The Buddhist belief says lanterns are lights of wisdom that drive out darkness, anguish and ignorance.

Vibrantly colored lotus-lanterns can offer an exquisite sight to both Koreans and foreigners. On this day, visitors to the Jogyesa Temple in Jongno-gu, Seoul, were busy taking photographs to capture the exotic scene.

Jogyesa Temple is the general headquarters of the Jogye order of Korean Buddhism. Its history dates back to the 14th century. But elsewhere across Korea, similarly festive lanterns can be spotted at every Buddhist temple in the month of May.

Buddha’s Birthday falls on May 22.

Photographed by Park Hyun-koo (phko@heraldcorp.com)

Written by Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)

HONG KONG is well known and loved as a shopping and entertainment paradise but it is also an important destination for those wanting something a little more spiritual from their visit.

Temples are everywhere in the SAR, the loud prayers and the heavy scent incense wafting into the street testament to the Chinese love for paying respect to their deities.

The Mall Group recently held an exclusive trip for its M Card members, organising it in such a way as to allow the Thai visitors to experience another side to Hong Kong. Dubbed “Unseen Hong Kong”, the trip was led by Voralak Tulaphorn, chief marketing officer and well-known feng shui master Khatha Chinbunchorn and took in not just the power of Taoism but also some of the SAR’s Michelin-starred Chinese restaurants.

The secret chamber at Wong Tai Sin Temple

The itinerary highlighted five temples, among them the secret underground room of 60 Chinese Wealth Deities (Cai Shen Ye) at Wong Tai Sin temple in Kowloon.

“The underground room is rarely open to the public but feng shui enthusiasts will be delighted to learn that the room was designed to represent the complete and perfect world of feng shui beliefs,” Khatha told participants.

“It features a beautifully decorated night sky with each of the stars positioned as a specific Chinese Wealth Deity, The splendid Highest Deity (Ming Ming Shangdi) illustrates 12 stars clusters and 60 Chinese deities, and on the ground represents Yin Yang and eight tri-grams (Bagua), which comprise eight directions and five geometric elements – water, wood, fire, earth and gold. The room is thus considered the assembly point of the power of gods.”

Apart from praying for good fortune and divine guidance through offerings, Khatha recommended that participants, especially those not having a “lucky” year, follow the Chinese tradition and pay respect to the deities in the chamber.

“Wong Tai Sin temple is home to three religions; Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism. It is the residence of many gods from Wong Tai Sin, Kwun Yum, the guardian spirit, Yue Lao (God of Marriage and Love), and Kong Qiu (Confucius). The year 2018 is the earth element year of the Dog, and the deity of this year is the God of destiny warlord, Butai shengong, the 35th deity of the Phoesuk year. Those who should pay respect to the deity include people born in the year of Dragon, Dog, Goat and Ox,” he explained.

Kwan Yum Temple

Kwun Yum Temple, built in 1873, in bustling Hung Hom is the residence of the God of Mercy, Kwun Yum or Guan Yin. The temple is believed by Hong Kong people to have the power to revitalise the economy.

“Worshippers, mostly businessmen, pray here to borrow money from the goddess and invest it in their businesses. If successful, the borrower would come back to return the money,” Khatha told the group.

“Having some struggles in life is normal but you wish the power of faith will ease those problems or help you find solutions and go through it as quickly as possible.”

Continuing to pay their respects to Kwan Yum, the group was then taken to Tin Hau Temple at Yao Ma Tei. Tin Hau, Goddess of the Sea, is revered by fishermen and anyone whose life and destiny are tied to the ocean. Temples that honour her are found in abundance in Chinese coastal communities throughout Asia, including in Thailand, where believers flock to the riverfront Lhong 1919 in Khlong San district to pay their respects.

Known to almost all Thai visitors, Che Kung Temple’s windmill is said to blow away bad things in life. It is believed that rotating the windmill clockwise would change one’s life from bad to good. The lucky windmill enhances good luck, prevents unfortunate events, and ensures victory.

