Are you wondering when is a good time to travel?
The answer: anytime, because #YOLO! The world has plenty to offer and so much to explore, so it’s always best to start sooner rather than later. KAYAK Brand Ambassador Kang Ha-Neul knows that better than most. In lieu of our nation’s 52nd birthday, we sat down and had a good chat with him about his travel stories and inspirations:
KAYAK: Do you still remember your first overseas trip? Where was it?
Kang Ha Neul: My first travel destination was Osaka. I remember I travelled there when I was a freshman, or probably a sophomore, in college. I spent this first trip partly by myself and partly with a friend. As we were still students at the time, we didn’t have much budget at all, and so we explored a lot of local places on foot – we basically walked everywhere. Now that I think about it, this actually made our trip all the more memorable!
KAYAK: We love Osaka too! It is one of the most searched destinations by our users. Actually, the whole Kansai area has many hidden-gems – if you head out just a short while away from the city, you’ll find many scenic places that are great for easy day trips. Apart from well-known places like Kyoto and Nara, eating fresh oysters at Hiroshima or enjoying the panoramic sea view at Naoshima are great ideas too.
Kang Ha Neul: Exactly! After that first trip, I became more adventurous and decided to try a long-haul trip. I travelled to Paris with a group of friends. I had a really great time musing around all the historical places!
KAYAK: Since you have travelled to quite a few places for filming, do you have any memorable travel stories that you can share with us?
Kang Ha Neul: Of course! Not long ago, I visited Iceland to film a Korean variety show, “Youth Over Flowers”, and it took me around 20 hours to go there from Incheon because I had a long stopover in Amsterdam. Sounds very tiring, right? However, thanks to that, I enjoyed a short time-off to view the canals and walk around the streets to have a taste of the Netherlands, and I have to say, this was a really good experience.
KAYAK: Long stopovers are actually a blessing in disguise. You get more out of your flight ticket because of the extra time you get to explore a second place. Although that excursion was very brief, it was still good, wasn’t it?
Reykjavik is quickly rising up as a trending destination, thanks to your program – “Youth Over Flowers”. Many people are drawn by the northern lights and Iceland’s many natural attractions, such as the Gullfoss, Strokkur and the Jökulsárlón Lagoon.
Kang Ha Neul: Yes, I would also recommend bringing a pair of comfortable shoes for long overseas trip like this. They are definitely must-have items! I always had mine with me, so I was able to walk around places for longer periods of time, and explore more.
KAYAK: Are there any destinations that you frequent a lot these days?
Kang Ha Neul: I travel quite a bit around Asia, such as Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore, etc, to visit my fans. I am very thankful for their support and for taking the time to come and see me when I’m there ♥ and I’d like to wish all Singaporeans a Happy National Day!
KAYAK: If you could travel to one destination of your choice right now for a week, where would it be?
Kang Ha Neul: If I had the chance, I would visit Mongolia, because I’ve always wanted to see a sky full of stars while lying in the wild.
KAYAK: Mongolia is one of the best stargazing destinations in Asia. With limited outdoor lighting and zero high-rise buildings, the Mongolian-Manchurian steppe is surely the top place to see the Milky Way, shooting stars, horses and reindeer in the wild, and so much more!
Kang Ha Neul: I am already imagining it right now! Actually, I also want to visit Tibet, it has become one of the top destinations I want to visit in this lifetime ever since watching the movie “Seven Years in Tibet” when I was young. Tibet seems to be a very mysterious place!
KAYAK: Tibet offers breathtaking high-altitude treks and stunning views of the Himalayas, surely it would be a trip of a lifetime. We hope you get to visit all the top destinations in your bucket list soon!
KAYAK: Thank you very much for your time today, it was a great time!
Kang Ha Neul: My pleasure, thank you!
