Traditional Korean Village at Hahoe
Outside of high-season, Hahoe village is quiet. The soft morning light paints an orange glow on the thatched-roofed houses. The village is surrounded by fields. But now, in the early spring they lie barren and brown. The trees only have the smallest buds. Beyond the brown, lifeless fields is the river and beyond that, the hills.
Hahoe Folk Village is well-known for its traditional houses. Although tourism has been gently established, the village is still very much occupied with agriculture in the surrounding fields and local residents go about their normal life. A few families have set up souvenir shops and several rent out rooms to guests who wish to stay overnight.
The Ryu family originated in Hahoe village and lived here together for 600 years. The main attraction of the village is the old tile-roofed and thatched-roofed of the Ryu family which have been well taken care of over the years.
Hahoe Village makes a relaxing day and night trip. Visitors can also take the small ferry boat across the river to Buyongdae Cliff for a panoramic view over the village. In addition to the scenery and traditional architecture, Hahoe Village offers a few local Korean delicacies. Try the Andong Soju (distilled alcoholic beverage), heotjesabap (a type of bibimbap eaten by the nobles), Andong gangodeungeo (salted mackerel), and Andong guksu (a kind of noodle dish).
Attractions in the surrounding area around this traditional Korean village include Bongjeongsa Temple, Gosan Seowon, a Confucian Academy.
Getting to the Traditional Korean Village at Hahoe:
Hahoe is located to the northwest of Andong city, about 3 hours from Seoul. From the intercity bus terminal in Andong, take bus #46. You can also catch this bus near the train station in downtown Andong city. Buses run about every 1-2 hours during peak time and the trip takes a whole 50 minutes.
The Experience Korea tour, run by our sister-company Unquote Travel, makes a stop at Hahoe Folk Village. This tour gets you closer to the local culture by traveling around Korea by public transport and meeting locals, staying in locally-run guest-houses and eating the best local food.
Where to stay in Hahoe:
Many homes in Hahoe have minbak (rooms in traditional family homes) for rent from around ₩50,000 (for twin/double). Outside of high-season you can just show up and choose a room. Reservations should be made ahead of time on weekends and during the summer.