Che Kung Temple

It doesn’t mention bringing worshippers the finest dining but that’s precisely what the group enjoys next as Voralak leads the way to the legendary congee restaurant at Ho Hung Kee. The house offers speciality Wonton noodles in soup and fragrant minced fish balls with clams Cantonese style. The rice noodle rolls filled with twisted cruller are a must.

The group also eats at the Michelin-starred Lei Garden restaurant, a 40-year-old dining establishment that offers Double Boiled Soup of the Day, BBQ Pork and crispy roast pork belly. The sauteed scallop is simply delicious.

Lung Tang restaurant is another well-kept secret. Located in the fish market, it’s well known for its fresh ingredients and countless seafood dishes.

Castello Di Pavone – Pavone Canavese, Italy

If you are looking for an ancient castle that has transformed into a charming hotel, then the Castello Di Pavone is the place to stay. Surrounded by a tropical garden, all rooms mix traditional furnishing with modern amenities, offering a truly unique setting steeped in history. The property features a number of dining halls, small and large, and each one has unique features that will you bring you back in time such as chandeliers and beamed ceilings.

Parador de Cardona Cardona, Spain

With a magical setting inside a ninth-century castle, the Parador de Cardona is straight out of fairy tale. Offering panoramic views over the Catalonian countryside, and interiors faithful to the Cardona’s history with medieval styling, vaulted ceilings, stone walls and gorgeous courtyards, you’ll be treated like a king or queen. Guests will be spellbound with the delicious and authentic Catalonian specialties, before retreating to a charming bedroom with canopy beds and the beautiful furnishing highlighted by theatrical lighting and rich fabrics.

The Castle Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Dalian – Dalian, China

Given the iconic Bavarian-style of The Castle Hotel, you might think you were in the hills of Germany’s Black Forest. But you’re actually only a few steps away from Xinghai Square – the largest city square in the world. Offering high-end accommodation and the royal treatment every guest deserves. Surrounded by lush forests, this luxurious property features elegantly decorated rooms and offers the royal treatment at the spa and indoor pool.

Ballynahinch Castle Hotel – Ballynahinch, Ireland

Set in the striking woodlands of Galway County with the beautiful backdrop of the 12 Bens Mountain Range, this luxury castle overlooks its impressive salmon fishery on its large private estate. Nature lovers can enjoy a variety of outdoor activities fit for a royal, such as pony trekking, woodcock shooting or just relaxing walk by the lake and the river to admire the local wildlife.

Roch Castle – Roch, UK

This impressive castle overlooking the St Brides Bay will transport guests to a mystical time. Dating back to the 12th century, Roch Castle is standing proudly on a rocky outcrop high above the Pembrokeshire landscape. Guests can enjoy a unique sense of history combined with a romantic getaway as each room is luxuriously decorated offering a modern feeling with beautiful views of the British coast and countryside.

Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac – Quebec City, Canada

Situated in Old Quebec, this heritage property boasts views of the St. Lawrence River and the Old fortified City. Being a landmark on its own right, guests can make themselves at home in the luxurious, European-style rooms as well as spa facilities to relax and rejuvenate after an exciting day exploring upper and lower town districts of Quebec City.

RAAS Devigarh – Delwara, India

For something a little less ordinary during your trip in India, rest your head at the RAAS Devigarh. Housed in an 18th-century palace in the village of Delwara, this heritage property is nestled amidst the Aravalli Hills and has a picture-perfect mountain backdrop. Guests can have a quiet read in the library or relax in their spacious suite adorned with grand furnishings and intricately carved archways.

HEMMED IN by sprawling mountain ranges and the Mekong and Khan rivers, Luang Prabang has long been able to shut out the outside world and focus on sustainable living.

Famous for its cultural traditions and striking French colonial architecture, this former royal capital has however far more to offer visitors than glided temples and classic buildings.

A 30-minute drive along the road leading to Kuang Si Waterfall, the Laos Buffalo Dairy farm is today a popular spot with foreign tourists. It owes its existence to what marketing expert Susie Martin, her husband Steven Mcwhirter, financial expert Matthew and chef Rachel O’Shea laughingly describe as a collective mid-life crisis and a passion for cheese.

