People think Mongolia is harsh and dry, but it is different. There are 3,800 rivers (the source has a typo), grasslands enough for 70 million livestock, large lakes, and huge deposits of gold, iron, coal, and other resources; Mongolia has development potential. (-5) Airag is a traditional drink of mare’s milk fermented in a leather sack. White like Korean makgeolli, it smells sour and has only about one degree of alcohol depending on fermentation. Some try it out of curiosity, but beware of

Mongolia is a place I somehow want to see, though it also makes me a little nervous. I had heard so much about the mysterious Gobi Desert that I was very curious what a desert would actually feel like. I also wondered whether there would be anything to do there. This book was wonderful at explaining what you can do in Mongolia and what makes it appealing. Anyone interested in visiting Mongolia should read it at least once. Even readers with no prior knowledge can learn about the country. It

I had long wanted to visit Mongolia. After high school I was too young to leave; in college I lacked money and friends. Once working, Mongolia remained a final destination. I’ve since traveled abroad, but Mongolia seemed hard to reach. Gobi Was Beautiful brought it closer. I still can’t leave now, but the friendly detail makes me feel I can someday. My main concern is that local conditions make package tours nearly unavoidable, while I prefer solo or small-group travel. Still, Mongolia is

A book full of a travel-mad author’s Mongolia journey and information. After two world trips, the author went to Mongolia in their seventies, stayed the full three visa-free months, and wrote a third book. It was barely published before the author set off for the US again; I applaud their stamina and passion. Part 1 gives essential preparation information; Part 2 introduces must-see spots and firsthand stories on different routes; Part 3 shares the 90-day travel diary and Mongolia’s appeal. I

An acquaintance who has traveled extensively told me Mongolia was their favorite place of all the destinations they had visited. At some point, more people in Korea started traveling to Mongolia, and I thought I would like to go at least once, too. When I happened to find this book about traveling in Mongolia, I started reading it. Mongolia does not have a well-developed public transit system, so independent travel is said to be difficult. For good value, travelers can use a package tour or

Thinking of Mongolia brings to mind the beauty of its vast natural world: endless grasslands, horses running across them, and stars filling the night sky. Many travelers now visit to see stars from the Gobi's dunes, ride across the open steppe, and spend a night in a traditional ger, discovering Mongolia's true appeal. This book pairs photographs of the country's beautiful nature with the author's impressions from 90 days of traveling, seeing, enjoying, and experiencing Mongolia. It describes

[Review] Gobi Was Beautiful. Before reading it, Mongolia was unknown to me. I thought of it as a place acquaintances praised for beautiful nature and brought camel dolls back from. When my family chose Mongolia, I wanted to learn about it; this book about a world traveler’s roughly 90 days there had just appeared, so I read it. Author Ahn Jeong-hoon had already published an account of crossing Africa. The conversational storytelling felt like hearing the author speak directly, and made me

I always welcome Ahn Jeong-hoon’s travel books, with their unpretentious writing, vivid firsthand stories, and precise information. Gobi Was Beautiful describes a country with different infrastructure where independent travel without prior knowledge is hard. It lays out how to travel each route, details places throughout Mongolia, and answers questions about the country. A trip with this one book would make a wonderful memory.

Eight tips begin the book: travel season is May–September; day/night temperature differences are large, so bring a light jacket; an international driving permit is useless. It is packed with firsthand know-how about agencies, ger bookings, vehicles, stargazing, food, essentials, etiquette, and four itineraries. Many guides show routes, but this includes what the author experienced, photographed, and learned in a relaxed 90-day stay. No wonder I envy this travel essay. The author rode horses