Bike 500KM Madness！Korea’s Sports Travel Trend Is Hot & Cherry Blossom Marathon Season Is Here

▲ Jeju International Peace Marathon. (Photo / Provided by Korea Tourism Organization Taipei Branch, the same below)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

How to enjoy Korea? This spring, Korea has various new experiences waiting for you, especially sports travel which is even more popular！ Whether it’s the “Jeju Wildfire Festival” to pray for a bountiful harvest, the “Jeju International Peace Marathon” where you can be surrounded by golden rapeseed fields, the “Gyeongju Cherry Blossom Marathon” through romantic cherry blossom woods, or the “cycling journey from Seoul to Busan,” you can pick any of these healthy and enjoyable spring travel itineraries！

Jeju Wildfire Festival
Every early March, to ensure smooth grazing for livestock such as cattle and horses and successful farming, Jeju Island holds the “Wildfire Festival.” The pastures and fields are set ablaze with roaring flames, accompanied by Jeju folk songs, lively dance performances, and various festive activities. The purpose is to clear old mountain grass and pests in the fields while praying for a prosperous year.

This year’s Jeju Wildfire Festival will take place from March 2nd to March 5th at Hwaseong Mountain in Bongnae-ri, Aewol-eup. As night falls, the torch parade will ignite the festive atmosphere, followed by a series of engaging activities leading up to the highlight — the mountain fire. The dry yellow weeds of winter instantly ignite, symbolizing the burning away of the year’s misfortunes and prayers for a bountiful harvest.

▲ Jeju Wildfire Festival.

Jeju International Peace Marathon
Jeju’s spring isn’t just about the wildfire festival. At the end of March, there’s also the “Jeju International Peace Marathon,” where you can find yourself surrounded by tender yellow rapeseed blossoms. This year’s Jeju International Peace Marathon will kick off on March 26th, featuring full marathon, half marathon, 10km, and 5km routes. Runners can not only enjoy the thrill of the sport but also take in Jeju’s unique natural scenery — the beautiful west coast shoreline, blue skies, the ocean, and seas of rapeseed flowers — all while soaking in a fresh and healthy atmosphere.

Registration website:https://marathon.jejumbc.com/index.php

Gyeongju Cherry Blossom Marathon
When it comes to spring marathons, you definitely can’t miss the Gyeongju Cherry Blossom Marathon！ Held on April 1st, the Gyeongju Cherry Blossom Marathon is one of Korea’s famous spring sporting events. Combining elements of cherry blossom viewing in the ancient capital of the Silla Dynasty, sports, leisure, and festive entertainment, the Gyeongju Marathon is loved not only by Koreans but also attracts many international visitors every year. With the spring breeze blowing, petals gently falling from the cherry blossom trees create a romantic scene of pink petals showering down, allowing both professional athletes and cheering spectators to enjoy the floral magic along the blossom-lined course.

▲ Gyeongju Cherry Blossom Marathon.

In addition, the increasingly popular“cycling” travel experiencecan also be enjoyed in Korea！ Options range from relaxed lake cycling tours, intermediate rides of nearly 200 kilometers, toprofessional-grade cycling journeys from Seoul to Busan covering over 500 kilometers. Especially the Seoul–Busan cycling route, which spans Korea’s two major cities, allows you to take in bustling urban landscapes as well as experience the rural charm of Korea, offering cycling enthusiasts a chance to challenge themselves and ride freely.

▲ Korea’s bike paths.

For more unique travel experiences in Korea, please visit the Free@KOREA website (http://freeatkorea.com/ktoevent/web-special/) for details; for more information about Korea, please check the Korea Tourism Organization website (http://www.visitkorea.or.kr), or call the Korea Travel Hotline: +82-2-1330 (available in Korean, English, Japanese, and Chinese).