The guided tour buffalo feedings are priced at kip 50,000 (Bt190) and kip 100,000 (Bt380). There are three milking demonstrations a day.

Recognising the potential for a dairy business in Laos and hoping to generate extra income for local farmers, the four set up the farm two years ago, a move that no doubt pleased the Lao government, which has been working to build up exports of buffalo and cow meat. The aim is to produce 500,000 tons of meat a year, though at the moment Laos is only covering five per cent of that target.

“Laos doesn’t have a dairy product culture – not cows, buffaloes or goats. This is the first and only buffalo dairy in the country,” says Susie Martin, the dairy’s chief executive.

“I worked for a multinational company in Singapore and five years ago my family travelled to India, where we sampled delicious yoghurt curds made from buffalo milk. When I came to Luang Prabang and saw so many buffaloes, I assumed local farmers were doing the same. But nobody even knew what yoghurt was. Most yoghurt for breakfast in the hotels was made with fruit not milk.”

These days, 90 per cent of the buffaloes on the farm are rented from 150 farmers across 17 villages. The dairy pays around one million kip (US$100) for bringing and milking buffaloes at the farm for six months.

“Initially, we wanted to buy buffalo milk from farmers to make some cheese. But it’s taken a long time for farmers to trust us and learn how to milk. It became obvious that no one understood us, so we decided to change the idea around by renting the buffaloes from them,” Martin says.

Almost all the buffaloes at the Laos Buffalo Dairy Farm are rented from local farmers and their milk used to make a selection of premium cheeses, yoghurts, ice cream and desserts. 

“Most buffaloes in Laos are primarily raised for meat though a few are still used for ploughing the land in preparation for rice planting even though the farmers now prefer to use tractors. In Laos, a buffalo is like a worker but if the farmers have to pay medical fees, for a wedding or to educate their kids, they can sell their buffalo.”

When arriving at the farm, the buffaloes will spend four weeks in quarantine where they undergo a disease testing and vaccination programme created by four veteran vets from Holland, England, Vientiane and Thailand, who call in at the farm every six months.

The farm offers three milking demonstrations a day and visitors can have fun giving the buffaloes a shower and feeding them with grass and milk. Other livestock includes rabbits, chickens and pigs, which the children are welcome to feed. The porkers all eat corn mix, rendering their flesh meatier and with less fat.

“After the month in quarantine, we move the buffaloes to the main farm, where they are milked by machine at 6am and 5pm. Buffalo milk is more creamy and aromatic. It has only four per cent of fat compared to cow milk, which has 10 per cent,” Martin says.

“A few years ago Laos joined with China to create a breeding programme to resolve allergenic problems that arise as a result of inter-breeding. This involved bringing different species of buffalo from China to breed with the local beasts.”

Laos Buffalo Dairy’s cheeses are famous for their smooth texture, light fragrance and great taste.

The farm also boasts a cafe where visitors can sample the creamy buffalo cheeses and desserts such as smooth cheesecakes, ricotta cakes and ricotta donuts paired with ice cream, thick milk shakes and coffee.

Back in downtown Luang Prabang, visitors can take time out at the Living Crafts Centre by Ock Pop Tok (East meets West), which boasts a wide collection of hand-woven Lao-style textiles created by blending modern innovations with local wisdom.

Aiming to earn more income for Lao women and conserve the country’s centuries-old weaving culture, Veomanee “Veo” Douangdala teamed up with her English friend Joanna “Jo” Smith to set up Ock Pop Tok in 2000 and the shop quickly become the centre of social enterprise and ethnic fashion in Luang Prabang.

Perched on the bank of the Mekong River, the company has now expanded its base to the Living Crafts Centre to educate visitors about sericulture and traditional weaving. It works with more than 500 residents throughout the country in developing designs and techniques for clothes that are both modern and functional.

“In the past, villagers wove only traditional skirts. We have provided them with a standard loom and expanded our product line to include home decor items, bags and other fashion apparel. We use two species of silkworms from both here and India,” says Vin, the sales and marketing coordinator.

