The base of Mt. Hwangmaesan in South Korea is littered with beautiful royal azalea flowers.
One of the most vivid memories from my childhood was when my babysitter, who was as old as dirt, forgot to pick me up from school and I had to walk my 7-year-old ass two miles home along a highway. I never minded the walk though, because I got to walk by some really beautiful azalea bushes in people’s yards. I used to call it the azalea trail, and imagine running away and living in one of the bushes (they were fucking huge). To this day, I love azaleas. Call me gay, if you must.
For that reason, Mt. Hwangmaesan, Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea is now on my to-do list of places to travel. The huge mountain is home to Haeinsa, a popular Buddhist temple that houses a big collection of 13th century Buddhist scriptures as well as expansive fields covered in thousands of royal azaleas. There is a Royal Azalea Festival every May, so you should start saving now to travel at the peak of the azaleas blooming.
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The only downside is that to get to Mt. Hwangmaesan you have to take a bus. But if I can walk 2 miles as a totally kidnappable 7-year-old, I am sure you can suffer through a sweaty bus ride in favor of seeing some breathtaking panoramic views.
