South Korea

South Korea is a country swathed in green, prodding its stony fingers skyward, and the Koreans are a people obsessed with nature, and with mountains in particular. Wherever you travel, you'll see them out in the open air, clad in the latest adventure fashions, pushing ever onward and upward.

It's a miracle that South Korea still exists. With China looming to its west and Japan nudging it from the east, it's no wonder the country has played unwilling host to centuries of war games. But no matter how many times its neighbours try to swallow it, South Korea manages to survive intact.

South Koreans attribute their indefatigable culture to the binding agents of Confucianism, language and pride. The stunning landscape has also played a big part in creating a cohesive Korean identity.