The Living Crafts Centre by Ock Pop Tok offers demonstrations of silk weaving, sericulture, naturally dyed textiles as well as batik classes.  

“It usually takes 45 days to raise the silkworms and produce the thread. After the eggs are laid and the larvae emerge, we feed them with tomato and papaya leaves and then harvest the threads of the spittle they produce when they form their cocoon.”

Luang Prabang is populated by several hill tribes like Hmong, Phu Tai and Tai Lue and each has a different signature pattern such as mat mee (similar to Thailland mudmee) and nam lai (interlocking tapestry weaving). All textiles are organically dyed with extracts of plants and flowers – ebony produces grey black, lac red, sappan tree pink and tumeric vine yellow.

Visitors can join a batik workshop to make their keepsake or check out the latest collection of trendy hand-woven outfits, home furnishing and silver jewellery at the boutique.

Avani Plus Luang Prabang offers five-star hospitality in elegant French colonial-style accommodation. 

Luang Prabang is home to several boutique hotels and guesthouses, as well as more luxurious accommodation. The newest of these is the Avani Plus Luang Prabang Hotel, a five-star resort built on the land that once hosted the French army quarters. It became the Phousi Hotel in 1961 and closed in 2014 when the old structures were razed.

Last year, the Azarai Hotel took over the land with the rebranding as Avani Plus completed in March. Designed by veteran French-Canadian architect Pascal Trahan, this brand-new hotel boasts a contemporary French neo-classical style.

Between trips into town or into the countryside, guests can relax by the pool under the canopy of an ancient banyan tree or head to the spa for a pampering session.

“The Avani Plus is the first hotel in Luang Prabang to receive official five-star ranking from Ministry of Information Culture and Tourism,” hotel manager Andrew Jansson says proudly.

The Mekong Kingdoms Luxury Cruises offers sunset, dinner and overnight sails along the river Prices start at US$34 (Bt1,080), inclusive of canapes and drinks.

And while the upstairs bar with its street-side veranda offers the ideal perch from which to observe the daily rhythms of Luang Prabang life, visitors should make for the river to admire the sunset and board one of the Mekong Kingdoms Luxury Cruises for a two-hour cruise. Furnished with colourful lounge sofas and a sundeck, guests can drink in the romance of the colonial era while enjoying spectacular views of verdant mountains and fishing communities on the banks.

Those desiring a more intimate private cruise can take advantage of the ultra-exclusive two-cabin cruiser and enjoy a one or more night stay on the river.

The writer travelled courtesy of Avani Plus Luang Prabang and Bangkok Airways.

IF YOU GO

>> Bangkok Airways has two daily flights between Bangkok to Luang Prabang. Check out the best rates at http://www.BangkokAir.com.

>> For reservations at the Avani Plus, visit http://www.MinorHotels.com/en/avani/luang-prabang

YOU’D BE forgiven while strolling along the shores of Italy’s Lake Como for thinking you’d just walked onto a “Star Wars” set. There are no X-wing fighters or death stars, but there is the unsurpassed beauty and romanticism of the garden at Villa del Balbianello.

This is where Padme Amidala and Anakin Skywalker picnicked in “Attack of the Clones”, in which locales around the picturesque lake became Naboo in a galaxy far, far away.

This is where he trembled over the “kiss you should have never have given me”. She was trembling too. “I think our lives are about to be destroyed,” she said.

The spectacular view across Lake Como from Menaggio continues to mesmerise visitors of all backgrounds, just as it enchanted so many famous personages of the past.

Just a couple of kilometres away is the equally elegant Villa Belmonte in the charming town of Giulino di Mezzegra, where real lives were destroyed. There, Benito Mussolini’s mistress, Claretta Petacci, insisted on dying with him when fate arrived armed with clubs and pitchforks. They tried to flee across the nearby Swiss border, but the partisans were hunting for them.

