania for mountains. He's climbed trekking peaks in Bolivia, India and Nepal and is still working away at the 7,715 mountains of his adopted country, South Korea. He has written on travel for the BBC, Singapore Airlines and other titles.

South Korea’s ‘peace country path’ bike route skirts the DMZ and gives cyclists a taste of life close to one of the world’s most hostile frontiers. Far from a battlefield, expect to see farmers, rice paddies and fishermen.

For all the interest in South Korea in organic and health foods, heritage rice is unlikely to be more than a niche product, a grower and a researcher admit. Still, a brewery is using it to brew beer and a top chef is interested.

The Five Peaks trail running race takes in Seoul’s highest mountains, which are also popular hiking spots, with about half made up of a tough plunge through Bukhansan National Park.

After a visit to Legoland Korea Resort, a trip around Chuncheon city reveals a flea market, a 54-year-old Ethiopian cafe, swan-shaped pedal boats in a sculpture park and some tasty Korean food.

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The Asian nation is full of these home-grown facilities, many with spas and saunas, where ‘soaking in warm water’ and lounging around are the main pastimes

The city in South Korea ranked the best place in Asia to visit this year by Lonely Planet has one foot in the future and another in the past. It’s not hard to get away from it all if that’s what you want.

The recent peace overtures between North and South Korea could be good news for travellers wishing to visit the reclusive nation. These places should be on your tour itinerary.

Daeheungsa is one of seven Buddhist mountain temples in South Korea recently inscribed on Unesco’s World Heritage List. Matthew Crawford takes a trip to the country’s far south to explore this startlingly beautiful site.

South Korea’s most challenging natural attraction, the 71-kilometre Ultra Baugil trail arcs around Gangneung’s alpine rim, giving trekkers the chance to experience nature at its best in one of Asia’s most heavily developed countries.

The islands of Geomundo, South Korea, were once an arena where great powers exercised their ambitions. Now, largely forgotten by the outside world, they stand as a preserve of epic views, bold flavours and simple folkways