During the second weekend in June, my friends and I planned a much-needed night away from Daegu. We wanted to get outdoors and enjoy the weather before it got too unbearable – camping was the perfect idea. Well, not ‘camping’ per se, but ‘glamping’. Glamorous + camping = glamping. Right up my alley! I’m not a roughing it kind of girl, though I do enjoy the outdoors; I was really excited to try glamping for the first time in Gyeongju!
Glamping Adventures in Gyeongju, South Korea
We found a couple locations relatively close to Daegu: Starry Maru (www.starrymaru.com) and O2 Glamping (www.o2glamping.co.kr). Though O2 Glamping was actually in Daegu, it didn’t permit 5 people to a tent. We decided to go with Starry Maru and booked our express bus to Gyeongju. For a one-night stay, we paid 48k per person, which included a Korean BBQ meal set.
Upon arrival, we were greeted with a warm smile from the owner as he showed us around the facilities and asked us what time we wanted dinner. The site has a convenience store (in case you forget anything – or need more beer), a shower area (no shower stalls), restrooms, a small area for children to play, and a spot to wash your dishes. Each campsite includes a gas cooking range, charcoal grill, cooler, and all the very basic utensils you need. Oh yeah, there’s also WIFI and electricity!
We settled in quite nicely and began to unwind. Aside from a bit of hiking, there really wasn’t much to do – which was perfect for me! We all lazied around a bit, walked around the facilities, and enjoyed in some relaxing conversation over the numerous snacks (and beer) we brought with us. Our dinner arrived shortly after 7pm and I was really impressed with the quality and amount of food we received for 10k per person. The food was flavorful and very very plentiful. Our 10k got us samgyeopsal, mushrooms, shrimp, cheese tteokboki, sausages, and all the usual sides. We also received a 5-pack of ramen and some eggs. We had a hard time finishing it all, but did our very best to do it justice. We spent the rest of our night eating, drinking, and enjoying eachother’s company.
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Glamping Adventures in Gyeongju, South Korea
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Overall, my first glamping experience with Starry Maru was excellent! The staff was very friendly, the other guests were polite, and the facilities were the right level of roughing it (haha) for me. I highly recommend checking out Starry Maru if you get the chance! Happy Glamping!
A few practical things to note: Check-in is 3pm; check-out is 12pm; the owner speaks limited English (so you may need someone to call and book for you), but does well at responding to text. You can take a city bus once you arrive Gyeongju and it’ll drop you off within 7-10min walk of the site OR you can take a taxi from the express bus terminal for about 20k. We were happy with our decision to take a taxi – especially with all the food we brought with us.
Buses to Gyeongju from Daegu: Buses leave from Seobu Bus Terminal (Seongdangmot Exit 3) and Donyang Express Bus Terminal 802 (by Dondaegu). These buses will drop you off in slightly different locations, but the drop-off points in Gyeongju are within walking distance of each other. Buses from Seobu leave approximately every hour (though slightly more frequent early in the morning), while Donyang buses leave every 30min. Obviously, these are subject to change. Return buses from Gyeongju are different depending on which bus terminal you take, but run about every 30min from the Express Bus Terminal.