The dictator often asked Petacci if she thought he was as good a leader as Napoleon. She assured him he was. Napoleon made an imperial victory lap of the area in the early 1800s and once stayed at the stately Villa Pliniana across the lake.

Lago di Como simultaneously stimulates and soothes like few other landscapes with built-in drama that’s been attracting visitors for millennia. Shaped like an upside-down “Y”, it nestles under gorgeous mountains in Italy’s pretty, more posh north.

Eyes are drawn to pristine peaks along the Swiss frontier and then to some of Europe’s deepest waters, powerful emotions reflected in their countless shades of blue. It’s certainly an ideal place to take a permanent holiday.

The visual symphony inspired the virtuoso pianist Franz Liszt. “When you write the story of two happy lovers,” he said, “let the story be set on the banks of Lake Como.”

Winston Churchill, after overseeing victory in Europe in 1945 and suffering a shock election defeat just two months later, retreated to a lakeside villa in Moltrasio to discover “a landscape which exudes absolute tranquillity”.

Having led Britain through its darkest hour, Churchill found that, in addition to blood, sweat and tears, he had plenty of oil as well – oil paints – and took to depicting gathering storms and other aerial phenomena by the moody lake carved out by glaciers.

“When I get to Heaven, I mean to spend a considerable portion of my first million years in painting, and so get to the bottom of the subject,” he said. “I know of nothing which, without exhausting the body, more entirely absorbs the mind.”

The wondrous Villa del Balbianello is where James Bond wooed Vesper Lynd in the 2006 film “Casino Royale”.

For hours at a stretch, Churchill created bucolic scenes along the shore where Mussolini had been killed just weeks before. (Yes, there are related conspiracy theories.)

While he found more than a quantum of solace at Villa le Rose in countryside he noticed was “unravaged by war”, back at Villa del Balbianello, a compatriot also in service to the British crown – at least in the imagination – underwent experiences even more cathartic.

In the 2006 franchise reboot “Casino Royale”, James Bond’s |love affair with Vesper Lynd |plays out in crucial scenes, lakeside, in ways fully expressing how 007 |is sometimes known – particularly in Italy – as “Mr Kiss Kiss Bang Bang”.

In the original novel, Bond channels the intensity of love, life and loss whenever he hears the airy “La Vie en Rose”. The embrace of life here in its fullest, in regards to his thoughts for her, also inspired his signature drink, the vodka martini, and its preparation technique – shaken, not stirred.

On the grounds of the villa common to the two most iconic movie franchises of the late 20th century – it was a Franciscan monastery in medieval times and the bell tower still stands – a sign reminds film fans, “The true and undisputed protagonist is the lake.”

All villages and countless villas on Lake Como offer various accommodation options. Non-members of the jet set can consider homestays above pizzerias. There are friendly interactions with simpatico locals, impeccable cuisine and, of course, views to die for.

Winston Churchill, licking his wounds after being ejected from office in 1945, retreated to a lakeside villa in “a landscape which exudes absolute tranquillity”.

George Clooney owns a villa in Laglio, where scenes for his film “Ocean’s Twelve” were shot. Menaggio, a former hangout of prominent fascists who fled to the lake country to avoid Allied bombs falling on Milan, offers hillside strolling opportunities.

Bellagio is perfectly positioned at the intersection of the lake’s arms. Arriving by ferry is particularly enchanting.

Chic Milan, the ideal entranceway to the lake and a classic destination in itself, is a pleasant hour away by train – or by car on roadways tracing Mussolini’s springtime ride in 1945. The route is bursting with azaleas come summertime.

Beyond the escapism of history and fiction, the lake offers even deeper discoveries.

Ferries that are rarely crowded and private boat tours are ready to take visitors off to drink in the beauty. Out there, timeless themes of war and justice, forbidden love and making the galaxy great again dissolve on alpine breezes.

On the open water between destinations, the indelible blueness of Lake Como cultivates spaces of the mind, allowing new canvases to be filled with thoughts flowing like cirrus clouds, whipped into longer, ethereal gelato drifts, above tragedies real or imagined, where latent dreams sweeter and more evocative may surface.

