South Korea

Seoul probably won't be hosting a Winter Olympics any time soon, but with mountains covering 70 per cent of the Korean peninsula, South Korea has the potential to attract many more foreign visitors to its ski slopes.

A big plus is that four of the 13 ski resorts in South Korea are within an hour of Seoul, making it possible to go skiing or snowboarding here even if you're only visiting on a business trip or 48 hour stopover.

The downside of being so close to the city is the resorts get mobbed at the weekends. Where possible, try to go on a week day.

Don't expect Austrian-style queuing discipline, or perfectly-executed dismounts at the top of the lifts (most people seem to carry their boards and skis and hope for the best). There's a certain 'anything goes' attitude on the slopes which will take you by surprise if you're used to European skiing.

But with the pumping music and hustle and bustle, you won't be able to deny there's a genuine excitement about skiing or snowboarding in South Korea.

You're still likely to run into crowds away from Seoul, but you can expect a more genuine Korean experience in the more remote resorts.

Cost

Expect to pay around 40,000 won (US$40) for a one-day adult lift pass.

Getting here

Seoul is your obvious point of entry into the country. Getting to the more remote ski resorts in South Korea will require an additional internal flight to either Yang Yang or Daegu airports.