Vietnamese tourists excited with the first snow of the season in Seoul

Spending 20 million VND on a trip to see autumn leaves, Quynh Nhu was delighted to witness the historic first snowfall of the season in Korea.

"It was so exciting, the scene was like a fairy tale," Quynh Nhu, living in Ho Chi Minh City, recounted the moment she saw snow falling during her 5-day trip to South Korea from November 24.

Her original intention was to see the autumn leaves but she was surprised to see snow falling from November 27. Nhu spent about 20 million VND on the trip and said it was "worth every penny" to experience seeing both beautiful scenes in the same trip.

On November 27, Seoul experienced its heaviest November snowfall since 1907, with more than 16.5 centimeters of snow. On the morning of November 28, the snow reached 28.6 centimeters. This is a rare phenomenon even in winter, according to Yonhap .

Snow covered the streets of Seoul on November 28. Photo: Hoang Viet Travel

Like Nhu, Bao Anh, who lives in Ho Chi Minh City, did not believe that she would witness both red and yellow leaves and snow during her 10-day trip to Korea. At first, the female tourist did not expect to see beautiful scenery because the end of November is the transition from autumn to winter, the leaves have fallen but the snow has not yet fallen. However, when she arrived, she was still able to see the rows of bright yellow ginkgo trees on the way to Seoul Tower and explore the palaces.

On the evening of November 26, Bao Anh heard that there was a possibility of snow in Seoul, so she canceled her ticket to Busan to stay and catch the first snow of the season. On November 27, the sight of white snow outside made Vietnamese tourists so excited that they "couldn't sleep". Bao Anh and her family went out together at 5am to enjoy the "magical moment".

"I feel lucky to have witnessed this moment," she said, adding that although the snow was beautiful, it made the roads wet, slippery and dirty. With experience, Bao Anh's family had prepared warm clothes so they did not encounter many obstacles despite the sudden snowfall. With a cost of about 30 million VND per person, she felt the trip was really worth it because "it is very difficult to have a second time."

Although she enjoyed the "two-in-one" experience, tourist Nguyen Vi was also upset when her flight back to Vietnam with Korean Air was delayed for three days due to a snowstorm. On December 28, the airline scheduled a return flight at 7:35 p.m. and Vi had to arrive at the airport 6 a.m. early because of slippery roads and traffic congestion. However, the airline continued to delay and the plane did not take off until 2 a.m. on November 29.

Meanwhile, travel agencies are treating this historic snowfall as a memorable experience for tourists. Nguyen Phan Truong Giang, a tour guide specializing in tours to South Korea for Viet Travel, said he had never seen the first snow of the season fall for more than 12 hours straight. Although authorities have issued warnings about slippery and dangerous roads and not to go out unless necessary, most tourists still went out to take pictures with the snow.

Trees around Hanok Village, Seoul still have yellow and red colors in late November. Photo: Bao Anh

Hongdae area on the evening of November 27. Photo: Bao Anh

First snow of the season on Nami Island. Photo: Hoang Viet Travel

The company's delegation was lucky not to miss their return flight on November 28, but on November 27, Seoul's Incheon International Airport had to cancel 12 flights and delay 38 due to heavy snow. More than 220 flights were affected nationwide, and 90 ferries had to stay at port.

Hoang Viet Travel also has a group currently in China and the company received positive feedback from customers after witnessing the historic snowstorm. The group's schedule on November 27 and 28 was almost unaffected because the road cleaning work in Korea was carried out quickly.

"The first snow of the season was harsh for the locals but an unforgettable experience for Vietnamese guests," said the company's deputy director Luu Thi Thu.

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