As part of its endeavours to offer enhanced visa services and solutions for governments and diplomatic missions worldwide, the industry pioneer’s MVAC is a modern, customised mobile facility, equipped with end-to-end technology to enrol biometrics and accept visa applications remotely from any location for individual or group submissions.

With improved accessibility, requirements can be scheduled on-demand at short notice to service applicant-surges or emergencies at any location. Reach is even greater for governments with the ability to service remote locations, while assuring data capture and transfer through secure and certified systems.

Applicants can fill the online application form and book appointments at http://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa, choose Bangkok as the location then select Mobile VAC- Crystal Design Centre on Praditmanutham Road or Mobile VAC – Thanya Park on Srinakarin Road in the appointment category.

The fee is Bt3,800 per application and must which must be paid online by credit card.

Check the details at (02) 168 7394 or email ukviodmvbkk@vfsglobal.com.

THREE HOURS from Seoul, South Korea’s biggest ski resort Yongpyong in Kangwon province is crowded with Thais. It’s the Songkran festival back home but hundreds have headed here, not to splash each other with water but to enjoy the last moments of winter at the April Snow Festival. Held annually from April 13 to 15, it’s designed for Thai tourists and offers them not just a chance to escape the heat but also to have fun in the snow and take part in sled competitions.

Spring has come to Yongpyong and the air temperature is a relatively balmy 14 degrees Celsius, but as we approach the resort, we can see the white slopes surrounded by trees. This is the sixth edition of the festival initiated by Korean Tourism Organisation in cooperation with Yong Pyong Resort and this trip has drawn 700 Thais to, quite literally, chill.

Thai tourists take part in the sledding competition at Yong Pyong Resort in Kangwon Province, South Korea. The event was organised as part of the April Snow Festival held for Thai tourists only.

Joung Jin Su, director of the KTO’s Theme Tourism Product Development Team, says the project actually dates back to 1998 when the Fun Ski Festival was introduced to attract tourists from Taiwan and Hong Kong. At that time, the festival was held during the winter when the entire area is blanketed by snow. Back then, the programme featured a three-night, four-day stay complete with skiing lessons and competitions and a farewell dinner party.

Six years ago, the KTO decided to doff its cap to Thai tourists with an April Snow festival.

“Every year, we would see Koreans escape the winter chill by flying to Thailand, so I thought why not bring Thais here during the hot summer to enjoy playing in the snow,” he says.

The KTO chose Yongpyong Resort, which is known to Thais for its appearances in such popular Korean dramas as “Winter Love Song”. At first, the resort was worried that there wouldn’t be enough snow but resolved the problem by “re-mining” – bringing in snow from higher-altitude slopes and building a 1.2 metre-high sledding slope in time for April 13 to 15.

“I know Thai tourists go to Japan to ski. I wanted them to come here too,” he says.

Most Thais come with their families so the sledding competition is categorised by gender and age. That means all members of the family from kids up to grandparents can enjoy the competition, which sees them sledding down the slope and controlling the sled sufficiently well to pick up the item placed at the finishing line.

The timing is good too as it falls right in the middle of Thailand’s long summer school break.

Here for the first time, the Wanitlertthanasan family from Chiang Mai is surprised to see only Thais taking part in the competition. Their youngest son has a go and comes back with a prize.

The staff reminds young contestants to hold the sled tightly before heading down the slope.

“This is great fun. It’s nice for the kids to be able to play in the snow. Usually, we can only go to ski resorts during the New Year holidays,” says mother Sirikorn.

The Fudkal family from Nakhon Pathom is in South Korea for the first time. The mother wins the first place in the female adult competition and her little boy takes second place in his category.

They too are surprised to find only fellow Thais at the resort but think it’s a great idea. The family often goes to the Kiroro Resort in Hokkaido to ski but says they are thoroughly enjoying the sledding at the April Snow festival, not least because it allows them to mix with other people.

“It’s fun. I wouldn’t be able to chat with other competitors if the race was open to everyone,” says young Ratchanon.

