Recently while visiting the island of Ulleong-do, I had the opportunity to visit Nari Basin, a beautiful valley hidden away high up in the mountains.

Getting off the bus at Nari Basin

But what exactly is Nari Basin? The name roughly translates to ‘flat crater area’ and is the result of a giant volcanic eruption over 9000 years ago which caused a ‘caldera’ (or unusual flat area for everyone without a Geography degree).

A view of the mountains in Nari Basin, Ulleong-do Island.

We were told on our tour that we were being taken to a traditional village over an hour away. In all honesty, I rolled my eyes at the thought – I have been in Korea going on two years and have seen my fair share of traditional temples. Was it really necessary to drive for an hour to see yet another one? My slightly jaded view was that once you have seen one temple in Korea, you have seen them all. (I realize this was quite a spoiled outlook). Despite my rolling eyes, the entire bus did not of course stop and turn around for me and I was left pleasantly surprised with what I eventually got to see.

Walking around Nari Basin on Ulleong-do Island.

Nari Basin, which is located on the North side of the island, is extremely hard to get too. It requires an incredibly sturdy bus or car (little Chevy Sparks like mine need not apply). There were times on the bus where we were driving up hill at an almost 90 degree angle. Occasionally we would idly round a sharp corner, and all 50 passengers would hold their breaths and exhale and cheer in delight when we came out ok on the other side. The bus driver received a full round of applause once we made back down the mountain. I heard a girl cheer “land!!” as we got out of the bus.

The view coming into the valley from the bus. Its a little shaky - from the bumpy ride down and possibly from my nerves as well. 

 Once we finally arrived, the valley was absolutely beautiful. It was an unusually completely flat area nestled between some fairly high peaks. Our tour guide told us that a grand total of 30 people lived in this area and used the volcanic soil to farm. The school, which is at the bottom of the mountain, has only 2 students and 5 teachers - quite the morning commute. I saw possibly two inhabitants beyond our tour group the entire time I was there. Compared to bustling cities like Busan or Daegu, this little piece of Eden was quiet and untouched.

A map of Nari Basin.

One of the more interesting things we got to see was the ‘Tumakjip’ ( or traditional houses). These are homes that Korean people lived in over 250 years ago before things like plumbing and electricity. The houses which are made of beach tree and soil, help to self-control temperature, keeping the interior cold in summer and warm in winter.  One thing that I will say, is that I felt that the bathroom, which clearly had no plumbing or even a lid to cover the contents, was entirely too close to the main house.  Although I can see the convenience of a long drop about 3 steps from the room you sleep in, I also feel that it might be an extremely bad idea from a smell point of view. I assume that the entire family would have known about it if one of its members had gotten a stomach bug. However, I suppose the alternative would have been to dig a hole next to a bush, so maybe beggars can’t be choosers.

The toilet

The 3 steps between the bathroom and bedrooms.

 Traditional homes in Nari Basin.

Traditional homes or 'Tumakjip'.

The kitchen area made of a dug out soil and clay pots

Taking photos around the traditional village. A church in the distance -set up for 30 people. I figure with such a small congregation they must really notice if you skip a Sunday.

Although the area is really difficult to reach, I would recommend Nari Basin as a stop for anyone visiting Ulleong-do Island. If you’re looking for a serene and quiet place to drink pumpkin Makkoli (pumpkin rice wine) – Nari Basin is your place!

Once in the valley - we got to try the local home made Pumpkin flavoured makkoli ( rice wine).

Korea has a massive make up industry that prides itself on offering affordable, high quality make up to women. In fact the Korean Times states that skin care and beauty exports have increased by 1500% over the last 15 years.  In a country that is fairly image obsessed with one of the highest plastic surgery rates in the world, its no surprise that make up is king.

Recently I asked a number of native teachers what they felt were the best and most affordable  make up products in Korea for foreign complexions.  Here's what they thought:

Foundation

Nature Republics BB came out as a winner for foreign complexions, I myself use their BB Cermid cream as it provides good coverage without feeling like you are 'wall papering' your face. It also keeps my skin relatively well moisturized, contains an SPF of 25 and is extremely easy to apply and blend.

11, 130 w ($11)

Foreigners with darker complexions complained that they had to search for months before they could find a foundation that matched their skin tone in Korea. Many agreed that they had to have foundation sent from overseas stores, simply to find a color that matched. However, Nature Republic's CC Super Origin Cream was suggested as one of the better option as it comes out a white liquid and tints to match your skin tone as you blend it.  It also does not have a whitening component to the cream that is so often found in other products. 14,000 w ($13)

Mascara

A number of foreigners as well as my co-teacher swore by the 'Super Cara' mascara by Holika Holika, as it does the same job as Mac or Loreal - but at a fraction of the price. The mascara boldens and lengthens without the lashes clumping together. It is also easy to wash off with remover.  Holika Holika also carries a few other mascaras in the Super Cara line, 

 7,900 w ($7)

 

Liquid liner

My Black Liquid Art Pen by  Missha came out tops as an easy to find and inexpensive Korean alternative. Many foreigners argued that it was borderline impossible to find an eyeliner that was dark enough, easy to apply and lasted through out the day on the Korean market. So often other products ran dry, came off too easily or the applicator wand was too small. However, the liquid liner by Missha seems to beat the odds at 15, 500 w ($15) 

Eye shadow and Lipstick

If your looking for cheaper lipsticks and eye shadows, Etude House is the place to go. Considered one of the cheaper make up lines on the market, Etude has an array of funky colours and shades to pick from. A tip for eye shadow shopping is to pick a few individual shades and ask the assistant to put it into a pallet for you. It will only set you back another 2 or 3000 won ($ 3) but will keep all your favorite shades together in one easy to use container.

Eye shadow at  3500 w ($3)

Blusher

Need a spruce of pink on the cheeks? An affordable option is The Faceshop's Cushion Blusher. The blusher comes with a pillow for dabbing and runs in a couple of different shades. For my personal complexion Coral is the best tint.  5,900 w ($5)

Nails

Nail polish can be found at almost any make up store in Korea. The best range for colours on the market? Etude House.  According to some of the foreigners I spoke to, it is always best to spend 3000 won or so extra and get your favorite color in the gel line, as it lasts much much longer. Etude House's Enameliting Gel nail line insures that your fingers will be less prone to chips and breaks throughout the week.

5,500 w ($ 5)

Cleanser and Make up wipes

In this dusty weather, Tony Molly's Dust Out Multi Foam Cleaner and wipes were most popular among some of the foreigner I spoke to. During spring, chemical yellow dust brought across through high winds from China can severely effect allergies and skin. Tony Molly's cleaner aim to clear out any yellow dust or dirt with deep cleaning balls found in the solution. A friend teacher said that this cleanser had really helped her to rid her face of constant yellow heads.

8,000 w ($7) 

 
Moisturizer

Most foreigners suggested lots of different products but argued that a good and often slightly more expensive moisturizer was needed for the cold, dry winter months. I personally use  The Faceshops's Mango Seed Moisturizer. Although it slightly more pricey, I feel that it is well worth it. After my first December in Korea, my skin had began to peel and flake on my cheeks because I had spent so much time under a heater and out of the sun.  The Mango seed moisturizer helps to keep my skin hydrated without being too oily or thick. I would recommend it in the winter months.
24,000 w ($23) 

Can you think of any other products that are better?