Camping in Korea: What Surprised Me as Someone from Uzbekistan
Before living in Korea, camping was not a familiar part of my life. In Uzbekistan, people certainly enjoy nature and take trips to rest, but spending the night in a tent at an organised campsite is not very common. After moving to Korea, I discovered that camping here is more than simply sleeping outdoors. It is a well-developed family activity with designated camping areas, useful facilities and many beautiful places near the sea and mountains.
My family and I have tried camping several times. We have camped beside the sea and near the mountains, and each trip has shown us a different side of Korea. Camping in summer is especially exciting for the children, while autumn camping is quieter and has its own atmosphere.
Camping in Summer and Autumn
Camping in Korea feels very different in summer and autumn. Summer camping by the sea is especially enjoyable for children. They spend much of the day swimming and playing at the beach, then return to the tent when they become hungry or need a short rest. After eating, they often run back to the water and continue swimming until around 6 p.m.
In autumn, the air is cooler, the mountains become colourful and the campsite has a calmer atmosphere. There is less focus on swimming and more time to walk, talk, eat warm food and enjoy the scenery.
In summer, the tent becomes a comfortable family base. We can keep our food and belongings there, change clothes, rest in the shade and eat between visits to the beach. However, the heat and humidity can make setting up the tent and sleeping uncomfortable.
Autumn camping is cooler, but the nights can become quite cold, so warm clothes, blankets and suitable sleeping equipment are important. Each season requires different preparation, but both offer their own kind of enjoyment.
One of my favourite parts of camping in any season is the evening. After swimming, hiking or spending the day outdoors, we can sit together near the tent and grill meat for dinner. Freshly grilled food seems to taste even better in the open air. The quiet time around the table, after the busiest part of the day is over, is often more memorable than the activities themselves.
How Camping Works in Korea
Korea has designated camping areas where visitors can bring their own tents, cooking equipment, food and everything else they need for an overnight stay. Most campgrounds charge a fee, and popular ones usually need to be reserved in advance, particularly during the summer peak season and on weekends.
Many campgrounds provide the basic facilities families need, such as toilets, showers, washing areas, parking and places to dispose of rubbish. The exact facilities differ from one campsite to another, so it is helpful to check before making a reservation. Still, having these services nearby makes camping much more convenient, especially when travelling with children.
Preparing for a camping trip requires some work. We need to pack the tent, sleeping equipment, clothes, cooking supplies and food. Then we have to carry everything, set up the tent and organise the space. It can feel tiring at first, but once everything is ready, the campsite becomes our small temporary home.
Coastal Camping Places We Have Visited
Some of our memorable summer trips took us to beaches in different parts of Korea. We visited Jumunjin Beach (주문진해수욕장) several times in Gangneung and Bukbun-ri Beach (북분리해수욕장) in Yangyang, both on the eastern coast of Gangwon-do. We also visited Namyeol Sunrise Beach (남열해돋이해수욕장) in Goheung, Jeollanam-do, much farther south.
Near Jumunjin Beach, visitors can also stop at the well-known BTS Bus Stop photo zone at Hyangho Beach (향호해변). The bus stop was originally created for the album-jacket photo shoot for BTS’s You Never Walk Alone. Although the original structure was removed after filming, it was later recreated as a tourist photo spot. With the beach and sea behind it, it has become an interesting extra place to visit during a trip to the Jumunjin area.
Although our coastal trips allowed the children to swim and play beside the sea, each area had a different landscape and atmosphere. Visiting beaches in different regions helped us see more of Korea and made every family trip feel unique. For us, camping was not only about staying in a tent. It became a way to combine a beach holiday, outdoor meals and family time in one experience.
Camping can also be a practical way to spend time with friends. When several Uzbek families want to meet, gathering inside a small city apartment is not always easy. At a campsite, the children have room to play while the adults can prepare food, talk and enjoy time together. Sharing Uzbek food and speaking our own language outdoors can create a small sense of home while we are living in Korea.
Why Camping Is Less Common in Uzbekistan
I sometimes wonder why camping has not become as common in Uzbekistan as it has in Korea. Uzbekistan is a large, landlocked country, so it does not have the seaside camping culture that we experience in Korea. People also have different ways of enjoying nature and spending their holidays.
Around Tashkent, families and groups of friends often rent a country house in the nearby mountains. These houses may have a large swimming pool, a barbecue area and enough space for everyone to spend the day together. In other regions, people may take short trips within the country, go hiking or stay at a health sanatorium when they need rest.
When travelling to the mountains, many families prefer a house, guesthouse or sanatorium to a tent because it feels safer and more comfortable. This does not mean that Uzbek people enjoy nature less. Outdoor recreation has simply developed in a different form.
What Camping Has Come to Mean to Me
Camping in Korea was once a completely new experience for me. Now it has become one of the ways my family enjoys the seasons, explores different regions and spends time together away from everyday routines.
It is not always effortless. Reservations, packing, setting up the tent, changing weather and cleaning everything afterwards all require preparation. Yet the experience offers something valuable: children playing freely, food shared outdoors, conversations that continue into the evening and the feeling of waking up close to the sea or mountains.
Living between Korean and Uzbek cultures often makes me notice that people can seek the same things—rest, nature, family time and good food—in very different ways. Camping in Korea has helped me discover one of those differences, and it has also become a meaningful part of our family life here.
This post is based on our family’s own camping experiences and is not sponsored by any campsite or destination mentioned.