“But I won’t know what the reward until this evening at the farewell party,” he adds.

After the competition in the afternoon, they walk back to the hotel for a rest before gathering at the farewell party. This includes a kimbab-making competition where families help each other to perfect the Korean rice roll, with the best winning a reward, and a performance by the well-known “Jump” show.

Joining the April Snow festival means buying a package tour in Thailand as the event is not open to individual travellers.

“We’ve had emails from individual travellers wanting to book but we don’t accept direct reservations, If they want to join, they should contact the tour agent in Thailand,” says Lee Sung Jae, a member of the resort’s sales and marketing team.

“The package makes sense as it includes a lot of activities as well as the details of where and how to take part. Individual travellers don’t have access to that information,” he explains.

After the sledding competition, Thai visitors gather at the farewell party where they take part in making kimbap. 

Song Yong Kwan from TNT Korea Travel who is the escort for the Thai media trip explains further, saying that travellers coming with a local tour agent like TNT benefit from transport to and from the resort.

The April Snow package includes breakfast, a one-night stay, the competition and the party. Optional activities are also provided at extra cost including riding the gondola lift to the ski slopes on the mountain or playing in the indoor water theme park.

Six years ago, the festival attracted 1,300 Thais and this year attracted some 10 per cent more.

KTO’s Joung adds that he hopes to add a snowman experience next year in the hope that it can attract more Thai people to visit the festival.

“Last year it rained, so they were disappointed not to be able to play in the snow,” he laments.

The resort’s Lee Sung Jae adds that the resort can handle around 400 tourists for the competition but points out that it would be hard to extend the festival beyond three days. Joung nods his agreement but says they can split the competition into morning and afternoon sessions to serve more tourists.

And potential punters can rest assured that it will remain a purely Thai affair.

Around 20 minutes from the Yongpyong resort is the Daekwanryeong Lamb Farm where visitors can have fun feeding the lambs. 

“It’s the low season here. Korean schools start in March and we can’t expand the festival to other Southeast Asian countries because they don’t have long holidays in this period. In any case, it would be hard to handle if we had more than one country.”

The first day of the April Snow Festival on April 13 ends with glee and the tourists are ready to leave for the next destination in the morning. The next batch of 240 Thais who arrive on April 14 aren’t quite so lucky. Rain starts falling in the morning and continues throughout the day. Unable to sled, they are offered a ride in the gondola lift to the top of the mountain or can play in the water theme park for free. They can also visit other nearby attractions nearby like the Daekwanryeong Lamb Farm. A 20-minute trip from the resort, the farm allows visitors to feed the lambs with grass and take a tour to many of the familiar locations of such films and TV series as “Saimdang, Memoir of Colours” and Welcome to Dongmakgol”.

Under the new policy, group and individual tourists from 59 countries, including Russia, Britain, France, Germany, and the USA, can visit Hainan visa-free and stay there for up to 30 days when booking a tour through a travel agency.

The seaside city has offered a 15-day visa-free stay for tourist groups from 21 countries since 2000, and added another five countries to the list in 2010.

“The government aims to attract more international tourists, nurture the tourism industry and meet the needs of foreign individuals,” said the administration’s vice head Qu Yunhai.

The eased visa-free access to Hainan is part of China’s effort to build the province into a free trade port with Chinese characteristics.

The island has become a famous tropical resort for overseas tourists in recent years, with the number of overseas tourists exceeding 1.1 million in 2017, up nearly 50 per cent over the previous year. Last year, Hainan drew nearly 320,000 tourists from the 26 countries with visa-free access, 3.5 times the number recorded in 2016. Tourists from Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, the Republic of Korea (ROK) and Russia accounted for more than 90 per cent of the total.

“The policy will inject vitality into Hainan and bring us closer to our goal of becoming a world-class destination,” said Sun Ying, director of Hainan Tourism Development Commission.

More direct flights are planned to countries with visa-free access. Hainan already has 57 international flights to countries including Germany, Malaysia and Thailand, with plans for at least 16 new overseas routes this year. It aims to have at least 100 overseas routes by 2020.